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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
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Nancilee's Feature Articles at
SoulfulLiving.com:
How Can You Uncover Another's Authentic Self?
Creating
a Soulful Garden
Spring,
When the World Wakes Up
What
is the Size of Your Soul?
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