Why is it that so many elderly people seemingly have such a hard time perceiving what's going on around them?

Forgetfulness, or being absent minded, can happen with even young people. It

depends on their level of concentration basically. When one reaches their 50's

and 60's, we all seem to notice we become less able to focus on one thing for

an extended period of time, before we are distracted. In the elderly, our brains

have had alot of 'short circuiting' from brain cells dying over time. When we are

aware of that, we start writing notes to ourselves, to remember things of im-

portance. As we're sure to forget them otherwise. So it's important we do things

to stimulate our minds and keep them active. Focusing on the thinking process

of our mind. Cross word puzzles, and others, help to keep the brain stimulated to

really think of the answers, using more cells of the brain in the process.

It's not fair to pass any judgement on the seniors you've observed to be less

than what you see as normal. People do have strokes, or even heart ailments

that decrease the capabilities of their brains. They can only work with what they

have going, and make the best of it. We all come to crossroads in our elderly

years, if we make it to that point. Usually an accident will occur to enable us to

function as we had previously. And this often will force a person to be either

crippled in some way, or function more like an older person than they really are.

Many things can occur to trigger the aging process early. So an aging mind is

not always attributed to the elderly. So never prejudge, and realize that the worst

is yet to come for yourself. And when it does, you will think back to the time you

were infallible, and your future would be unscathed and devoid of anything unpleasant

to make you older than you actually were, or thought you were.

Some of us Seniors, have developed memory retention problems, find it hard to concentrate, are in constant pain, get confused, dizzy spells, and the like.

Some folk, get to feel uninterested in and about things that in earlier years they would have been involved in and curious about. They have heard and seen it before and cannot be bothered to calumniate over the issue or incident. 

Because of this, I have had to give up driving due to my recently acquired tendency to 'drop-off' (fall asleep) at any time when I am inactive and sat down. This has been blamed on the medications after cardiac surgery (but I know it is not so, it started to happen before the operation took place)

I can appreciate the memory and concentration difficulties as I suffer with them, as many others do, but I think it affects people in different ways and in varying degrees.

Frankly ,my Curious one... we just don't give a d-mn any more.

My husband is dead so I don't need to tell anyone where in the store I will be while he sits it out in a grump somewhere.

I no longer have 'mother's ears' so I pay no attention to the yelling, screaming kids in the store where the parents can't figure out that taking their kids to the store at nap time is not a good idea.

I have never had a ticket in my car so I guess I am very well aware of others speeding , reckless thoughtless driving ways. Here I mention the fact that many can't tell the difference between a PARKING lot and a freeway.

As for the crowds ...why bother , for the most part I time my life to avoid the rest of you. It's a senior thing.

Thank you for allowing me to share with you.

Lona

There are a lot more "elderly" people around than there was a decade ago, and I think you are simply just noticing it. Most elderly I know are perpetually worried about how they are going to make it to the next month financially. With the state of the economy (as an example, the threat the August's SS checks which the gummyment thinks seniors can do without) and the inability to function well in it, well that preys on the mind. See how unaware you are of your surroundings when you have been really worried about something..

The community wellness facility in a close-by city has a affected person delivery device this is 2nd to none. My husband drives for them, that's all run by utilising volunteers and donations and is unfastened to all riders. They take people to any appointments and homestead returned, the only stipulation is that the appointment have some connection to the wellness facility. Like chemotherapy hospital, dialysis hospital, docs workplaces, wellness facility cures or checks, and so on. that's a 2 hundred mattress wellness facility and that's between the superb one hundred small hospitals interior the U. S.. you're able to desire to communicate on your community wellness facility and examine with them in the event that they have some thing like this or enable them to understand that there is an activity. additionally in that comparable city, there are countless different unfastened delivery structures for senior voters that supply up at nursing properties, low income housing and senior house homes. those delivery structures are run by utilising companies and that they take people to shops and homestead at particular circumstances of the day. there is not any paid bus transportation in that city, that's all donated by utilising companies and robust those that supply from their hearts and wallet.

It's not only elderly people who seemingly have trouble perceiving what's going on around them. I could list some others also, but I'll control myself today and not get into politics.

Maybe what you perceive is wrong, maybe they are interested in taking care of their own business, the reason for them being in the store, and aren't interested in what someone else is doing.

If a senior while driving seems not to be aware of the surroundings, or any one at any age for that matter, that of course could be dangerous.

Are you talking about 90 & 100 year old people?

Because the so-called "elderly" people I've met have more energy than 10 kids and more perception than most.

Perhaps they're just pretending they're not involved -- to keep you guessing!

Today I drove to Kohl's, Walmart and Walgreens, had no problem with that, got everything on my list, and was just aware of my surroundings enough to do a little flirting. The guy who helped me in electronics was very nice indeed. If you were there, I'm glad I wasn't aware of you.

As we get older we learn to tune out all the bs that doesn't matter. What do we care what is going on around us and what other people are doing. As long as I know what my Grand children are up to and know that the government isn't going to screw with my Social Security I couldn't care less what others are doing at Wallmart.