Older people have (obviously) lived a long time, and have usually encountered – and overcome – most situations in life. As such, they tend to have some deep insights into human nature and the way the world works – insights that we can all learn from.
Recently, we’ve been asking our residents, as well as our staff members, for their best life advice to publish in our newsletter, and everyone has been pleased to provide their own unique insight into life. Here’s some of the advice given by our residents and staff over the past year – and why we think it’s a great idea.
“Honesty is the best policy.”
(Georgie Stubbs)
We’ve all no doubt found ourselves in situations where we’re tempted to lie – whether it’s a little white lie to avoid hurting someone, or a bigger lie to protect ourselves – but being dishonest can ultimately lead us down a harmful and damaging path.
The importance of honesty can’t be overstated – it forms the foundation of trust, openness and understanding in all our relationships, paving the way for integrity, credibility and meaningful connections. So next time you feel the urge to fib your way out of a situation, take a deep breath, be brave, and embrace the truth. You’ll have a clear conscience, worry less and allow other people to know you for who you truly are.
This age-old wisdom is a great way to live your life guilt-free and authentically – thanks, Georgie!
“To live comfortably and be looked after.”
(Margaret Pether)
Margaret thinks it’s a great idea to live comfortably and be looked after (we agree!) – and there’s no better place to do that when you get older than Finley Regional Care. When you’ve worked hard all your life, it’s nice to get to a point where you can sit back, relax and enjoy the fruits of your labour. No annoying household chores, no yard maintenance, no slaving over a hot stove – just the freedom to enjoy living your life the way you want to, with someone else to do all the work. Sounds like a great life to us – thanks, Margaret!
“Don’t have a good day, have a great day!”
(Ben Levesque)
It’s all about mindset really. Most people want a happy and successful life, and one of the big keys to achieving that lies with how you perceive things. Our thoughts and views on life can have a huge impact on the way we experience the world. For instance, if we fail at something, we can either beat ourselves up about it, or use it as an opportunity to grow. Mindset matters – and cultivating a positive mindset is one of the best skills we can develop to help us view life differently.
If you set out with the mindset that you’re going to have a great day, you’re much more likely to do just that, as you’ll be on the lookout for the positive things that happen, and will be able to focus more on those than on the negative. Great reminder – thanks, Ben!
“It doesn’t matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop.”
(Ruth Hayne)
If we’ve learned anything from the tortoise and hare metaphor, it’s that going slowly and steadily does not prevent you from achieving in life. It can be easy to get discouraged when we are trying to learn something new or reach a challenging goal, and progress is slow – but that’s to be expected when you’re out of your comfort zone. As long as we are continuing to move forward, we are making progress, even if it feels very slow. Each small step we take is one step closer to our goal, and the only real failure is the failure to even try. And remember, even if you’re going slowly, you’re still lapping everyone who’s sitting on the couch!
Perseverance is an important skill to develop, because everyone faces difficulties along the way. But no matter how big the obstacles you face or how long it takes you, you can get to where you want to go with a healthy dose of determination, discipline and patience.
So, even if you’re going slowly, keep in mind that you’re still going somewhere – and that’s better than standing still. Thanks for the reminder, Ruth!
Thanks to our wonderful residents and senior staff for their insightful and very helpful advice – there really is something there for everyone!
To read more about how to thrive in old age, click here.
