Serving Our Seniors Magazine - July - Sept 2024

The word “aging” has a bad rap. Synonymous with growing older, aging is the one thing we have in common with one another. Yet, we allow age to separate us and diminish us, as people. The purpose of this cover story is to cause us to see how we are all traveling the same life course. (Life course - The entirety of individual’s life from birth to death and the typical set of circumstances an individual experiences in a given society as they age.) People of all ages shared their life perspectives, at their age. Where we are in that journey may be different, but we are all playing the same game – the game of life. Ray Sinwald, 1 year. Ray used to be continuously sleepy and hungry. With age, his favorite foods changed from just milk to cheese pizza, cooked carrots, fruit, tater tots with cheese and PB&J sandwiches. Ray explained how aging has changed him. “At about 6 months old, I wanted to sleep less to spend more time outdoors,” he said through his interpreter/mother, Katie Sinwald. “I love my stroller, my two beagles, trucks, tractors and going for car rides.” He also likes having teeth. Ray thinks about his future and plans to play some type of sport. For aging well into the future, he said (through his interpreter/mother) he will wait until age 25 before he starts dating. Katie Sinwald, age 27, mother of Ray, lives with her husband and family in Vermilion. She works full time as a buyer at Logistiq. Like Ray, she loves being outdoors. Now that she is married, what she enjoys doing has changed compared to when she was younger. “I enjoy spending time with my family.” This includes her immediate family, her parents and her family-in-law. Thinking About the Future. She thinks about what life will be like when she is in her 30’s and 40’s; and she thinks about her parents being age 69 and 65. “When I was single, I never thought about the possibility of not having my parents. Now, I wonder to myself, ‘Am I going to be able to parent my son, as they parented me?’ and I just want to be the best wife and mother.” For aging well, her advice is “Don’t take anything for granted. Live your life how you want to live it. Life is short.” Crystal & Anthony Pool, ages 44, Are loving parents of two energetic little boys and an adult son. Anthony is the QA Manager at Serving Our Seniors. He and Crystal started an event planning business, Décor in Love. They enjoy family time. Crystal said, “Having family-time is so important. We have to work to get by, but I don’t want to miss making those memories.” Anthony enjoys volunteering for his church and working with electronic equipment/gadgets. His favorite leisure activity is practicing with his sound board. He does DJ-ing on the side and helps to run music for the church. How today is different from the past. (20’s & 30’s) Crystal said, “In my 20’s and 30’s, I worked a lot. When I had free time, I loved going out with my friends and dancing. I’ve become more conservative.” She also credits having a loving Aging: Everyone 10