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“You can’t teach an old dog new tricks”…“old habits die hard”… “you’ve made your bed, now you have to lie in it” and, my favorite (NOT) “you can’t have your cake and eat it, too.”
Why would I even want cake if I couldn’t eat it? What good is laying on a “made” bed.
There is no warmth or comfort; it is nothing more than a cold slab reminiscent of a mortuary.
Which brings me to the misconceptions of “old dog” and “old habits.” Who says we can’t learn new tricks? And habits can be replaced before they die.
Seniors are often accused of not wanting to change but I beg to differ. No one wants change. Most of us are scared of anything that upsets our comfort level, especially if, in the moment, “all is well.”
Forced change (a move to an assisted living facility, the death of a loved one) upsets our applecart. This past year has been a constant year of change and my seniors and I came through with flying colors.
My sweet 85-year-old, who had lost most of her money through other’s mismanagement, is now in a wonderful assisted living center and her house is sold to pay for her stay.
My wonderful self-made millionaire, who was deemed incapacitated, has a guardian making sure none of his leeches take advantage of him.
My brilliant technology guru has his wife in a nursing home close by and he can visit her. His stress level is slowly becoming manageable.
Each and every one of these clients resisted change and, yes, it took awhile to convince them that there was a path out of their “comfort zone” but they now have new tricks and new habits.
This upcoming decade is a great time to remember that change brings opportunity. Senior Boomers will most certainly lead the way. To that end, let’s go cut a piece of cake and eat it while leaving the bed unmade. Daring!
