I'll soon be losing my helping hands (literally), cause my sister will be returning to Colorado weather permitting next weekend! Sad is not even close to the feelings I'm experiencing. Try as I may I can not convince her she should stay here with us! She has no other family there so.....?However my Mom has decided she is gonna stay in SC, she had a hard winter heath wise after all she is 89 yrs young and traveling is much harder for her, she has a lot of GEAR that has to go you need an SUV just to take her to town, oxygen, walkers, etc.
IF I, as a caregiver of an older person, could dish out any advice to my generation (and younger), based on the difficulties I see her experiencing, I would have to say work on making and keeping strong bones, do NOT smoke or become obese! My mom has osteoporosis and respiratory disease she has however kept her weight down all these years (thank goodness) because that would mean the difference in her being able to live here or not! I would not be able to help her if she was a large robust person...When she fell in the kitchen last month it took both of us about 15 minutes to get her up...
this is how we found her..
IF I, as a caregiver of an older person, could dish out any advice to my generation (and younger), based on the difficulties I see her experiencing, I would have to say work on making and keeping strong bones, do NOT smoke or become obese! My mom has osteoporosis and respiratory disease she has however kept her weight down all these years (thank goodness) because that would mean the difference in her being able to live here or not! I would not be able to help her if she was a large robust person...When she fell in the kitchen last month it took both of us about 15 minutes to get her up...
mostly because I was not able to lift with my hands since I'm recovering from the accident I had, so it was some improvising that helped get her up, literally by grabbing her by the seat of the pants, and her putting her arms around my neck as I bent forward, and I placed my feet in front of hers so she could push against them to help lift herself some, and I could lift using my shoulders and my sis lifting the back end!
Anyway I know its not blog worth material but you never know when you may need to help get someone off the floor, or find yourself on the floor! I had to get up off the floor with 2 broken wrists, when was the last time you got up using no hands? My sister and I both agree everyone should strengthen the muscles we use to get up after a fall! I was able to get to my knees by pushing up with one undamaged elbow to get off the floor.
A much younger more nimble me could sit down and get up in crossed leg Indian style...but those days of that flexibility are gone, replaced with arthritis due to years of hard work and living a full life, bare-horse-back riding, skiing, backpacking, jumping in and out of ambulances all of that has taken a toll on my joints!! Now I can add stiff uncooperative hands to that list...oh well we don't go out all in one piece now do we?
Any ways IM not throwing in the hat a'contrar in fact I'm continuing on with what I have to work with...I will continue to work on the house project doing what I can improvising when I have to and making use of any resources I can get my (hands) on!!
Things change in life it don't have to be life changing unless its for the better.
...here is the before of the next room we (I?) will be tackling...
I am very limited but inch by inch things will get done!
Before
MY baby sister is leaving Friday for Hawaii---she and I have had this race to see how many states we can visit....she will win that race but....
I have asked for a solar Hula doll for my dashboard....how fun is that???????
A fresh coat of paint does wonders...
A nice bidding war has broken out on some Legos I've listed on
Ebay so off I go to check the latest!
Ebay so off I go to check the latest!
PEACE
Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.
Bless your heart you have such a great outlook on life. Yes we need to keep limber, well as limber as possible. I am going to join Curves this week Tomorrow to be exact.
ReplyDeleteSorry your loosing you sister to the cold country. Maybe she will decide to come back after some heavy snow and freezing temps.
Hi Sondra... Well you have had a miserable time of it with those wrists!! Now you have to be careful
ReplyDeletenot to overdo!! Keep them active to though!!
It's to bad your sister had to go, but maybe she was ready to get out of there : ) you overwork here did ya!!
You and Mom keep it together, and don't go doing anything stupid !!
Grace
Some great advice there at the beginning Sondra, about the weight.
ReplyDeleteI've managed to lose a couple of stone recently, and apart from feeling a bit better for it, it means I can now get up easier when taking those looooow shots! lol
An amazing family you have.
I'm sure you'll soon have that 'room' done just how you want it too.
Keep up with that physical therapy but don't overdo. I know you're dying to get in there and rip something apart.
ReplyDeleteGreat advice and a good reminder to work on strengthening everything... Excited to see how that room turns out- no doubt it will look fantastic afterwards. Keep up the positive outlook! It is really inspiring to the rest of us.
ReplyDeleteGetting up WITH hands to use is one thing I find more difficult with aging. You'll miss you sister!
ReplyDelete