joyful2beeblogs

My Aunt Helen was a unique and special aunt, who passed away in 2009 at the age of 92. The way she lived her life and especially her senior years continue to influence my life, as I continue into my senior years.

Aunt Helen lived a zesty life. She had cared for her mother during her illness until her death. Interestingly, I took care of my husband, after he had a stroke from which he recovered, but died 6 years later.

I unconsciously incorporated some of my aunt’s lifestyle into mine after my husband’s death in 2009 when I was 58. The following are some lifestyle paths she implemented that helped me discover my own life.

Be Around People!

Since Aunt Helen loved being around people, she enjoyed social activities. Aunt Helen loved to eat out, dance, and go see movies with her friends. I always enjoy going out to lunch or movies with my friends too. But sometimes I eat out or go see a movie by myself. I can be very charming with myself. (LOL)

Broaden Your Mind

Aunt Helen took classes about computers and art and even painted an ocean, beach scene with oils (which is now mine).

I took two watercolor classes along with other classes at the local senior center. And more recently painted a beach scene with acrylic paint.

My father, her brother, joined Aunt Helen in a class on how to use computers. He was 6 years older than she was! I took a class on how to use WordPress at 60.

Aunt Helen also traveled with my parents, after us kids were married. They went to Hawaii, Georgia and other great places. I have been to Germany, St. Louis, Missouri, and Idaho. Of course I drove to South Carolina to see my brother and his family, and several cities on the coast of North Carolina, and Asheville, NC.

Volunteer

Volunteering, as a greeter at some community building downtown, kept my aunt active, provided a challenge for her to learn new situations and engaged her in social events.

After I retired, I volunteered at the local chamber of commerce. After moving to my new home, I volunteered at a Thrift Store every week, meeting people, shopping and pricing some unique items.
Stay Physically Active
Swimming was one form of exercise that Aunt Helen loved. At the YWCA she found social interaction, exercise and fun. All of this was when she passed the age of 60! But she also loved square dancing, dancing the fox trot and samba too.

Like my Aunt Helen, I enjoyed dancing but dancing of a different kind. I taught myself how to belly dance from videos which I enjoyed during a much earlier period of my life.

On one visit, Aunt Helen wanted to learn some about belly dancing too. So I showed her how. Her father, my grandfather came from Greece, where there were belly dancers performing in taverns. So I showed her how to pose and some of the moves. We had so much fun and Daddy was so pleased that, even though he had dementia, he took pictures of us posing with veils.

When I was 67, I took belly dancing classes. My instructor arranged for a performance and we practiced the steps and movements. Finally, I performed in the costume I hand-sewed from a matching sari and skirt. I cut the sari part to cover the bra and make straps. The skirt worked well as it was. I also wore a wig for a more exotic look. (Hopefully.)

Challenge Your Brain

We both loved working on crossword puzzles and cryptograms. My first son got me interested in Sudoku, which I play on my Kindle. But I play crosswords too.
When my aunt inherited her share of her father’s property, she, her mother, and two brothers made their incomes from renting the properties. Aunt Helen proved herself to be a shrewd business woman, considering she had had no formal training, and was running her rental property on her own with little or no help. That in itself was quite a mental challenge.
After having to retire from nursing due to health reasons, I started a photography business and wrote for an online news site. For almost three years, I was a photojournalist for the local newspaper and was a professional photographer after two classes each on photography and the art of writing.

Twenty-one of my photos earned me a nice sum of money for two years to advertise for a new development near my town. I was a proud small business woman!!

Major Life Style Changes

A bad auto accident left Aunt Helen unable to dance for several years. Her dementia, which she had hidden well, became more pronounced, so she needed extra care. She was placed in a senior care facility with sitters.

Her love for dancing faded for several years, or so I thought, after she had a bad car accident that fractured her pelvis and had to heal. Once she recovered physically enough to do so, she began to dance at special occasions at the senior care facility. I once asked her if she had found any men with whom she could dance there. Her reply: “No, none of them could keep up with me.” That was my Aunt Helen!
Keep Your Inner Child Alive

Be around children. Aunt Helen always loved children. A friend, whom we now call, Sister, brought her baby boy to visit Aunt Helen while she was in the nursing home after my two sisters and I had married and moved away. Aunt Helen later enjoyed the grandnieces and nephews when they came from Brooklyn.

She could be really goofy and playful, which is a trait I also inherited. I also can relate well with children and they seem to like me too. We both have/had our own active “inner child.”

Aunt Helen wasn’t perfect, but who is? She was my Aunt Helen. She was very dear and special to all of her family no matter how young we were. She taught me that it is important to adapt to the situation you are placed in and enjoy life, and love your family.