Musings by Melissa

Just when I wonder what could possibly come down the pike next, something comes up that just makes me shake my head in amazement.  Take last night, for example.  We had a group of people from church over.  After most of them left, one of them stuck around to show us his Apple iPad.  Good grief!  What next?  I mean, this isn’t like some MegaMeeting Webinar Software or a fancy knife!

And then I hop online and someone had sent me a link to a new camera.  With this camera and the accompanying software, I could take a blurry picture and in just a click of the mouse (once the picture is loaded into a computer or phone), the picture would be in focus.  This is supposed to be just as big a change to the photo industry as when cameras went digital.

Wowza!

And I’m left shaking my head, sitting in my rocking chair, and wondering, “What next?!?”

I have no idea, but I think we have a clock monster in our house.  It doesn’t matter how many times I change the batteries or how many times I reset them.  It’s inevitable.  The clocks in the boys’ room, Alicia’s room, and our room will always be wrong.  I hate going out and purchasing new clocks.  I did that for the clock in the family room recently, and it is keeping time now.  But the others?!?  Well, maybe the clock fairy will visit soon and get them running correctly!  ~smile~

(There… I’m done venting about wacky clocks!)

We know many people who are older.  Our church has many older people in it.  (Although they are not called “older,” but rather “Senior Saints.”  ~smile~)  Our parents are getting older as well.  (And I suppose I’m not a spring chicken anymore either.)

As people grow older we tend to loose a little bit of our mental capabilities.  Hence, we tell the same stories and jokes.  We go to the basement to get something, only to forget what we went down to get once our feet hit the bottom stair.

But, it’s when people get older that they need to make major decisions.  Decisions about when to retire.  Decisions about where to invest that 401k.  Decisions about health care and medicare supplement plans.  Decisions about whether to downsize in home.  Decisions about when to move into assisted living.  Decisions about when the permanantly hang up the car keys.  Decisions about funeral arrangements.

All of these decisions are major ones.  They either cost a lot of money or they will greatly affect the way that person lives out the rest of their days.

All that to say this, if you know an older person who is having difficulty making decisions, please help them sort these things out.  Simple things like paying bills, can be overwhelming for seniors.  We’ve all heard stories about seniors who were “taken for a ride” because some slick-talking person told them they needed to buy something.  Stay involved in their lives.  They’ll definitely be glad you did.  (And so will you!)