We are going to celebrate my father’s 82nd birthday tomorrow. He is a modern medical technology miracle. However, I do believe that God is the source of all healing. The Bible verse, “Man plants and man waters, but it is God who gives the growth.” can be applied to healing. The doctors can cut and stitch and give medicine, but it is God who heals. I am grateful for the additional years that we have enjoyed together. We have focused on making happy memories after his many near death experiences.

My father lives with my step mother in another city, so there is no health club for seniors near him. He loves the club and wishes he could become a member. He understands that even though he is still able to go and do, the club membership would be good for him because the daily or weekly interactions with the club’s medical team and fellow members would prevent declines in his health. He also knows daily exercise has been recommended to him by his personal physician, and coming to the club would inspire him to exercise.

My father is still driving, so he could go to the local senior citizens center, but they do not have a medical team and no staff to guide and recommend exercises or tests or screenings to help prevent declines in his health. He could make friends there so they could hold him accountable for the exercises, at least. But he has not taken that step. Like many seniors, he is too comfortable at home. He intends to exercise at home, but he doesn’t do it regularly.

I am also grateful to God for my step mother. She is eight years younger than my father and works part time. Since they see one another daily I don’t have to worry about him falling and suffering for long until someone finds him. He has fallen before and my step mother rescued him.

I have met other seniors who think they “are not ready” for the health club for seniors….as if one has to be in really bad health to be a member of the club. I think that is a shame, because it means they are depriving themselves of social interaction which is good for our brains and they are depriving themselves of motivation for exercise, which has overall health benefits. They may also be depriving themselves of good food and the medical interventions that would improve their health.

If a senior can do the right kind and amount of exercises without going to a health club for seniors, then good for them! If they can keep on top of all the recommended tests and screenings and get daily social interactions without joining the club, I say, hooray! If they can get balanced, nutritious meals on their own, wonderful!

I just hope that someone in their eighties and nineties who “is not ready” for joining and attending the health club for seniors is not really saying, “I am too good to associate with people who have experienced a health event that has disabled them”. And I certainly hope they are not really saying, “I am better than they are”. It is a natural part of aging to draw into ourselves and to make excuses not to interact with others, to our detriment. Research shows it is better to interact with people we don’t even like than to not interact with anyone at all. Reading or listening to recorded books are not a substitute. Working crossword puzzles is not a substitute. And watching television turns our brains to mush.

God is so good. He balanced a discouragement and disappointment with an encouragement and a hope. A 72 year old woman saw our spot on the noon news this past week and called and then later visited the club. She is still able to go and do, but realizes that since her husband died years ago, she has not been as outgoing or socially involved. She says she just does not feel like it, but she knows that she needs to get out more and work on improving her health so she can enjoy her life with health set backs. She does not want to burden her daughter with caring for her if she has health issues…an operation, a loss of vision or mobility, etc. So she is being proactive and learning the best way to age well. I don’t know if she will join the club or not, but I admire her for her attitude and action!

May God bless you and yours this week….