Ms
Shirley Eaton, a native of Charleston, South Carolina has always had a love of
writing. She started her journals at age eleven.
After
graduation from Avery High School in Charleston, Ms. Eaton attended Johnson C.
Smith in Charlotte, North Carolina for one year and then later moved to
Connecticut in 1960. It seems as though Connecticut is the special place.
In
Connecticut and New York, Ms. Eaton was able to finish her education.
As
a highlight, Ms. Eaton, in 1982 was a Delegate to 122nd Presbyterian
General Assembly in Georgia. During the assembly, issues as ordination of
church educators, foreign issues, reunion funding and budget ethics and society
interpreting the faith, etc. These were only a few of the issues discussed
during the assembly. During this era, women did participate in religious roles.
During
the nineties, Mrs. Eaton was busy working on her handbook, attending school for
her MPH and also working. Mrs. Eaton's Mom, Mrs. Rena B. Randall was living
with her. Mrs. Randall lived with her daughter from 1990 through 1997. Ms.
Eaton has also worked as a nurse for many years and was always interested in
the elderly.
Having
been in the medical field and having dealt with so many families of the
elderly, I found it necessary to write this helpful handbook. As time goes by,
those of you who purchase my handbook will find this information helpful,
educational and you will also be able to add your personal information to it.
You will notice that older people are living longer.
How well we do as we age concerns each of us throughout the course of our lives however, later years can be very challenging. The experience of growing old is a state of mind as well as body.
More than 80 percent of the American population is beyond the age of 70, 11 percent of the total population is over 65. Over the next 50 years that will increase to between 12 and 18 percent. With the rapid changes taking place, the present emphasis on youth has changed to the focus on the elderly.
It is time to take a new look at old age and its benefits, needs and challenges. The time in which one lives affects attitudes, your and those of others, toward old age. One can deal with changes as they take place if one is prepared to meet the one or many challenges that might take place.
