Who do you see when you look in the mirror? Are you still healthy and robust looking, or are you starting to look a little frail, and oh so elderly?
Nobody wants to look frail or elderly, but the onset of fragility is subtle, and it tends to sneak up on you. Be vigilant.
You can handle ordinary aches and pains but taking forever to bounce back from an illness or an injury is demoralizing. A cold that used to last 7days becomes a 3-week ordeal, and you are lucky if it didn’t turn into pneumonia.
Yes, you have slowed down a little, but that’s normal, isn’t it? Not everyone who is old is frail, but how do you know when you are getting close to crossing the line?
Check in with yourself on occasion. Ask yourself, “How am I doing? Is this good enough?” Key indicators focus on physical abilities (weakness, slowness, exhaustion, physical inactivity and unintentional weight loss). If you answer yes to 3,4, or 5 of these traits you may already be in trouble.
Yikes, these symptoms are pretty common and they may already apply. Consider your walking speed, your muscle strength, your level of fatigue, and how many health problems you have. The more “things” you have wrong with you the more likely you are to be frail.
If you can’t be objective enough on your own, seek help. Don’t wait for someone else to bring it up, this is on you.
Unfortunately, the old-fashioned family physician who cared for your until they retired or died, is a rare breed anymore. Nowadays you will be lucky if you see your primary care physician once a year. Someone in your health care system will see you and treat your symptoms, but they don’t really know you. Ask questions.
The earlier you/they recognize the signs of impending fragility the better the chances are of reversing some of them. Of course it will mean nutritional counseling, physical therapy and yes, an exercise program.
Suck it up. Fragility is not an inevitable part of aging but remaining strong, healthy, and reasonably robust will be up to you.
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