| "Senior Moments: Getting the Most Out of Your | | | | careers and family. Now, all of a sudden they want |
| Golden Years" is the new book by author David | | | | to bring religion back into their lives and to pray again |
| Wayne Silva. This is a book written by a senior | | | | and don't feel connected. When I discovered this I |
| citizen, for senior citizens. Reader Views is very | | | | added a short, universal prayer to each section to |
| happy to be talking with David, and is interviewed | | | | help those who want to pray to get started again. |
| today by Juanita Watson, Assistant Editor for Reader | | | | The prayers are not long and are constructed so |
| Views. | | | | that the person praying can continue with their own |
| Juanita: Thank you for talking with us today David. | | | | personal prayer. |
| Please tell us what readers will find in the pages of | | | | I did not intend this book to be a religious book, but |
| "Senior Moments." | | | | it has been pointed out to me that there is a great |
| David: I hope that through reading Senior Moments, | | | | deal of spirituality in it. Religion helped me through |
| seniors will find ways to improve their lives. By | | | | some difficult senior days. It is part of my life, so I |
| making just a few changes in how we look at life, | | | | could not help but express this and offer it as help |
| we can enrich our daily living and can make our | | | | for my senior friends. God is there for us, but we |
| golden years more golden. When I mention the | | | | have to ask for help. |
| words 'golden years,' I have heard seniors | | | | Juanita: What are your thoughts on 'choice' and how |
| sarcastically say, "I waited all my life for this?" After | | | | it relates to one's own personal experience with the |
| reading my book I hope that these same seniors will | | | | aging process? |
| joyfully say "I waited all my life for THIS!" | | | | David: Choice is surely a gift from God. It is what |
| Juanita: What inspired you to write this book? | | | | makes life a true adventure. When we are young the |
| David: I live in a senior community and have talked | | | | choices we make determine our life path. While we |
| with many women and men who are suffering with | | | | grow older the choices we make add to our life path, |
| chronic illness, loneliness and depression. I have also | | | | but they also influence our health. When we become |
| talked with many men and women who are still | | | | senior citizens choice again plays and important role in |
| burdened with illness, but who look at life in a positive | | | | our lives. We choose whether we are going to give in |
| way. I wrote this book to help all seniors get more | | | | to the problems of health and aging or whether we |
| joy out of everyday living, to understand what is | | | | are going rise above these problems and control our |
| happening to their bodies with the aging process, and | | | | own lives in a positive way. |
| to find more satisfaction with life. | | | | We have the choice to rise above health conditions |
| Juanita: What unique characteristics and beliefs do the | | | | and get as much as we can out of our golden years, |
| growing number of Baby Boomers entering their | | | | or to just sit and suffer. |
| 'golden years' hold that are different from other | | | | Juanita: The way you have written your book allows |
| generations? | | | | the reader to feel as though they are talking with a |
| David: I like to stress the fact that there is very little | | | | genuine, caring friend that is giving reassurance they |
| difference between any of us. We all have the same | | | | aren't alone in this process. How does isolation and |
| set of emotions and potential, but we do use them | | | | loneliness affect the aging? |
| differently. The only difference I can see between | | | | David: Isolation and loneliness are not part of every |
| baby boomers and my generation is pretty basic. My | | | | senior's life, but there are many seniors who have to |
| generation experienced two World Wars and the | | | | live with these conditions. Our society tends to isolate |
| Depression. These difficult times produced a | | | | older people by putting them in homes or retirement |
| generation of men and women who are steadfast in | | | | communities instead of keeping them as part of the |
| their work ethics and marriages and who can accept | | | | family as was done in the past. I have met seniors |
| the adversities of life with less resentment that | | | | who have outlived their close family and are isolated |
| others. Baby boomers have not experienced as many | | | | and very lonely. Both isolation and loneliness can lead |
| of these difficult times and appear to have more | | | | to depression and depression can directly lead to |
| trouble building a satisfactory marriage, and | | | | health problems. I have no complete answer for this, |
| sometimes have more trouble accepting the | | | | but in my book I encourage seniors who see another |
| adversities of aging. I do not see this as a fault of | | | | senior who is lonely to offer them friendship and |
| baby boomers. Baby boomers are far more health | | | | include them in activities. I have done this myself and |
| conscious and aware of the importance of education | | | | have observed lonely people come out of their |
| than their seniors, and this is a good thing. When I | | | | reserve and begin to mix with other seniors. I also |
| am working with people I rarely observe differences | | | | urge lonely seniors to go out into the world and meet |
| between baby boomers and older seniors. They all | | | | people. Even talking to the neighbor next door can lift |
| have the same joys and sorrows. We are more alike | | | | your spirits. |
| than we are different. | | | | Juanita: David, what has been your background that |
| Juanita: How many people really take the time to | | | | contributed to your interest in the field of helping |
| consider and plan for the aging process? | | | | people make the most out of their life? |
| David: Not too many have made plans for growing | | | | David: I spent 38 years in the public schools working |
| old. Baby boomers and younger people have been | | | | as a teacher, then administrator and then as a family |
| made aware of the necessity of planning for the | | | | counselor. After I retired and my wife died I began |
| aging process. But older seniors, in many cases, have | | | | working as a grief counselor. I guess helping people |
| not done this. They steadfastly accepted life on day | | | | became a pattern of living for me. When arthritis and |
| at a time basis and when they began to experience | | | | heart failure took control of my life I had to either |
| the problems that come with growing old, these | | | | give in and suffer through this or find a way to |
| seniors encountered chronic illness or loss of | | | | continue working. For months I was really depressed |
| independence with less acceptance. | | | | and feeling sorry for myself. But then I saw other |
| Humans are amazing. Really. During youth and middle | | | | seniors struggling with similar problems and I began |
| age we rarely think about growing old and the | | | | talking with them. The element of choice came into |
| problems that come with that. We are busy living our | | | | play and the result of talking with these good people |
| lives. We rarely think about the problems of old age. | | | | changed my attitude and resulted in this book. |
| If we constantly dwelt on the negative, we would | | | | Juanita: "Senior Moments" is dedicated "for Bob." Who |
| never accomplish what we set out to do with our | | | | is Bob? |
| lives. | | | | David: Bob is my caretaker. I helped Bob find a job |
| Juanita: Why is there so much fear surrounding | | | | and a place to live 15 years ago when he first came |
| getting older? | | | | to California. . When I became ill, he stepped in and |
| David: That is a difficult question to answer. I don't | | | | took care of me. He has been a true and loyal friend. |
| think people are really afraid of getting older. What I | | | | My children live far away, and they have come to |
| have observed is that we spend our lives with | | | | love him like a brother. I refer to him as my other |
| careers and family and suddenly everything begins to | | | | son. He is a quiet, gentle, man. When I was ill and |
| change. Often without to much warning we are at | | | | depressed he was there for me. My book is |
| retirement age or illness strikes. Also more common, | | | | dedicated to him. |
| menopause causes women to take another look at | | | | Juanita: "Senior Moments" is a must read for people |
| life. A mid-life crisis or erectile dysfunction can cause | | | | entering their 'golden years' but I would think it would |
| men to do the same thing. Life suddenly changes and | | | | be a very beneficial read for almost anyone - most |
| we become more aware of growing old. The | | | | will be there some day, or know someone that is |
| uncertainty these changes create in our lives causes | | | | there right now. Who do you feel should read your |
| us to feel less positive about life and sometimes | | | | book? |
| even fearful of the future. | | | | David: I wrote the book for seniors, but it has been |
| Juanita: What are the common issues facing seniors | | | | reviewed by two baby boomers who said that this |
| today that you address in "Senior Moments?" | | | | was also a book for baby boomers as well. One |
| David: I find it difficult to pinpoint one issue as a | | | | person said that the book had encouraged her to |
| common issue senior's face. It all depends upon the | | | | start planning for her golden years instead of just |
| individual. Excluding health conditions, I found that loss | | | | waiting for them to happen. I have also been told |
| of independence, loss of mobility, and uncertain | | | | that it is a book for all caretakers to read and a |
| finances are the most difficult issues seniors face. | | | | book that young people with senior parents still living |
| Juanita: What is the most common condition senior | | | | should read. |
| citizens experience as they get older? | | | | Juanita: What would you say to someone that is |
| David: The most common condition senior's face | | | | struggling with the aging process and feels like giving |
| when they grow older involves their health. Seniors in | | | | up? |
| their 70s and 80s have not always taken care of | | | | David: I would tell them - "You are not alone." To |
| their bodies. Baby boomers have a better attitude | | | | look around at other seniors and observe how they |
| concerning their health and taking care of their bodies. | | | | are dealing with the same problems you are |
| I talk a lot about this in the book. I use myself as an | | | | experiencing. I would also tell them that they can be |
| example what not to do. I grew up on a farm and | | | | an inspiration and help to others who are lonely and |
| my father put me to work in the fields when I was | | | | depressed and ready to give up. They can use their |
| 9 years old. At the age of 12, I could throw a 75 | | | | last days as an example of courage and strength and |
| pound sack of barley up to the flatbed of a truck. I | | | | be an encouragement for others. |
| worked my way through college studying and | | | | Juanita: How can readers find out more of you and |
| cleaning offices. After I married and started teaching | | | | your endeavors? |
| school. I worked at teaching and then doing janitorial | | | | David: We are working on a web site now. It will be |
| work during the nights and weekends to provide for | | | | ready in a few weeks. Until then I can be reached by |
| my wife and children. I lived for years with only 4 or | | | | email at There are profiles and pictures of me on my |
| 5 hours sleep at night. I smoked and did not eat | | | | web page at and in my profile on |
| regular or balance meals. So, at 67 my body said | | | | Juanita: Do you have any last thoughts for your |
| "enough already." Arthritis and heart failure turned my | | | | readers? |
| controlled balance upside down. This same story has | | | | David: You are not alone. I say this over and over to |
| been told to me by countless seniors, both men and | | | | my senior friends. Those of us in our 70s, 80s, and |
| women. I would say that the results of this work | | | | 90s have been blessed with a long life. I urge seniors |
| ethic were the most common conditions seniors | | | | to look back over the years and to be thankful for |
| experienced when they got older. | | | | the good things in their life. Forget about the |
| Juanita: How important do you feel religion and faith | | | | mistakes, the stupid things we all do, and the hurts |
| are to the aged? | | | | and the anger we experienced. Remember our |
| David: Very important. Many seniors have been | | | | accomplishments and the good times. Stay close to |
| religious all their lives and still attend church regularly. | | | | friends and loved ones, and most important, stay |
| But many have told me that as the years passed, | | | | close to God. |
| religion became less important. They were busy with | | | | |