Question one: How can older people who feel that they are experiencing a reduction in their abilities overcome self-doubt?
Andrew Fleming: Overcoming self-doubt as a result of reduction in ability to me is about modifying how we continue to do what is important to us. I am not able to ski the way I used to as I can't stand so I have a piece of equipment that allows me to ski in a sitting position. I cannot climb into my boat so I modified the trailer by fitting a shelf to the trailer that allows me to get into the boat while it is on the trailer. I cannot work foot levers like gear lever on my quad bike so the gear lever has been modified so I can operate it with my hand. I cannot work brake and accelerator in my car so it has been modified so that I can work brake and accelerator with my hand. Such modifications allow us to continue doing activities we enjoy doing and allow us to feel safe doing them. If we don't feel safe we won't want to the activity out of fear of the consequences of it going wrong. Another options is finding others that can help you do what is important to you.
Sometimes it may not be feasible to continue with some activities. If not can we get similar pleasure from helping with those activities for the benefit of others. Perhaps coaching or simply sharing your knowledge. What is another activity you could enjoy that is easier for you to do? My dad spent years deerstalking and playing tennis. At 71 he has worn his ankles out and struggles with these activities. He hasn't been deerstalking for years but took up duck shooting a few years ago. He played tennis till last year and has started playing croquet. His tennis court is now a croquet court and his friends come round and they have great social evening playing croquet. Sports like skiing is what I have enjoyed all my life rather than ball sports like basketball. Becoming involved with Parafed I have had the opportunity to play wheelchair basketball. I would still rather ski and am not interested in competition basketball but it has been great socialising with other people with disabilities on and off the basketball court. What groups could you be a part of for social interaction?
Question two: What are some of the benefits for older people who manage some form of disability to continue to work to earn money to fund the things that give them pleasure?
Andrew Fleming: Work whether voluntary or paid gives us a sense of purpose and/or opportunity to share our knowledge. A desire to do some form of work may lead to overcoming aspects of a disability and lead to modifications to overcome the challenges presented by the disability which are useful in other aspects of life. They say necessity is the mother of invention. My desire to do certain things has lead to modifications that have allowed me to do what I wanted to do. My desire to earn more than the $265 a week ACC assessed my income at has taken me all over New Zealand, to Australia and Bali to attend seminars to learn what I needed to learn. As a result my perception of the world has been expanded and I have learnt a lot about my skills and abilities and this has led me to opportunities I would never have dreamed of through the people I met along the way.
Question three: You explain that after becoming paralysed that you learnt that "we get used to most things if we allow ourselves to and accept what we need to accept. I could let the self-defeating thoughts go around and around in my head or I could change the channel." What do you mean by changing the channel?
Andrew Fleming: I could dwell on what I could no longer do and let that go around and around in my head and get me down or I could 'change the channel' on my thoughts and focus on what I could still do and find ways to do more. Just because I couldn't do what I was used to doing doesn't mean I can't have a great life. And I do have a great life! What thoughts can you change the channel on in order to get the most out of your life.
Question one: How can older people who feel that they are experiencing a reduction in their abilities overcome self-doubt?
Andrew Fleming: Overcoming self-doubt as a result of reduction in ability to me is about modifying how we continue to do what is important to us. I am not able to ski the way I used to as I can't stand so I have a piece of equipment that allows me to ski in a sitting position. I cannot climb into my boat so I modified the trailer by fitting a shelf to the trailer that allows me to get into the boat while it is on the trailer. I cannot work foot levers like gear lever on my quad bike so the gear lever has been modified so I can operate it with my hand. I cannot work brake and accelerator in my car so it has been modified so that I can work brake and accelerator with my hand. Such modifications allow us to continue doing activities we enjoy doing and allow us to feel safe doing them. If we don't feel safe we won't want to the activity out of fear of the consequences of it going wrong. Another options is finding others that can help you do what is important to you.
Sometimes it may not be feasible to continue with some activities. If not can we get similar pleasure from helping with those activities for the benefit of others. Perhaps coaching or simply sharing your knowledge. What is another activity you could enjoy that is easier for you to do? My dad spent years deerstalking and playing tennis. At 71 he has worn his ankles out and struggles with these activities. He hasn't been deerstalking for years but took up duck shooting a few years ago. He played tennis till last year and has started playing croquet. His tennis court is now a croquet court and his friends come round and they have great social evening playing croquet. Sports like skiing is what I have enjoyed all my life rather than ball sports like basketball. Becoming involved with Parafed I have had the opportunity to play wheelchair basketball. I would still rather ski and am not interested in competition basketball but it has been great socialising with other people with disabilities on and off the basketball court. What groups could you be a part of for social interaction?
Question two: What are some of the benefits for older people who manage some form of disability to continue to work to earn money to fund the things that give them pleasure?
Andrew Fleming: Work whether voluntary or paid gives us a sense of purpose and/or opportunity to share our knowledge. A desire to do some form of work may lead to overcoming aspects of a disability and lead to modifications to overcome the challenges presented by the disability which are useful in other aspects of life. They say necessity is the mother of invention. My desire to do certain things has lead to modifications that have allowed me to do what I wanted to do. My desire to earn more than the $265 a week ACC assessed my income at has taken me all over New Zealand, to Australia and Bali to attend seminars to learn what I needed to learn. As a result my perception of the world has been expanded and I have learnt a lot about my skills and abilities and this has led me to opportunities I would never have dreamed of through the people I met along the way.
Question three: You explain that after becoming paralysed that you learnt that "we get used to most things if we allow ourselves to and accept what we need to accept. I could let the self-defeating thoughts go around and around in my head or I could change the channel." What do you mean by changing the channel?
Andrew Fleming: I could dwell on what I could no longer do and let that go around and around in my head and get me down or I could 'change the channel' on my thoughts and focus on what I could still do and find ways to do more. Just because I couldn't do what I was used to doing doesn't mean I can't have a great life. And I do have a great life! What thoughts can you change the channel on in order to get the most out of your life.
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