Watching My Dad Get Older Gives Me a New Perspective on Aging

Getting older is much tougher than I ever imagined. No one tells you about the body aches, the change in energy, exactly what menopause does to your body. I have tried to remember to take care of myself, but sometimes I can’t even remember where I put my car keys.

I haven’t been to therapy in a long time, and quite frankly, the energy that it takes to find a therapist that I might like, much less a psychiatrist that can prescribe me medicine if I need it, is daunting to say the least. I can’t imagine how it must feel for someone in their sixties or older.

I have done a lot of research on social isolation and older adults. Every day I hear my dad, who is turning 88 this year, talk about the latest person that he knows who has died. He has people all around him and he still often feels lonely.

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We will be talking about ageism in the delivery of mental health services for seniors and the importance of keeping a closer eye on our older friends and loved ones on Ep. 31 of “Shining Light on Shadows: A Candid Conversation About Mental Health,” Thursday, June 12 at 6pm CT / 7pm ET.

Neil Parekh is my co-host. Jonathan Boorstein will be our guest. You can watch the live show or recording on Facebook, Twitter*, LinkedIn, YouTube or Instagram*.

*We won't know the exact urls for Twitter or Instagram until we go live on Thursday. For now, these links go to Neil's Twitter and my Instagram.

You can watch here or click on the social media links above. That way, if you comment, we can put it on screen.

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As people get older their mobility changes and as the research suggests, older folks don’t always have the capacity to manage the internet for virtual office visits and online therapy. Heck, sometimes my dad calls me just to help him remember how to turn on the TV and navigate to some streaming channel that he isn’t used to.

Mental health gets more difficult the older we get. Things change rapidly and sometimes the elderly get left behind. I think we need to think about those around us that are getting older and what their needs might be. Check in on them more often, visit them, help them navigate the different systems and make sure they are getting what they need to stay socially active and not isolated.

Father’s day is coming up next weekend. If your father is still alive, and if you have a good relationship with him, make sure to spend some time with him if you are able, call him, send a card and remember if we are lucky, we too will get the pleasure of being an older adult.