Ageing Gracefully - Raffles Medical Group

Raffles HealthNews Feature 13
What I want to do
before I hit
You are never too old to have goals and dreams.
However, set a timeline for yourself to achieve things
that you have been putting off. Here are some
suggestions on what you can do, before you hit 60.
60
Spend Quality Time With
My Family
It is often easy for us to neglect the
people closest to us - our family. Do not
let the pressure of daily life keep you from
spending time with them. Make time for
the people you love most. It is definitely
worth the effort.
You can… Plan activities for the entire
family
Instead of waiting for others to initiate
or organise activities, take on the role of
the ‘planner’. Assign a day for the entire
family to spend time together, even if it is
just for a simple meal. This can be done
once a week (e.g. every Sunday) or even
once a month (e.g. the last Sunday of
every month).
You can also organise an activity for
the entire extended family. Get as many
people involved as possible in the
preparation process. This will lighten your
workload and more importantly, ensure
maximum interaction and participation.
Travel The World
Many of us wanted to travel the world
when we were younger.
As we age, this dream may appear to be
more unrealistic due to work and family
commitments and financial constraints. In
addition, some of us may no longer feel fit
enough to embark on such a journey.
You can… Travel with the right amount
of preparation
Can people with chronic ailments go on
long overseas trips without a caregiver
with them “Yes,” said Dr Mohamed
Faizal, a Family Physician at Raffles
Medical’s Terminal 3 Medical Centre.
”People with chronic medical ailments can
and should live their lives as normally and
as independently as possible. Anybody
with chronic medical conditions that are
stable, managed appropriately and does
not have any residual disability (e.g.
stroke) can travel without a caregiver.
A good guide is to check whether they
can manage their daily activities on their
own.”
Elderly travellers should also have a
check-up with their own general
practitioner or aviation/travel medicinetrained
doctors before they fly. A travel
clearance certificate will be useful to
avoid having another medical review in
a foreign land.
Contrary to what some may believe,
the elderly can take long-haul flights.
According to Dr Faizal, seats that are
closer to the restroom and along the aisle
can help with getting to the toilet easily
and avoiding the risk of falls. Use of
walking aids can also help the mobility of
the patient.
Some airports will require a lot of walking
during transfers or clearing through
customs, therefore, discuss this with
the airline and seek their assistance.
Have a realistic expectation of what is
appropriate by having an open discussion
with your doctor before choosing your
travel destination.
Here are some tips from Dr Faizal, should
you like to travel despite having a chronic
medical condition:
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Have a list of your medication with you.
It should include the generic name,
trade name, dosage and frequency
that you are taking.
Always have a few days worth of
medication with you in your hand
luggage, in case your main check-in
baggage gets lost or delayed. This is
also useful if you get delayed whilst
in transit.
Emergency medication should be
place in the seat pouch in front of the
passenger rather than in the overhead
compartment.
HN