There are many inspiring stories that can encourage seniors that they are never too old to dream.
Carpe diem means “Seize the Day.” The famous Roman poet Horace’s popular words capture the zeal that should accompany opportunities.
The idea of carpe diem encourages action in the present moment. Dwelling upon past errors or shortcomings only seeks to prevent action in the present.
Today’s seniors should embrace carpe diem to take hold of opportunities to satisfy current market needs, especially in the assisted living industry.
This is an opportunity of a lifetime.
Never before have so many Americans needed senior living facilities. The traditional model of senior living will not do.
The aging Baby Boomers want to live as they choose.
Residential assisted living homes offer Boomers the type of communal living they yearn for, where dignity and independence are relished and not disregarded.
Achievement is within your grasp.
All that is needed is a bit of encouragement and an earnest desire to achieve. Do not allow past failures to disrupt the possibility of achieving in your senior years.
Below, you will find just a few examples of seniors who achieved their highest after 65 years of age. Attain success at any age – it has already been achieved, and you can also excel.
Competitive Seniors take the Gold.
Wellness is a lifestyle, not an accomplishment. A significant element of wellness is physical fitness.
Physical fitness is necessary to compete at anything. Here you will meet a few incredibly fit seniors who found the sweetest victory after the age of 65.
- Johanna Quaas, 91-year-old gymnast
Achieving the audience’s awe at the 2017 International German Gymnastics Festival, Johanna Quaas performed a near-flawless parallel bar routine.
What’s the big deal?
Johanna was 91 years of age at the time of this achievement. She holds the Guinness World Record for the most senior gymnast.
Her life in gymnastics began in1934, at the age of 9.
As she matured, she started a family and became a coach but never lost her zeal to compete.
At 56, she began her competitive career, which to many was too late.
Not so for Johanna, who held her own opinion about her life and did not conform to others’ narrow thoughts.
Johanna sets goals for herself and has surpassed them.
She sought to be competitive until 90, but she has surpassed that with her more recent accomplishment.
Personally, her goal was to avoid the susceptibility of falling in her senior years, which gymnastics has thwarted.
Johanna is downright nimble but equally as balanced.
- Ed Whitlock, 85-year-old runner
In the world of marathon running, Ed Whitlock stakes his claim.
At 70, Ed is the first person to complete a full marathon in less than 3 hours.
October 2016, onlookers at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon witnessed Ed’s record-setting finish in under 4 hours.
How did he do it?
Ed received no unique guidance or training for his impressive achievement. He did a very rudimentary disciplined activity.
Ed ran laps for a few hours daily. Little by little, he built his endurance until he was marathon ready.
No rush, just consistent daily training.
The New York Times reports Ed’s sentiments well: “I believe people can do far more than they think they can.”
Scientific studies of Ed’s physique have found something quite impressive.
Ed’s VO2 max, the measure of the body’s ability to take in oxygen, is higher than average. Ed’s VO2 max was comparable to that of highly trained marathon runners.
Ed’s daily consistent discipline of running built a VO2 max comparable to elite marathoners. So, these examples are proof that you can do more than you think.
- Charles Eugster, 97-year-old rower and bodybuilder
Row, row, row your boat might be the best adage for the next achiever. Charles Eugster was a competitive rowing team member during his university years.
After university, Charles joined the Swiss Army and then entered a professional career in his adult life.
Like many, his fitness faltered during these years, but Ed yearned to be fit again. At 63 years of age, he chose to get fit again.
Charles picked up his rowing equipment, began training, and signed up for competitions. He earned 40 gold medals at World Rowing Masters over the next 30 years.
That’s right, at 93, Ed was winning rowing competitions. It’s never too late to win. Although Ed’s achievements seem phenomenal, his goal was not rowing but fitness.
At 83, Ed joined a bodybuilding gym and trained feverishly.
He competed in several fitness competitions, adding running and swimming to his list of competitive sports.
Upon his passing at 93, Ed held several U.K. records in 5 various events and a world record.
Ed is known for saying, anyone my age can participate in these events if they are willing to train appropriately.
- Dick Roche, 77-year-old roller derby skater
At 77 years of age, Dick Roche is the most senior known active roller derby skater.
When he turned 70, David became a founding member of the lane Country Concussion Roller Derby Team in Eugene and Springfield, Oregon.
Here, Dick skates competitively.
The sport is a fast-paced, full-contact competition requiring much training. Players must remain in roller skates for the duration of the event.
Despite the sport’s intensity, Dick is a central focus for his team in his senior years. Not because of his age, but because of his skill.
Dick is one of the most formidable players in the sport. The stamina necessary to compete in a roller derby is extensive.
Training and endurance are a constant to excel in this rigorous sport. At 77 years of age, Dick shows no sign of abating.
According to Dick, “I’ve got lots of energy,” and “I’m having fun,” which makes Dick the competitor he is.
And, most important of all, it seems to be a family thing. Dick’s daughter and two grandchildren compete in the sport as well.
- Don Pellman, 101-year-old Olympian
Centenarians are making their mark. In 2015, at the San Diego Senior Olympics, Don Pellman made his mark in the present-day news annals.
With 100 years of living under his belt, Don set five brand new world records. He was the oldest person ever to compete in the games.
The first centenarian to complete a 100-meter dash in less than 27 seconds. First to clear the bar at the official height for the high jump.
Set a new shot-put record. Set a new long-jump record.
In his youth, Don was an accomplished gymnast and high jumper. While competing in college, Don had to leave college to seek work during the Great Depression.
After retirement in 1970, Don, at the urging of his adult children, resumed his athletic career.
Since he competed in 127 track and field meets and ties Jesse Owens for setting the most world records in one day.
Today, Don is 101 years old and showing no signs of slowing down.
- Diana Nyad, a 65-year-old swimmer
Do dreams expire? Does adventure go away with age? Not according to Diana Nyad.
At 64 years of age, Diana swam the Straits of Florida without a shark cage.
What’s her story?
Diana is a longtime swimmer; some say lifelong. She trained emphatically for this event, which had been nothing but a dream 35 years earlier.
At first, Diana’s attempts were not successful.
Four times Diana embarked on her journey but was unable to finish. Finally, on the fifth attempt, Diana was able to complete the journey.
She swam from Cuba to Florida, traversing the Straits, in 53 hours.
- Noriko Shinohara
The competition spans more than sports. It’s never too late to become the artist one has longed to be.
Noriko has worked fervently in the art for more than 50 years. However, it was not until well into her fifth decade; her career finally gained steam.
Noriko’s husband, Ushio, has been a famous artist for many decades. While his success is meritorious, his wife did not have such success.
She never stopped toiling in art. Now, in her 60s, Noriko is experiencing success. Her art is donning galleries’ walls, and she is no longer in her husband’s shadow.
Now, Noriko’s success has brought notoriety to this couple.
They have hosted events together and made appearances at each other’s shows. The couple has even been the feature of a famous documentary, Cutie and the Boxer.
Senior success stories are endless. A senior’s life is more than watching TV and occasional visits from children and grandchildren.
A senior’s life is to be lived, realized, and full of activity. Examine this list of accomplished seniors.
- Harriett Lake, an accomplished Floridian philanthropist.
- Louise Bourgeois, a 70-year-old accomplished artist
- Frank McCourt, a senior whose writing career now boasts a bestselling book, Angela’s Ashes.
- Faujah Singh, a 101year-old marathon runner.
- Desiline Victor, a 102-year-old voting legend from Florida.
- Min Bahadur Sherchan, a 76-year-old Mt. Everest climbing champion.
- Jiro Ono is an 87-year-old sushi chef and is considered the greatest of his craft.
- Ida Keeling, at 97 years of age, set a record in the 100-meter sprint.
Staying in shape as you age is important. Setting world records and becoming the next aged Olympian may not be your aspiration.
However, physical fitness is crucial to sustaining a healthy lifestyle. Even mental fitness is associated with physical fitness.
Therefore, do not become complacent in your senior years. Embrace new challenges and resist a sedentary lifestyle.
Make wellness, which encompasses proper nutrition, fitness, and mental acuity, your lifestyle.
Complete wellness sustains a senior better than any of those mentioned above alone. Therefore, eat to live, walk to thrive, and read to learn.
Wellness is your way of living a high-quality, fully energized, completely purposeful life.
RESTARTING YOUR FUTURE
Do you yet have a vision for yourself and your family? Do you have unrealized dreams, energy, creativity, and good ‘ole fashioned grit?
It is never too late to engage and achieve.
Seniors are equipped with years of wisdom to accompany your zeal, and the opportunity of a lifetime awaits those who are willing to take the next step.
The golden years are not the end of life but a commencement. Seniors can make a difference in assisted living and earn a high substantial income by doing it.
Do not allow age to circumvent your zeal for doing meaningful business.
Contact www.ResidentialAssistedLivingAcademy.com to learn everything you need to know from A-Z step-by-step for owning and operating an assisted living home.
Get registered for the next 3-day course and allow a team of experts to help launch you into your future.
