Secrets of Sassy, Savvy Seniors: Aging Like Royalty Roadmap

By Dr. Nakeisha Raquel Rodgers

Are you a senior eager to learn more about the aging process? Have you been yearning for better insight on how to advocate for yourself? Are you ready to unlock the treasured keys for growing older with grace and poise?

In Secrets of Sassy, Savvy Seniors:

• Language: English
• Publisher: Purposely Created Publishing Group
• Release date: May 17, 2022
• ISBN: 9781644845677

Book preview

INTRODUCTION

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I grew up on the beautiful archipelagic islands of the Bahamas. Given the moniker the place where God lives, by the late great Dr. Myles Munroe, the Bahamas is a majestic gem nestled merely fifty miles off the coast of Florida. With a population of nearly 400,000, it has produced some of the most talented figures to grace the world stage.

My parents enrolled me in Our Lady’s Catholic Primary school. Faith was important. There, we routinely attended Friday morning Mass. Albeit mandatory, this consistent exposure would become paramount to my own personal walk with God and would later influence my work ethic.

As a student, I only remembered wanting to be of service. As my mother recalls, I also had a powerful connection—seniors. At age six, I would scrummage for all the change I could find to go to the bakery after school. After twenty long painstaking minutes, my parents usually discovered that I was deeply engrossed in a conversation with the bakery’s proprietor, Mr. B.

I can still envision him. His smooth dark skin highlighted his white, majestically coiled crown of grey curls. Dark aging spots were intricately arranged on his face. They flawlessly framed his big hazel eyes and huge warm smile. And how was your day today, little lady? At the tender age of six, I would recite all the exciting big words I was taught by my second-grade teacher, Mrs. Barbara Moseley-Gray. I remembered feeling so valued that he, approaching his seventies, would take the time to listen to the second-grade adventures of a six-year-old. He stood as a pillar of wisdom, and I latched onto his every word.

Fast forward to the year 2000. I had decided to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Biology at Acadia University in Nova Scotia, Canada. One day, a normal stroll to Wolfville Elms started me on an amazing trajectory. I felt an electric surge of excitement when I started volunteering as a helper at this skilled nursing facility.

I volunteered with the arts and crafts department, cleaned tables, hand-fed residents, and visited with them. A ninety-year-old resident recounted how she learnt a close family relative had perished in the Titanic. I was destined to find my purpose and gifting in the field of geriatrics. It is not just a medical subspecialty; it is literally and figuratively my life.

On November 30, 2020, I received the phone call that would change my life. Keisha, I didn’t want to tell you, but your daddy has not been feeling well and wants to see the doctor! Reliving that day, I remember the nervous undertones in her voice.

My heart immediately sank into my chest, and it skipped several beats. Large pellets of sweat engulfed my palms so quickly that the cell phone began to slip from my clutch. I sat paralyzed with fear in my study while my mind began to teem with uncertainty. My eyes later welled up with salty tears that started to stream down my cheeks.

Over the next few days, I asked God to arm me with the courage and strength to face whatever this was. Besides my faith, the only person with whom I could be vulnerable was my big sister Kathrina. She was alone in the Bahamas while I was thousands of miles away. Nevertheless, we worked as a cohesive duo 7681, a symbolism of our birth years, to ensure that my father got all the necessary testing and procedures. By the grace of God, our father was all right. Though I was in the medical field and my sister was an exceptional caregiver, there were still a few issues we had to address, albeit the team administering his care did their best.

From this experience, I was convinced that my life’s purpose was helping other seniors and their caregivers get the medical tools they need to age with poise and dignity. My sister and I are not just health aficionados but are simply two doting daughters who absolutely adore, honor, and cherish our parents.

We have been there and thankfully by God’s grace we have each other. Our mission is to equip devoted caregivers with spiritual and educational tools so they too can help their loved ones age like royalty.

When I reminisce on why I pursued geriatrics, I fondly remember graduation night at my internal medicine residency program in Bridgeport, Connecticut. My mentor, Dr. Yaw Adjepong, and critical care attending, Dr. John Paul Ayala, whom I both deeply respect and admire, looked me stark in the eyes and told me, Nakeisha, there’s nobody else more suited to become the Geriatric Maven. You go out there and do it! And so, with faith and resilience, I am committed to mapping out the journey to successful aging. I am excited for you to join me!

PART 1: THE ROADMAP TO AGING LIKE ROYALTY

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CHAPTER 1

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PREPARING FOR THE ROYAL YEARS: UNDERSTANDING NORMAL AGING

There are numerous theories on aging. As the body chronically ages, all organ systems are affected. Many seniors are told to helplessly embrace their ailments as a part of the normal aging process. Well, you do know that you are elderly, just be thankful that you are alive. This sentiment has caused many a well-intentioned relative to ascribe normal aging to actual disease states that are not a part of aging. So, before you can age like the true boss that you are, you must know the answer to this time-honored question, Is this symptom normal for my age? In this chapter, get out your pen and paper and take notes on what constitutes normal aging in each system of the body.

MEDICATIONS AND AGING

As we age, the number of neuron or brain cells decreases. The process of encoding, storing, and retrieving memories is affected. It is common for patients to start asking those time-honored questions: Hey, where’d I put my keys? or What’s your name again? Muscle mass goes down while adipose fat tissues increase. This not only affects the sexy senior who fondly reminisces on the good ol’ days when he could display his rippling six pack abs, but it also leads to various effects of medications on the body.

Since the aging body has a greater percentage of fat or adipose tissue, physicians who care for savvy seniors must be extremely meticulous about the way they prescribe medications. In much the same way that a treasured recipe is dear to the heart of a sous chef, the Beers Criteria for Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Adults (commonly called the Beers list) is paramount to the practice of the geriatrician (Durso, et al. 2013).

This list was pioneered in 1991 by the late great geriatric extraordinaire Dr. Mark Beers. It has since been revised posthumously by his successors. The list was most recently revised in 2019 and outlines potentially inappropriate medications in the elderly. It is broadly divided into four categories. The first reviews medications that can adversely affect various organ systems. The second outlines medications that can exacerbate certain syndromes or diseases. The third classification outlines medications that must be used cautiously. The fourth highlights certain medications that should not be prescribed together.

Let me be clear. There are some cases where a medication on the Beers list is needed. The list does not explicitly ban the use of medications on it. It is an important reminder for geriatricians to pause and review their reasons for prescribing a medication.