The Sidney herald., 1956-09-06
When You Retire
BY Robert Peterson
E'STAY ON YOUR FEET,
OLDER PEOPLE URGED

OLDER PEOPLE URGED
"a man on his feet is worth
two on their seats!" declared DR..
E. j. Bortz, past president of the
American Medical Association.
He was addressing a recent con-
ference on aging at the Unlver-
sity of Michigan.
DR.. Bortz and other geriatri-
clans who specialize in treating
senior citizens find that moderate
exercises aimed at getting patients
back on their feet can revitalize
many older patients who are now
bed-ridden.
1t is sometimes tempting for
older people who have suffered
accidents and injuries to lie in
bed long past the time when
they could be getting up. 1t is
also tempting for others to let
them lie there. This can be fatal.
Rest in bed is a good thing but
unless it is offset by regular ex-
ercise it can have a serious de-
teriorating effect on the body.
Among the ailments apt to &C
crue are joint stiffening, impair
ed circulation of the blood, men
tai dizziness, and muscular afro
ply.
Even nursing homes, once no.
torious for letting patients vege-
tate until they passed on, are
awakening to the Importance of
mild exercise in the are of the
elderly.
I'll never forget my first visit
to a nursing home some twenty
years ago. l went there to call on
an elderly gentleman, a friend
of my grandfather, whose case
seemed utterly hopeless. Today,
happily, geriatricians would view
his future optimistically.
Agar Thompson was his name.
In a voice so weak l could scarce
ly hear he told me he was 30
years old and had been flat on
his back for two years following
a stroke which paralyZed his left
side. He was never encouraged
to try even the mildest exercises,
and his muscles and organs had
deteriorated to a point where he
was unable to are for his most
personal needs.
This was a reliable, fairly
nursing home. 1t had once
been an ornate mansion. Mr..
Thompson and a dozen other pa
lay in what used to be
the music room. The carved and
walls had been covered
sanitary white paint, and
instead of gay music there was
only the labored breathing of pa
tents and the occasional click of
heels as a nurse made her
when you get as old as they
are and have suffered strokes
or broken limbs, there isn't much
hope for" whispered a visit
ng doctor pessimistically. "We
give them good are and plenty
If rest. 1t would take a miracle
get them back on their feet"
Today that miracle is happen
ng for many ~incapacitated old !
IT people. Thanks to geriatric s
rehabilitation, older people who t
uffer a stroke, hip fracture, or
ther serious injury have a good |
nance of getting back on their '
eet or at least into a wheel +
hair. Regular massage and light
Exercises, administered by train t
d personnel, are the magic in n
rodents in this new therapy. o
This new therapy has practical n
S well as humane values. Studies
now that rehabilitated patients a
Tho can care for their personal n
eeds require but a fraction of v
lie care and attention required v
Y bed-ridden patients who have "
ecome helpless through muscu- a
inactivity. a
AS we grow older we should
ght to stay on our feet. If we v
re temporarily bed-ridden we Il
lould fight to regain Jul mo- "
lily as quickly as possible so II
to forestall the deteriorating
lments which may hop aboard a.
we cling too long to the COM y
security of our bed. If al
e recognize the Importance of e1
wing our bodies regular, moder- Ell
exercise We'll reduce our
lances of becoming a burden f.
others and increase our chances re
finding pleasure and satisfac- Of
On in the retirement years. III