Yikes I'm Getting Old!

How to continue working as a nurse as you age gracefully. This article provides some clues to hopefully allow nurses to age gracefully and still remain an active member of the nursing community. From the simple cosmetic changes we can make to reduce the signs of aging to further education and keeping up to date with current practices - these are all steps we can take to reduce the signs of aging. Nurses Announcements Archive Article

We all must face it - we are aging. Oh yeah, when I was 20, 30, even 40, heck I was NOT going to get old. I was going to keep learning, stay current with evidence based practices and be on TOP!

However, there was something else in store for me: many more birthdays. I am now uh hmmm in my mid-50's. Fortunately, my health is excellent - I can still run with the 20 and 30 year old nurses and think on my feet.

But, how long will I remain healthy?

Is it a given I will be fit enough to continue to work full time, take frequent call, remain mentally sharp enough and physically able to do my job until I'm 70?

Although not as physically taxing as being a staff nurse in a busy (>100k visits/yr) ER, my current position still expects me to run a code, remember protocols, be able to troubleshoot patient care issues and deal with irate patients and family members. And of course, see my 200 patients weekly.

So, what do I need to do now?

Well, the first thing is I must keep my naturally dark brown hair as natural-looking as I can while still hiding the gray - :). This requires frequent visits to the local discount store where I buy Nice and Easy #7A in bulk. It has also meant that I must lose weight as hauling around an extra 50 pounds makes it difficult to run to these codes.

So, check that off as a done - now to maintain the loss. Positive from this is that I got to buy new clothes as even my patients were making comments that my clothes were too big.

I was fortunate to make the choice about ten years ago to go back to school. So besides school loans which will be paid off with my social security check, I have the requisite MSN and a couple of other certificates. Hopefully, this education will keep me employable.

In this day of continued Medicare/Medicaid cuts I will need to continue to stay on top of my game. So, I guess the moral to this musing is that to stay employed as you age, you need: experience, education, ability to adapt quickly and constantly reinvent yourself.

Happy Birthday everyone!

I'm Dorian Gray. Go to kareoke with your friends or with your husband.

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Hey who cares about the grey hair? If your up to coloring it ... go for it - if not tell them not to look!

Your wisdom rocks - screw the age-thing - if they dont like it - tell um to take a hike.

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I'm 31, but I feel 50. :banghead:

I have noticed that in the United States and other developed countries elders are discriminated (because some people believe that they no longer function like they used to be). And some people are very disrespectful to (their) elders. I witnessed that in my own eyes. In my country, it's quiet opposite. We still respect our elders regardless of their age even though they have less contribution in our society. In general, we value the knowledge they gave to us. I hope that this tradition will be around, as the country develops.

In the United States, I'm friends/acquainted with women who are a little older than me, or a lot older. We have social gatherings if no time constraint. At average, we meet every other two weekends. They're not just fun to hang around with, but they are also full of knowledge that is beneficial in my personal growth. In addition, they don't give me stupid ideas.

My mother-in-law is 72 year old is still energetic and funny. She reads books, facebooking, and do her own house chores. According to my husband, she is not very sharp anymore. In contrast, she still drive back and forth to California, Washington state, and beyond. I also don't mind to take her out to a nightclub, which I have done already.

To sum it up, there's nothing wrong to be old. That's for all of us. If I could stay young, I wouldn't want to die. :roflmao: Life is great to be dead. However, some of us stressed out due to an aging process and others are glad and happy getting older while enjoying life.

Congratulations on your achievements/accomplishments!

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Specializes in LTC and School Health.

Age is just a number IMHO. I'm 24, and there are nurses 50+ years that are so much physically quicker and more in shape than I am. I hope I can have as much wisdom and youth when I get their age. :rolleyes:

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Specializes in "Wound care - geriatric care.
One thing that I've noticed as I get older is that when getting up from a chair, gravity is a force to be reckoned with.

I now realize why weight lifting is actually so important as you age. I used to have a weak back but started to do squats and dead lifts and I have now a much stronger back then I used to have when 20. Start lifting weights yall...I'm not even going to talk about the hormone production, I'll let you find that out on your own.

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Hey who cares about the grey hair? If your up to coloring it ... go for it - if not tell them not to look!

.

I'm the one who looks - so not doing gray hair. :no: Makes me looked washed out and 20 years older. At least in MY eyes. ;)

I can have the hairdresser color and highlight it and then I touch up the roots for 3 or 4 months myself. Easy peasy.

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I now realize why weight lifting is actually so important as you age. I used to have a weak back but started to do squats and dead lifts and I have now a much stronger back then I used to have when 20. Start lifting weights yall...I'm not even going to talk about the hormone production, I'll let you find that out on your own.

You are right - I need to get back to doing that. I was taking a yoga class too. I feel much better physically and mentally if I get some exercise.

One of my favorite things to do is walk 3-4 miles on a country road here - I cross over a river, I see deer and all kinds of animals, farmland, a creek . . .. but right now we are kind of snowed in!

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Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

Age is not important unless one is a piece of cheese.

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Hey who cares about the grey hair? If your up to coloring it ... go for it - if not tell them not to look!

Your wisdom rocks - screw the age-thing - if they dont like it - tell um to take a hike.

i much enjoyed this thread, and loved so so so many of the comments,

but, i wanted to agree here, with Greatpyr's idea, cuz i also think we older women being forced to imitate the hair color of youth is some kind of scam, too. Lol, for real, i had some more inspirational stuff to say, ha ha, i did,:roflmao:

but, while reading along,

i saw this post, that somewhere out there, there really WAS another person who isn't buying the "if a female gets old, she has to fake the hair colors of youth, cuz her value is how young she looks, and she should try to hide signs of being mature",

yay!! I have earned my grey stripes, and wear it proudly. I've got some crow's feet, too, and think the softer hair color nature if providing, actually goes better with my face now.

I am all for us older gals staying as fit, lively, up to date, healthy,

i'm all for us continuing to grow, discover new things, explore, live life to the fullest, etc,

i just question, despite being hypnotized by tv ads and societal attitudes,

that we really have to participate in the whole "youth rules" thing by faking our hair color

either for our own inner self esteem, (cuz we have sooo absorbed the notion that gray hair is "bad")

or to be seen as more valuable by others.

but, to each her own. just a thought.

PS---sorry for derail, this is a great thread, with far loftier and more important ideas being discussed than my measely post here, can't wait to "post comment" and then read rest of these comments. LET'S HEAR IT for facing our second half of life with joy.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

With all manner and type of things to purchase to keep us all looking younger, I do see more of a trend for those of us past 50 to remain as vital and energetic as we can be. I dye my hair because I simply dont think I look good with grey hair. However, like other posters have stated, it is a personal decision. And...we are fortunate to have the choice.

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With all manner and type of things to purchase to keep us all looking younger, I do see more of a trend for those of us past 50 to remain as vital and energetic as we can be. I dye my hair because I simply dont think I look good with grey hair. However, like other posters have stated, it is a personal decision. And...we are fortunate to have the choice.

OH i so agree, i think it's even MORE important for us older people to remain vital and energetic, i really think so!

I just question if absorbing and accepting society's idea, that gray hair is "bad", has anything to do with being vital,

but, yes, to each her own!!

but i really do think,

that for many of us,

we might have to almost force ourselves to maintain or even increase our healthy habits,

i think we need them more now, than ever before. Energy--the more we spend, the more we get, seems like.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Yes I agree with you. Almost all of the docs in my practice are younger than me. So, in order to be taken seriously, Ive adapted a younger personna - lol....

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