Nonagenarian is world’s best squash player

“All my life, that’s what I’ve wanted to do – hit that ball,” said Hashim Khan, one of the sport’s all-time greats.

Khan recently took a tumble on the court, fracturing a hip and straining a rotator cuff. Doctors have said no more squash.

He refuses to listen.

Even at 93, Khan can’t bring himself to lay down his racket – he simply loves the game too much.

And squash – a game similar to racquetball – has given him so much in return. He’s travelled the world, found fame by winning seven British Open titles and become a national hero in Pakistan, his homeland…. He also started a stretch during which he or a member of his family won 13 straight British Open championships, considered the most prestigious squash tournament. [...] http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/OtherSports/2007/12/28/4743861-ap.html

See also the resources at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hashim_Khan

I know next to nothing about squash but I do know his name.

Family caregiving: state of the art proceedings 2007

from ELDERCARE LISTSERV
The report below will be of interest to those of us monitoring trends and new ideas in Family Caregiving.
Bruce Finke, MD
IHS / Nashville Area Elder Health Consultant
Chronic Care Initiative

FCA RELEASES PROCEEDINGS FROM NATIONAL CONFERENCE:
“FAMILY CAREGIVING: STATE OF THE ART, FUTURE TRENDS”

The National Center on Caregiving at Family Caregiver Alliance has released Proceedings from its March 2007 national conference, “Family Caregiving: State of the Art, Future Trends.” The conference was convened in Chicago by FCA in partnership with the American Society on Aging.

The complete Conference Proceedings are now available on the FCA website at http://caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=2043 (copy and paste this link into your browser), or at: Conference Proceedings. There is no charge to access the Proceedings, which detail the wide-ranging presentations and summarize trends, policy issues and progress in the field.

At the conference, experts from research, policy and practice considered critical questions in long-term caregiving: What is different now than in the past? How can we address the key challenges for family care in the decades ahead?

The Proceedings, which cover both plenary sessions and workshop panel presentations, conclude with a summary of recommendations put forth in the various sessions.

The Jacob and Valeria Langeloth Foundation, The U.S. Administration on Aging, the John A. Hartford Foundation, and The Caregivers Initiative, Johnson & Johnson, provided essential support.

Now celebrating its 30th Anniversary, Family Caregiver Alliance unites research, policy and practice to support and sustain the important work of families and friends caring for loved ones with chronic, disabling health conditions. The National Center on Caregiving at Family Caregiver Alliance was established in 2001 to advance the development of high-quality, cost effective programs and policies for caregivers in every state in the country. Visit www.caregiver.org</a> for more information.

Older, more able

This is an interesting summary of trends in aging in the US. Part of the reason for less disabling aging is the involvement of people in their medical and health decisions [see also Preventive health care in elderly people needs rethinking], technology (from microwave ovens to walkers), smokers died before now and quitters started quitting awhile ago, availability of surgery from eyes to knees, older people exercise more than in the past, changes in attitude towards aging capabilities (changing expectataions of older people by older people and others. Off those rockers!), better availability of foods, etc.

Frank Greve of McClatchy Newspapers says, “The remarkable thing about National Public Radio senior news analyst Daniel Schorr, 91, who only recently gave up tennis, and Landrum Bolling, 94, the globe-trotting director at large for the relief agency Mercy Corps, is the same: They aren’t as remarkable as you’d think they are.

A surprising decline in disability rates among older Americans since the 1980s is enabling millions more to lead longer, richer, spryer lives. … older Americans typically are disability-free for the roughly 10 months of life expectancy that were added from 1992 to 2003.

…According to Dr. Eileen Crimmins, a professor of gerontology and sociology at the University of Southern California, 25 percent of Hispanic and black Americans older than 65 need help with basic tasks. For whites, the rate is 17 percent. Differences in disability rates linked to income and education also persist, Crimmins and others have found, and while women live longer than men, they endure more disabilities. [...]

Growing Older May Be Getting Easier, Tuesday 11 December 2007

http://www.truthout.org/issues_06/121107HB.shtml

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Site Search Tags: nonagenarian, gerontology, lifespan, exercise

Alaska senior center blogroll addition

Thank you to Charles Osborne for letting us know about the Anchorage organization for older people. Mr Osborne is their Programs Coordinator and invites everyone to stop by to visit when in Anchorage.

There are several interesting things about the non-profit compared to Bethel’s–

• the senior center is run by the organization which is composed of those over 55 years of age

In Bethel, older people were not allowed to participate in the senior center transfer from City to tribe (both groups said elders are unable to run their own center).

• their operating budget is about half of Bethel’s

Their By Laws and Policies are on-line as are the extensive membership benefits, staff list, events, dance bands (including KOLIGANEK RIVER BAND), etc. They even have a nonagenarian club.

Anchor-Age Center is a non-profit corporation. Anchor-Age Center was incorporated effective August 31, 1981 with the State of Alaska.

Mission Statement

Anchor-Age Center is a non-profit organization that operates the Anchorage Senior Center. The Anchorage Senior Center enhances the quality of life for people 55 years old and older in the Anchorage Bowl and serves as a resource:

1. To encourage independence through socialization and the promotion of healthy lifestyles;
2. To assure that all seniors in the Community are aware of the various services for seniors at the Center and in the community; and
3. To provide a central meeting place for senior organizations and others.

Operations

Anchor-Age’s purpose is to improve living conditions for elderly. To advance that purpose Anchor-Age Center operates the Municipality of Anchorage’s Senior Center by providing seniors with access to services and information key to senior living, health and housing. Anchor-Age members enjoy other benefits such as instruction in crafts, arts, computers, and fitness. Members can also take advantage of recreational pursuits such as billiards, cards, dancing, monthly birthday party, and other social events.

A voting member of Anchor-Age must be 55 years old or more. Associate members can be any age. Dues are paid annually.

Anchor-Age Center must engage in fund raising activities to cover the approximately $350,000 annual operating obligation. Anchor-Age operates a restaurant, a gift shop, catering services, individual room and facility rental as funding raising tools. Anchor-Age also sponsors fund raising with annual community events such as the fall bazaar, spring plant sale, book sales, raffles, and monthly events such as dances.

http://anchorageseniorcenter.org/aacpage.htm