Dear LPG

I am sure that I am preaching to the converted when I mention that as we get older, and I use older to mean ‘as each day passes and with the way that they affect our bodies health-wise no matter how relatively old or young we are’, our ability to stay in mentally and physically good health can change at the drop of a hat.

Perhaps the fear of dementia is our main mental worry while the whole idea of not being able to walk and get where we want to be remains one of the biggest physical changes that we fear.

I know, because I am one of them, that amongst the older generation, there appear to be two factions; the people who feel it important to convey their frailties to everyone that they meet and people who are perhaps so much in denial that, while they will use all the props and aids that have become, or could be made available to them while in the privacy of their own homes, their wish to remain the person with the abilities that their friends are used to seeing them with, forces them to leave such aids at home.

As I said, I know this because it is getting harder and harder for me to walk under my own steam these days because of pain in my back and legs.  I suppose that I am lucky because what I feel is, for the most part relatively minor at the moment but every now and then I put one foot in front of the other only to find myself worried about if it will support me.   In spite of that I will try my best to leave the one single aid that will make all the difference at home.  I am talking about my walking stick, although lately I have decided that having one with me is a good idea even if it folds up and is hidden in my bag for emergencies.

I really appreciated having it in my bag on a recent shopping trip when I really needed to take it out and use it.  I have to admit to another advantage of depending on it that day.  During that shopping trip I got on a relatively full bus, as usual, but it was more than evident that the passengers sitting on the priority seats appeared to notice my stick and something quite unusual happened. A young man got up and offered me his seat. 

I conclude that using one’s stick has more than one advantage.

OE, Bickley

We have taken the liberty of leaving a link to an earlier LPG post that may be of interest to anyone who is thinking of buying a walking stick in the near future

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