Senior News Line: Don’t give up

This is not the world we grew up in, or even the world we knew for much of our lives. If my informal poll of friends and acquaintances is correct, we don’t like it much.

The current state of the world has taken an emotional, physical and social toll on us. This isn’t the retirement we planned.

I hear we’re too trusting and it gets us into trouble when we fall for scams coming to us via phone, email and the internet, and resulting in identity theft and loss of money.

The pandemic locked many of us away, and we haven’t surfaced yet because COVID is still out there, as well as the annual flu and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, this winter. Staying home seems to be the safest way to avoid it all.

And there’s the television news. Some of us have started only watching the first five minutes to catch the weather and then turn to a different channel to avoid the political scene and crime reporting, some of which unfortunately is happening in our own areas. Channels showing reruns of retro programs are getting a lot of our attention now.

No, we don’t like it much, and some of us wonder if we’re sliding into depression. But there are ways to regain some of what we’ve lost, and a trip to our physician might be the best first step.

Go, and tell him or her what’s going on with you. A simple blood test might point to a change in diet that could help how you feel. At the same time, they might know of some community resources, even if it’s having meals delivered.

Reconnect with friendships that matter, even if it’s on the phone, ask if the library delivers books, become a pet foster parent and look for senior exercise videos on YouTube.

Don’t give up.