People have asked us, “Why did you call your company Attune?” It isn’t a commonly-used word in the English language and we usually do have to spell it for people. But, when you look at the definition of “attune” things start to make sense and fall into place.
The word “attune” can mean the following:
- To tune or bring into harmony
- To become receptive to, or aware of
- To accustom or acclimatize
As we journey through the aging process, we at Attune believe it is important to be in tune and in harmony with our bodies and the signals it is sending us. We should be aware of and receptive to exploring the issues that impact our ability to age well throughout our lifespan, and it would be wise to encourage aging parents and relatives to adapt to the changes in our bodies and in our lives by implementing new habits, routines and strategies.
Attune is a verb. It’s an action word. It means we are doing something to address or respond to a situation. For our purposes, that “situation” is aging – and we’re all doing it…every day. However, we can respond to this part of our lives in many different ways. We can ignore it and let things cruise along passively, or we can take a more active role by stimulating our system towards different results. It’s a choice and it’s an action.
Let’s consider a musical instrument – a guitar, a piano or a cello – that hasn’t been played in many, many years. Then one day someone comes along and decides to play a song. The music that comes out of that instrument sounds horrible! It is sadly out of tune. Does that mean that the instrument is broken? No. It just needs some attention. Once time and care is taken to tune the instrument beautiful sounds are produced. The instrument will need to be tuned regularly in order for it to stay in tune and be used to create beautiful music. The same principle applies to our bodies as we age. If we ignore our body it will become out of “tune” or out of shape. We will not be able to perform at our maximum potential and we feel sluggish, weak and tired. Regular exercise and proper nutrition is what we need to keep our bodies “in tune” and functioning at our best.
Similarly, if you own a car you likely take good care of it and stick to a regular maintenance schedule. It probably cost you a lot of money and you want to make sure it performs well and lasts as long as possible. So you fill it up with the right type of gas, change the oil regularly and get it “tuned-up” when necessary. You are pleased with how your car is performing and the many kilometres you have travelled in it. Our bodies are the “vehicles” we travel in throughout our life. We need to properly fuel and maintain our bodies so that our journey through life is as smooth as possible and we can enjoy the sights along the way.
You can decide to become “attuned” to your body’s needs at any stage in life. It is never too late to take action and implement some positive changes to your habits and routines. Becoming more active and exercising regularly is a great place to start and there are many options available for you to explore. Attune Aging Strategies & Solutions has created the Exercise Essentials Program, a full body exercise program for older adults who are looking to remain active and mobile.
Watch this short video about the Exercise Essentials Program – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjZmhCx6K9g
Learn more about Attune’s Exercise Essentials Program here – http://store.attuneactiveaging.com
Together let’s work towards implementing the meaning of “Attune” in our lives!
“Sustaining movement, enabling independence, maintaining safety”
