Senior Survival by Adaption--- "I'm not going easy!!!"

Okay, I get it!. I am 72 years old and have spent almost a quarter-of-a-century guiding people to a healthier and fitter life. I have also spent more than 20 years before that as a police officer. Here are some basic ideas on physical and mental adaptions that you may or may not have thought of.

• Try glancing in your rear view mirror frequently. Trouble can come from behind as well as from the front or side. An imbecile doing 95 MPH and weaving between lanes can cause real problems when he gets to your location. Get into a safe lane and stay there until he passes.
• If you walk with headphones, you have  lost one of your key senses necessary for survival. Realize this and make much more use of your sense of sight. Look around constantly.
• It is fairly easy to hone mental faculties as we age. In part, I often rely on the computer. Timed solitaire games challenge us to think and react quickly. I'll be damned if I can get under 95 seconds, though. 
• Another mental stimulator I use is Fantasy Basketball. My daughter came up with this idea. Drafting players, setting lineups, searching the waiver wire to improve your team and developing strategies to beat the other teams are fun activities, and you can win a few bucks.  

• Predators seek easy prey. They look for the sick and weak. Try not to be either one. Stay healthy and strong. Walk with a strong, confident gait. Stay vigilant. Be aware of your surroundings, and make probable predators aware that you are aware of them. 
• Predators will test your vulnerability by attempting to invade your space (get uncomfortably close to you). Be aware of this, and try to avoid it.
• Older people often move to a single-floor dwelling to avoid climbing stairs, not realizing that not climbing stairs may eliminate the ability to do so.
•  As a Personal Trainer I was once forced to teach a class of Chair Aerobics to a group of older individuals. There was no challenge in it for them. I now teach people in that same age group explosive moves, including Olympic power lifts. There is both challenge and real-life value for the clients.

The world is becoming a much more dangerous place. And it is happening rapidly. This is not a good time to settle in on your recliner watching Gunsmoke reruns. Challenge yourself; improve your physical and mental state; and try to learn something new and useful every day.