Ep. 42 - Living Life Before Retirement

 Tony Hilton is a nurse practitioner who works for the Veterans Health Administration in Washington, DC, while living in Southern California. She's in charge of a safety program that protects both staff and patients across 175 healthcare systems serving 9 million veterans and about 375,000 care providers. Tony focuses on patient mobility and safety. She explains that healthcare workers have high injury rates, even higher than construction workers! Her job is to keep both staff and patients safe by making sure patients can move around safely. She believes nobody should stay in bed if they can get up and move around, to avoid health problems from not moving enough. When veterans come to VA facilities, Tony and her team set up mobility goals for them. They assess what patients can do, and if they can't stand on their own, they provide special harnesses to help them walk without falling. Her team follows patients not just in hospitals but also in clinics, homes, and communities. Tony explains that when patients feel depressed about their mobility issues, her team focuses on what's meaningful to the individual and works with them to develop goals. She created a chart system that tracks patients' progress over time with a house, sun, and trees at the top representing the goal of returning home. This visual helps patients, families, and staff see progress even during ups and downs. Besides her healthcare work, Tony travels internationally for speaking engagements and pleasure. She especially enjoys visiting places connected to Bible stories, like Israel and Egypt. She's planning to retire on a cruise ship in a few years, saying it's "cheaper than a nursing home" and lets her travel while keeping her brain active. Tony's advice for women over 50 is to focus on emotional and mental wellness first, as this drives physical health. She encourages staying active and connected, not giving up, and embracing purpose. She got her doctorate in public health after age 50 and believes you're "as young as you wish to be."