46 THE QUEENS COURIER • HEALTH • AUGUST 6, 2015 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.queenscourier.com health CONSCIOUSNESS AND AGING, Part I It is Sunday afternoon. An old woman, dressed in her fi nest, walks several blocks to the nearest bus stop. She doesn’t appear to mind the overcast skies and the light rain that is falling. This is to be a special day for her. The bus fi nally comes into sight and pauses near the curb with its usual impatient rumble. The old woman dislikes hurrying but she fears the punishing look from the bus driver if she keeps him waiting. With one foot up on the boarding platform, she suddenly pauses in confusion. What is she doing? Where is she going? Can she have forgotten that her good friend Mary, doesn’t live there anymore? The bus driver glares at her and grumbles as she slowly dismounts, regains her composure and moves with empty eyes toward her empty apartment. I now want you, the reader, to pause and focus on a technique psychologists call strategic visualization by “viewing” this painful scenario in your mind’s eye. Do you sense the confusion that is in the mind of this woman? Our consciousness, coupled with aging, is often stimulated by specifi c encounters with the outside world. This usually comes in the form of a life-altering situation that the individual has never experienced before, such as an admission to a home for the sick or debilitated aged, or the loss of a loved one. The encounter can be as small and as private as catching a glimpse of one’s refl ection in a mirror. In ways that are obvious or subtle, public or private, the individual is suddenly reminded that life is not quite what it used to be. Each of these reminders may offer an opportunity for a possible redefi nition of the self. The old woman who hesitated as she boarded the bus was engaging in public behavior, i.e.: the stopping, the look of confusion, the retreat, but her experience was a private one. From the outside, we could not know what situation she was confronting, nor the decision she made. It often happens that a person’s most critical encounters with awareness of aging is in the privacy of their own thoughts and feelings. We may notice changes in attitudes and behavior but will probably not understand the experience that has generated them. The simple truth is, time marches on and the years that pass do not necessarily make a person more aware of the aging process. In my next article entitled “Consciousness and Aging – Part II,” I will be discussing what happened to the old woman who attempted to board the bus on a Sunday afternoon to visit her friend Mary. Sheldon Ornstein Ed.D, RN Dr. Sheldon Ornstein is a registered professional nurse with a doctoral degree in nursing organization. He has specialized in the care of older adults and has published many articles on the subject. He has done post-graduate work in gerontology and has taught at several universities. In 2013, he was inducted into the Nursing Hall of Fame at Teachers College, Columbia University. INVISIBLE. COMFORTABLE. CUSTOMIZED TO YOUR UNIQUE LIFESTYLE. $500OFF See the AGX® TV commercial at gbaudiology.com a pair of AGX9 Invisible Hearing Aids. Expires 8/31/2015. Call today to schedule PLLC an appointment! 516.708.4844 107 Northern Blvd, Suite 309 Great Neck Gloria Boms, Au.D. gbaudiology.com Doctor of Audiology Quality Senior focused Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy We are pleased to welcome Milena Alicandro, OTR/L, an occupational therapist with 28 years of clinical experience. Occupational Therapists treat people with neurologic and musculoskeletal problems and those who suffer from cognitive, visual/visual perceptual dysfunction. OT’s render services to those suffering from a decreased level of independence in their daily activities. Our loyal physical therapy staff work competently and passionately every day to provide the very best PT to our clients. We have two certifi ed exercise experts for aging adults and one geriatric certifi ed specialist on staff. Call today to schedule an appointment or if you have any questions: 516-488-8808 MEDICARE APPROVED PROVIDER www.AgeWellPT.com
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