# Risk Taking or Risk Adverse



## MoonRiver (Sep 2, 2007)

When I drove to the grocery store this morning, the temperature was 12 degrees. The store is about 5 miles away.

I started worrying about what would happen if I broke down. I had on a heavy coat and a hat, but just a pair of jeans that didn't do much to protect me from the cold. There were 2 small stores and a fire station where I could have gotten out of the cold if necessary, but could easily have had to walk up to 2 miles to get to 1 of them. I rarely take my cell phone with me and didn't this morning.

Two or three years ago, I wouldn't have even thought about it. It seems as I get older (soon to be 69), I find myself worried about situations that I might have trouble handling. I'm just as capable today as I was 3 years ago, but age seems to make us more risk adverse or at least risk aware.


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## royB (Dec 15, 2004)

I've always kept extra cloths and blanket in what ever vehicles I have in the winter. I have plenty I use during hunting season and then they would sit in a box so instead they go in the car/truck. phone and anything else considered essential to survival in the unthinkable with an extra mag... goes with me no matter where I am going. Better to have and not need, than to need and not have.


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## pixiedoodle (Sep 24, 2014)

WHEN I WORKED & DROVE 15 MILES IN THE DARK TO WORK LATE AUGUST THRU MAY I DROVE THRU HILLY CURVY WOODED SPARSELY POPULATER TERRITORY. I CARRIED A BAG FULL OF SUNEROUS PRS OF GLOVES, EXTRA SOXS MATCHES & CANDLE IN A COFFEE CAN, TRACTION SUPPORT-SALT & SAND SHOVEL ETC. WHAT I DIDN'T THINK TO HAVE WAS AAN OLD SLEEPING BAG & BIG BLANKETS FOR EXTRA WARMTH IF NEEDED. YOU ALL HAVE GREAT IDEAS. NOW I AM RETIRED I DON'T DRIVE MUCH EXCEPT UP TO THE CORNER FOR GROCERIES. THE PAST YR SINCE I GOT SICK WITH THIS HEART THING I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE AT ALL. I AM SLOWLY GOING TO BE BACK BEHIND THE WHEEL BUT IT WILL BE A SLOW PROCESS. ALMOST LIKE LEARNING ALL OVER AGAIN. YOUR IDEAS FOR WINTER DRIVING ARE GREAT. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT MAY HAPEN OUT ON THE COLD SNOWY OR ICY ROAD. BETTER TO BE TOTALLY PREPARED.


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## Micheal (Jan 28, 2009)

Don't know if'n I'd call it being risk aware or adverse, but as I've gotten older I've become aware of things that I can no longer, nor want to, do. I call it gaining wisdom!!!! 
As far as traveling we are fortunate to live on roads that are traveled. The most you would have to wait for someone to drive by and at least slow down , if not stop, to check on you along side the road is maybe 1/2 hour or so - shorter time during the day. The wife has always had extra blankets, etc. in her car; me I carry a cheapie rain suit in the truck just in case......


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## MoonRiver (Sep 2, 2007)

My point was risk avoidance or risk aversion as we get older. Something that we wouldn't think twice before doing when we are 40 or 50, suddenly becomes something to be concerned about as we get older. It's probably something built in to protect us as our physical and mental capacities start to diminish with age.


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## snowlady (Aug 1, 2011)

I avoid the risk now. We snowmobile so I keep my gear bag in my trunk. It has to be stored somewhere. If the roads are suspect at all I stay home. All my working years, I had at least a 30 minute drive and only missed once due to weather.


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## emdeengee (Apr 20, 2010)

Simple aging may have a lot to do with taking less risks because we become aware of our new limitations (more each year) but I also think that it is the experiences of life and also the fact that we have been the witness to so much that has happened to others that makes us think before we leap. And all the things that have happened have happened over time. When I think back to the crazy risks I took when young I completely accept the findings of scientists that say that the part of the brain that can assess risk and consequences does not fully develop until age 25. Or in my case it must have been age 30.


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## royB (Dec 15, 2004)

MoonRiver said:


> My point was risk avoidance or risk aversion as we get older. Something that we wouldn't think twice before doing when we are 40 or 50, suddenly becomes something to be concerned about as we get older. It's probably something built in to protect us as our physical and mental capacities start to diminish with age.


I should have added that I do what I listed now that I'm older, never did when younger, guess I figured I could walk anywhere I was driving since cold didn't bother me too much. Now, i prefer to stay warm and secure and wait on help for the most part. So I would have to side with risk avoidance.


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## lmrose (Sep 24, 2009)

royB said:


> I should have added that I do what I listed now that I'm older, never did when younger, guess I figured I could walk anywhere I was driving since cold didn't bother me too much. Now, i prefer to stay warm and secure and wait on help for the most part. So I would have to side with risk avoidance.


I try to avoid risky situations more now I am older. I find I think about the consequences should I take a fall. So I don't walk outside if it is icy. Around here if you don't like the weather just wait a day or two and it will change. I wait until is milder before venturing out. I also avoid climbing on ladders or high stools. When walking I don't cross streets until cars are completely stopped at cross walks. There has been fatalities in Halifax city of people being hit in cross walks. I am always conscious about what I am doing because as we age the consequences for wrong decisions gets greater. As we age there are so many things that can go wrong in our bodies there is no point of doing risky behavior that could increase our chance of ending up in the hospital sooner than later.


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## vickinell (Oct 10, 2003)

My daughter and her children live 30 miles away in the city. I recently treated my grandsons for their birthday. I stayed too late and had to drive home in the dark. I hate driving alone at night. My car is a 2004. I keep my phone with me,


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## whiterock (Mar 26, 2003)

I'm particular about any ice or damp areas that might be a good place to fall. If ice is on the ground, it is hard to get me to go outside. If i look at the floor of carport and see it damp from dew or fog, I'm hard to get out of the house. Broke two leg one week and got me kinda scary of falling.


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## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

Passing through the womb is not without risk.

Small speed...small dent.

Plan the flights and and emergency preps. Keep communication capable.

Keep at it.


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## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

Kids walking to school in January cold in shorts and t shirts staring at the Iphone.
Kids driving in hazardous conditions and don't even know where the hood release is on their car.
...and then there we are.


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

GTX63 said:


> Kids walking to school in January cold in shorts and t shirts staring at the Iphone.
> Kids driving in hazardous conditions and don't even know where the hood release is on their car.
> ...and then there we are.


Exactly.
Today, younger people always have a billions connections with the rest of the world. They don't have or need a plan. They don't have a skillset to resolve any of life's troubles, as was needed prior to 24/7 connectivity.
A breakdown to me means having warm clothes and walking to a pay phone and having enough change to contact someone that is home at that moment. Not today.
A couple years ago, two young women from Iowa, were driving through northern Michigan in mid April. The road they were on turned to gravel, then two track and then they were stuck in a melting snow drift. No cell service in this remote area. They happened to have bottled water and numerous boxes of Girl Scout cookies. Rather than walk back the way they came, they stayed in/at the car for 11 days. A DNR helicopter happened to see the reflection of the windshield, landed on Lake Superior shore and walked a mile to their vehicle.
They had no ability to formulate a plan of action.
As we age, we make mistakes, fail to properly prepare. We learn from that, it is called wisdom. In our wisdom, we worry and take steps to remain safe.
But don't confuse being safe with a refusal to grab every opportunity that passes by.


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## MoonRiver (Sep 2, 2007)

Yesterday I had to drive about 200 miles roundtrip. I noticed my tires were a little low on air, so I stopped and filled the tires.

Then I started worrying about possibly having a leak in 1 tire that had lost a lot more air than the others. Then I tried to see if I remembered how to change the tire - where does the jack need to be placed on this car, do I have a full size spare or just a donut, do I have something to put on the ground in case I have to kneel down, etc.

Just 2 years ago, I never would have thought about it. I would have filled the tires and taken the trip and never even considered the possibility of a flat. In the last 10 years, I have had 1 flat, so experience tells me that the odds of having a flat were extremely small. And now I even have road service, so if I did have a flat, I could have called for someone else to change the tire.

That's the kind of thing I'm wondering if others are experiencing. Where in the past you didn't worry about things because you knew that no matter what came up, you could handle it. And now, as a senior, you question your ability to handle these type of situations.

I think this is something I need to have a talk with myself about. I have been thinking about putting together a list of things I needed to remind myself of every day. Things like my address, phone number, ss #, etc. Things that I need to know that I don't use all that often. Probably should add my sister's phone number! Maybe my doctor's name. Anything I can do to remind myself that even though I am getting old, I am still capable to handle whatever life throws at me. 

One thing I noticed is there are some numbers that are in my SS #, my street address, and my phone number. Every once in a while I find myself mixing them together. That's one reason I thought repeating these most mornings would strengthen my memory and keep them untangled.

Physical exercise is important as we age, so I guess memory exercise would be good too!


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## frogmammy (Dec 8, 2004)

You can either agonize for hours about what "might" happen, or what "could" happen, or just cover all the generic bases and then rely on your ingenuity/adaptability to cover the REST of the bases.

I don't NEED to memorize my home phone number because I had business cards made with my number on them, AND I carry them! I have a slip of paper in my car, and in my purse, with phone # of 2 relatives that could be called in an emergency...and they know all the information that might be needed in an emergency situation.

Since a fall a few years ago, I don't go out when it's icey...I KNOW what can happen with a fall! However, I also know that life can be capricious, so I keep gallon jugs of ice melt in the garage, at the back door of the house AND at the front door, and in the car in the winter. In case I HAVE to go out on ice, I'm just a bit safer.

In general, I have made a few changes due to age. Most "safeguards" I have in place I've always had because my memory has NEVER been great, and family is far away and wouldn't help anyway.

I will admit though....I bought an Amazon Echo so that if I DO need physical help at some time in the future, I can just say, "Alexa, "ASK my Buddy" to call my friends"....and everyone (or one named person) will be phoned/texted/emailed that I have an emergency and need help. Alexa is my new best friend! (but her idea of a joke IS a joke)

Mon


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## MoonRiver (Sep 2, 2007)

frogmammy said:


> You can either agonize for hours about what "might" happen, or what "could" happen, or just cover all the generic bases and then rely on your ingenuity/adaptability to cover the REST of the bases.
> 
> I don't NEED to memorize my home phone number because I had business cards made with my number on them, AND I carry them! I have a slip of paper in my car, and in my purse, with phone # of 2 relatives that could be called in an emergency...and they know all the information that might be needed in an emergency situation.
> 
> ...


I don't think I have ever seen a good, practical website with advice for seniors. That would be a great site for someone to make. Heck, I might even do it.


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## light rain (Jan 14, 2013)

I really like the business card idea!

We always need to carry a charged cellphone. Just the sight of one may deter the wrong kind of people from coming to offer help in an emergency. Minimizing risk has whole corporations/ businesses based on this endeavor. Makes sense for individuals to do as well.

Old bones do not heal as well or as quickly as young ones. 

Men and women who have a mobility or balance issue that refuse to use a walker are setting them selves up for terrible reprocussions... A preventable disaster.


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## MoonRiver (Sep 2, 2007)

light rain said:


> I really like the business card idea!
> 
> We always need to carry a charged cellphone. Just the sight of one may deter the wrong kind of people from coming to offer help in an emergency. Minimizing risk has whole corporations/ businesses based on this endeavor. Makes sense for individuals to do as well.
> 
> ...


I wonder if people with mobility problems are ever offered exercises, physical therapy, etc by their doctor, or does the doctor just write a prescription for a walker?


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## Wolf mom (Mar 8, 2005)

MoonRiver said:


> I wonder if people with mobility problems are ever offered exercises, physical therapy, etc by their doctor, or does the doctor just write a prescription for a walker?


Yes they are offered physical therapy. - Medicare also offers Silver Sneakers for exercising at gyms. It's free.
I just got diagnosed with Vertigo and was given exercises to help with that. 

I've always been pretty much of a risk taker. Still am, except where it involves money. Harder to go out and get a job to replace it. ie; driving a well maintained truck rather than spending money on a newer one.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

You don't need a scrip for a walker, just buy one at the closest Wal-Mart.
As for physical therapy, that depends on the insurance plan. Some cover it, some don't. And some offer limited visits regardless of the insured's physical condition. Medicare provides a lot more coverage for PT than many private insurance plans.
And then you have the people who will not do any therapy work because it hurts too much or they are too lazy or they have transportation issues or any of a million or more reasons.


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## frogmammy (Dec 8, 2004)

That Silver Sneakers is only if you have the RIGHT medicare plan, I believe. I have original medicare and can't get Silver Sneakers.

And that's rght, sometimes number of PT visits are limited. One thing I hate is, if medicare does not pay...SURPRISE!...one year later when it is finally processed and you find you owe a few thousand $$$$

Mon


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## light rain (Jan 14, 2013)

St. Vincent DePaul in our area loans out walkers and other aids to people in need. Also I have bought a couple of walkers from a 2nd hand store in our area very reasonably.

I don't think a lot of times a patient will tell a doctor that they have fallen if they are able to get themselves back up on their own. Unfortunately this sets them up to take a very bad, bone breaking fall in the future because of pride.

I strongly think people should investigate exercise and physical therapy, and if their doctor or NP isn't helpful maybe it's time to find a new healthcare person.

My hip bones have shown 15% loss as of this year. I will follow the advice of my doctor but also look for other possible remedies. After all good health first rests with me...


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## MoonRiver (Sep 2, 2007)

light rain said:


> St. Vincent DePaul in our area loans out walkers and other aids to people in need. Also I have bought a couple of walkers from a 2nd hand store in our area very reasonably.
> 
> I don't think a lot of times a patient will tell a doctor that they have fallen if they are able to get themselves back up on their own. Unfortunately this sets them up to take a very bad, bone breaking fall in the future because of pride.
> 
> ...


Look into vitamin d and vitamin k (they work together). When they are not high enough, calcium tends to go to the wrong places, like your heart and arteries, instead of your teeth and bones. That's part of the reason older people tend to have heart and artery problems and weak bones. Also need to do exercise that stresses the bone.


> Vitamin K2 activates these two proteins. Without it, this transfer process of calcium from your arteries to your bone cannot occur, which raises your risk of arterial calcification.
> 
> _"Vitamin K2 is like a light switch—it switches on MGP and osteocalcin, which takes calcium out of the arterial wall and keeps it in the bone. _
> 
> ...


https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/06/28/vitamin-k2-health-benefits.aspx

You can get some vitamin K from diet, but unless you are willing to eat natto (fermented soybeans) you won't get enough just through diet to reverse your problem.

What you want is a supplement that includes vitamin k1 and both the mk4 and mk7 types of vitamin k2. I use this one. You should also get your doctor to run a blood test for vitamin d, magnesium, and calcium. Likely you will also need to supplement vitamin d (with vitamin D3), a high dose of magnesium, and calcium. Just remember that just supplementing calcium without the others may actually make things worse.


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## light rain (Jan 14, 2013)

Thanks for the info!

My D is at 44 so that is good. I actually bought the K1 vitamin after I read one of your posts awhile ago. Mostly for DH but need to talk with his dr. and my dr. before beginning taking it. My dr. said keep up with the D3, eat more calcium fortified foods and stay active. I have to do all the lifting & carrying in the house because DH is mobility challenged. Stacking firewood and moving water softener bags...

I wonder though about sleeping on my left side and whether the weight on the hip area restricts blood flow to the hip during sleep. Someone with far greater medical knowledge than myself says she doesn't think so.

I'll check out the health food store today about nato. Generally prefer fermented foods of all categories.


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## MoonRiver (Sep 2, 2007)

light rain said:


> Thanks for the info!
> 
> My D is at 44 so that is good. I actually bought the K1 vitamin after I read one of your posts awhile ago. Mostly for DH but need to talk with his dr. and my dr. before beginning taking it. My dr. said keep up with the D3, eat more calcium fortified foods and stay active. I have to do all the lifting & carrying in the house because DH is mobility challenged. Stacking firewood and moving water softener bags...
> 
> ...


44 is too low. Was D tested in summer or winter? Where you live, you probably don't get enough sunlight to maintain a healthy vitamin d level in the winter. 

From what I have read, very few Americans are able to stomach natto.


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## light rain (Jan 14, 2013)

Winter. I have read that 30 to 100 is the acceptable range. Next visit I'll discuss this with my dr. Usually only go see him 2x a yr. unless a deer tick latches on... I had one non-blood relative test at 14. That person is now on methotrexate and I'm not sure what else for psoriatic arthritis.

You're right about geographic location and D levels. Also body fat can sequester D and sort of hold it hostage and as we get older our ability to produce it from sunlight diminishes.


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## light rain (Jan 14, 2013)

Natto, well, the first thing is to locate it...


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## MoonRiver (Sep 2, 2007)

light rain said:


> Winter. I have read that 30 to 100 is the acceptable range. Next visit I'll discuss this with my dr. Usually only go see him 2x a yr. unless a deer tick latches on... I had one non-blood relative test at 14. That person is now on methotrexate and I'm not sure what else for psoriatic arthritis.
> 
> You're right about geographic location and D levels. Also body fat can sequester D and sort of hold it hostage and as we get older our ability to produce it from sunlight diminishes.


For some reason, my body doesn't produce enough vitamin d. I have to supplement with a very high daily dose to keep mine in upper range. I have to take more d3 in the winter than I do in the summer. The reason I think yours is too low is that current thinking is that for people with any type of metabolic disease, their d should be at the top of the range.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

I was prescribed PT a few years ago for a serious issue with my upper back. Unfortunately I couldn't go because it wasn't covered under insurance. I am in PT now after hip replacement surgery but am limited to 20 visits. I don't think it will be enough.


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## nehimama (Jun 18, 2005)

MoonRiver said:


> From what I have read, very few Americans are able to stomach natto.


I learned to like natto when I lived in Japan, surprising many of my Japanese friends. My question is, "Where would you find it in the U.S.?"


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

nehimama said:


> I learned to like natto when I lived in Japan, surprising many of my Japanese friends. My question is, "Where would you find it in the U.S.?"


https://rhapsodynaturalfoods.com/our-products/organic-non-gmo-natto/
Pretty expensive stuff though.


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## vickinell (Oct 10, 2003)

Could you sprout and ferment your own?


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## nehimama (Jun 18, 2005)

Danaus29 said:


> https://rhapsodynaturalfoods.com/our-products/organic-non-gmo-natto/
> Pretty expensive stuff though.


Whoah! Pricey!


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