By Jo Stinchcomb with permission from Rosie Marie Knight
My husband Doug and I are both retired. We both feel fortunate to have Medicaid and Medicare Part B but know that you can only get so far with that. I won't tell our ages, but I am sure you can make a close guess.
It's funny how mom never told us that much about the aging process. I guess it's something that we all have to "experience" for ourselves.
As we age, we have found that we need to fill in the gaps that our health insurance and doctors doesn't address and be proactive in our health care. We are grateful for the community aging programs that are available from a little organization called Pueblo StepUp. Below is our journey with three programs that have made a huge difference in the quality of our lives. The programs Pueblo StepUp offers are Well-Being clinics, Tai Chi from the Arthritis Foundation and the Healthier Living Colorado programs.
We live in Pueblo West outside of the city of Pueblo and know that we need to stay active and healthy if we want to live on the "out- skirts" of the city of Pueblo. So, we searched for programs offered in Pueblo West. We found a monthly well-being clinic at a community center where my husband and I go to get our blood pressure, blood oxygen, blood glucose, and weight checked. They also have a nutritionist, pharmacist and a hearing specialist that help with questions we may have. My husband was originally identified with high blood pressure at one of these monthly clinics. He is now on medications to control it and we possibly prevented a stroke.
For four years now, Doug and I have attended a Tai Chi from the Arthritis Foundation class at the same community center. (The class members have become extended family.) I have fibromyalgia and this class has been a life saver. Last year Doug and I took our grandkids to Disney and were worried about all the walking required but our tai chi paid off. We walked miles and enjoyed every minute of it!
We also attended the Healthier Living Colorado, a chronic disease self-management program. Through this class we have learned that other people have similar problems and challenges. We've learned that we can still do the things we like to do, except now maybe we problem solve so we don't over do. Doug loves the better breathing techniques they taught us and I have incorporated healthier cooking for the two of us so we are now eating healthier.
The state of our healthcare system is in desperate need of a total "revamping". Dollars need to be put into preventative care. Perhaps, that change is coming; I'm not sure Doug and I will be around to see the major changes that need to take place.
Mom never did tell us that much about the aging process, but, Doug and I, we choose to experience it with an attitude of our responsibility in the quality of our lives. But, what if more dollars went to prevention & community programs to keep people in their homes longer?
