You are stronger than you think. And I don't
say that as a feel -good phrase. I say it because
I see it every single day in the homes of seniors
and family caregivers. In today's episode, I'm
going to help you recognize the strength you
already have, especially when aging in place
feels overwhelming, exhausting, or uncertain.
You'll walk away with simple ways to see your
progress, not just your problems. And if you're
new here, I'm Robin Schiltz, a Senior Home Safety
Specialist. I've spent years helping older adults
stay safe and independent at home, and I've seen
firsthand how much quiet strength people actually
carry. Many of the seniors and caregivers I work
with don't feel strong. They feel stretched and
tired and like they're barely keeping up. Maybe
that's you. Maybe you're caring for a spouse
with memory loss, or helping with a parent who's
losing balance, or maybe you are the older adult
trying to adapt to changes in your own body.
Some days it just feels like too much, doesn't
it? But here is what I want you to hear me say
clearly. Strength does not always look like confidence,
and it doesn't always look like energy, and strength
does not always look like optimism. Sometimes
strength looks like just getting up anyway, or
it looks like just making one more phone call.
Sometimes strength looks like installing one
grab bar even when you wish you didn't need it.
I've walked into homes where people apologize
to me and say, I should have handled this sooner,
or I feel like a failure. But when I look around,
I see something very different. I see someone
who is adjusting. who is trying, and who is learning
new skills at age 70, 80, or even 90 years old.
Let me tell you, that is strength. Let's talk
about why it's so hard to see our own strength.
First, we compare ourselves to who we used to
be. You may be thinking something like, well,
I used to climb ladders and lift heavy boxes.
I used to be able to drive at night. Well, and
now you can't. So you assume you're weaker. But
strength changes shape over time. At 30, strength
might be physical. At 75, strength might be wisdom.
At 85, strength might be patience. At any age,
strength can be the courage to ask for help as
well. That takes more bravery than most people
realize. Second, we tend to focus on what is
going wrong, not what's going right. When someone
falls, that one moment can erase months of success
in your mind. Or when you forget an appointment,
you might ignore the hundred other things you
actually remembered. Our brains are wired to
notice danger. That's normal, but it can hide
your progress from you. So here's something simple
I encourage people to do. Start tracking what
is working. Did you use your walker consistently
this week? Did you speak up at a doctor's appointment?
Did you finally move that throw rug that kept
sliding? Well, that is not small. That is strength
in action. And caregivers, I want to speak to
you for a moment. You're carrying way more than
you let on. You're managing medications. You're
monitoring safety. You answer the same questions
over and over. Calm down fears that are not even
your own. And most of the time, no one applauds
that. But I see it, and it matters. Strength
is not just about doing more. It's also about
setting limits. Sometimes strength means saying,
I need help. It might mean bringing in a home
care aide for a few hours or installing better
lighting in the hallway. It might mean admitting
that something has changed. That is not giving
up. That is adapting. And adaptation is one of
the greatest forms of strength. In my work, I
often tell families, the goal is not perfection.
The goal is progress. The goal is a safer bathroom,
a phone placed within reach, a clearer path from
the bed to the bathroom. These are small steps,
but those small steps add up. Think about this.
You're navigating aging in place in a world that
moves fast. Technology changes overnight. Healthcare
systems change, insurance rules change, and you
are still here, still learning, and still trying.
That tells me something important. You are resilient.
Resilience is not loud, but it is steady and
quiet, and it shows up in daily routines. It
shows up in the decision to try again tomorrow.
So how do you start believing that you're stronger
than you think? There are three simple things
you can do. First, Pause and look back. Where
were you one year ago? What has improved? Even
one improvement counts. Second, ask someone you
trust what they see in you. You might be very
surprised. Often others see our strength long
before we do. Third, give yourself credit for
effort. Not just results. Effort. It matters.
Especially in this season of life. I've worked
with people who rebuilt their confidence after
a fall, and I've worked with caregivers who learned
to manage complex care routines. I've seen couples
adjust to using walkers and hearing aids and
stair lifts and still laugh together in the kitchen.
That is strength. Everyday strength. Not just
because everything is easy to them, but because
they just keep going. If today feels heavy, I
want you to remember this. You do not need to
solve everything at once. You only need to take
the next safe step. Move one obstacle. Make one
appointment. Have one honest conversation. That
is enough for today. And when you look at yourself
in the mirror tonight, I hope you don't see only
the fatigue you probably feel. I hope you also
see the courage, because it is there. You are
stronger than you think. So thanks for joining
me today. Please share this episode with someone
you care about who could use the information
to make their life safer. You'll find more resources
for seniors and caregivers on our website at
seniorsafetyadvice .com. And if you're searching
for an Aging in Place specialist, please visit
our sister website at aginginplacedirectory .com.
Also, if you haven't subscribed to our YouTube
channel or to this podcast yet, go ahead and
do that right now. and then come back tomorrow
for another Daily Moment of guidance and encouragement
right here on the Senior Safety Advice Podcast.
Until next time, thanks for listening. Take care.
Bye!