Nancilee Wydra - Rx for Living - A Monthly Column on Feng Shui

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	Rx for Living February 2003	New! "101 Ways Feng Shui Can Change Your Life"
	by Nancilee Wydra

How to Age Gracefully
(first part in a series)

Baby boomers find themselves in the uncomfortable position of receiving mail estimating their social security benefits. With only about a decade left, the generation of Woodstock is heading out of middle age into what we euphemistically call "senior citizenship." Will this generation pave the way for establishing new criteria for aging? I for one certainly hope so.

For those of us who are entering this final frontier and for those whose loved ones are there, that the experience can be supported by one's surroundings to improve their state of mind, can add years to mental health. After writing eight books on feng shui and conducting countless consultations, I have come to the conclusion that what surrounds us truly shapes our experiences.

The Incredible Visually Shrinking World

Older people are often considered annoying, needy and demanding far too much attention. In public places, as well as at home, part of this experience can be attributed to diminishing eyesight. In many cases, by altering the visual interface, these problems can be eliminated.

Here's an example.

A succession of complaints was lodged against a hospital's reception staff. After conducting a survey to determine the cause, it was apparent that the complainers were mostly "older" people and that the staff was experienced as discourteous. I happened to be at this hospital because I was called in to consult about their expanding facilities. They asked me if I could offer fresh insight into this problem. The answer was yes, I could.

After observing for several hours it became clear why this was happening. The public had to approach the reception area to discover the direction and location of services or rooms of patients. Many older folks had to return to the reception desk after their initial encounter to ask directions to the elevators. They either had to interrupt the receptionist's conversation with the next in line or they waited, usually acting frustrated, for the receptionist to focus on them. In most cases, this was annoying for both parties and because of its repetitive nature, the receptionists often lost their composure and answered abruptly or even with an edge of exasperation. What I figured out the culprit was not the people, but the elevator sign's design and colors.

Even with glasses, aging eyes need to have strong contrast and lighting in order to see. The sign in question was two shades of brown hung on a beige wall. In addition, the sign's letters were thin and didn't jump out from the background. The sign was located at the juncture of a "T" of corridors. There was literally a great deal to look at and the small eight-inch wide sign simply faded into the tangle of visual images.

The solution was to install another sign; one with sharp contrast of black and white and thick letters. Instead of at the edge of the wall, the sign was re-hung so that you didn't "see down the adjacent corridors" before you saw the sign. When an object is in front of a dept-view, the eye tends to dismiss the object because biologically we seek distance before foreground.

In a home setting, it is possible to cut down on the frustration caused by diminished eyesight. The irritation of not being able to read labels on cans and jars, not being able to locate eyeglasses and finding it harder to track down other life's necessities can be assisted by making some minor changes. Here's how.

Purchase peel-on labels and a thick black magic-marker and re-label those items in your refrigerator and cupboard that aren’t easy to see.
Place a solid red or yellow felt square, or another suitable material, on tables that you likely place your glasses and be sure to put them down on that surface.
Locate small objects in front of a solid object, one that sharply contrasts with it. For example, glass salt and peppershakers shouldn't be placed in the middle of a table, but in front of, let's say, a framed photo with a green mat or a scene of with a great deal of one color.
Increase wattage in all lights, especially those over task areas.

Kitchen counters are notoriously poorly lit unless florescent lights have been mounted under the upper cabinets. If having them mounted is too much trouble or expense, purchase an inexpensive desk lamp and position it on the counter near your food preparation surfaces.

These modifications can decrease the feeling of a shrinking visual world.

Best future,
Nancilee Wydra

Nancilee Wydra, Feng Shui Master and author of eight books on feng shui, travels the country lecturing and consulting for Fortune 500 companies and individuals. She is the founder of the Feng Shui Institute of America and has developed the first nationally certified professional training program on feng shui in the country.

To secure additional information about her lecturing, consulting and teaching contact her at: NancileeWy@aol.com or visit www.Windwater.com or 888-488-FSIA or --for FREE answers to feng shui questions: www.EfengshuiUSA.com.

Nancilee Wydra’s Books:
1. Feng Shui The Book of Cures
2. Designing Your Happiness
3. Feng Shui in the Garden
4. Feng Shui and How to Look Before You Love
5. Feng Shui Goes to the Office
6. Feng Shui for Children’s Spaces
7. 101 Ways Feng Shui Can Change Your Life
8. Feng Shui Principles for Building and Remodeling

Nancilee's January 2003 "RX for Living" Column

Nancilee's November 2002 "Rx for Living" Column

Nancilee's October 2002 "RX for Living" Column

Nancilee's September 2002 "RX for Living" Column

Nancilee's August 2002 "RX for Living" Column

Nancilee's June 2002 "RX for Living" Column

Nancilee's May 2002 "RX for Living" Column

Nancilee's April 2002 "RX for Living" Column

Nancilee's March 2002 "RX for Living" Column

Nancilee's February 2002 "RX for Living" Column

Nancilee's January 2002 "RX for Living" Column

Nancilee's December 2001 "RX for Living" Column