The best stretches I’ve ever used are the maintenance exercises in the book, Pain Free by Tony Egoscue. I used to have a significant amount of pain (hip, back, neck and shoulder). I did the targeted exercises in the book for over a year until I was pain free. Then I moved on to the maintenance exercises and have kept them up for several years now.

Based on yoga exercises, these exercises realign all of your joints enabling good posture and free movement. I highly recommend the book, even if you just want to prevent pain by doing the maintenance exercises.

clipped from www.amazon.com

Aaaaaachoooo!! There you go Rebecca… THAT’s my weather picture. We have wonderfully mild winters here in Birmingham, Alabama… but last night was the coldest night this winter season and will probably be the lowest all winter. My thermometer registered 19 degrees. It was below freezing the night before and yesterday’s high at my house was 31. We’ve been in this house for four years and have never had a problem with freezing pipes. However, I guess with no thawing yesterday (which is VERY unusual here), we’re in trouble. We woke up to find no hot water throughout the house and the cold is frozen in the kitchen. So, I ran around opening the cabinets under all the facets and turning on all the faucets to drip. Better late than never? I hope.

I used to remember to prepare for nights like these. I think that was back when I actually listened to the weatherman on our nightly news. Now I check weather.com, get my local news via RSS, and national via NPR pod-casts. They don’t get excited like the local weather forecaster. Maybe I’d better re-think my media choices.

Changing gears… I take pictures of my flowers, but am remiss in posting them. Last summer we had a terrible drought, so the pictures are few, but here are a few to warm your winter day.

And, why not… here is my sweet hubby looking through the vacuum-cleaner bag for my earring. He’s the best. (I’m allergic to dust, if you’re wondering.)

I just listened to this short podcast and want to share it with you. I have found dogs especially comforting to people who are sick, aging or dying. I recall years ago when I was single and had a minor surgery, one of my girlfriends drove me from the hospital to her home to spend the night. Her dog immediately and quietly came and sat beside me; she would not leave my side. She was so sweet. I believe dogs sense illness and pain. My theory is that it has to do with their heightened sense of smell. But, as this author says, perhaps we should leave that a mystery.

What a great way to volunteer in a nursing home! Read or listen to the whole thing by clicking the Slate link just below.

clipped from www.slate.com

heavy petting: Pets and people.

A Patient’s Best FriendMy dog’s amazing gift with hospice patients.

By Jon Katz
Posted Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2008, at 8:03 AM ET

I don’t really know why Izzy brings peace and pleasure to people in their final days and hours. There is little research about this kind of interaction, and I prefer to keep it a mystery. Maybe the people are remembering the dogs they loved as children. Perhaps the gentle touch is what matters, what gets through.

Whatever the reason, I see the same thing over and over. People startle, then smile, and the tension drains. They grow more peaceful, feel safer. There are some things experts and studies can’t explain, even in our sound-bite-obsessed culture.

I’ve been meaning to write a few words on this subject for some time now. But, as you all know, I’d much rather read than write. Inspired by Lifehacker’s post How Do You Cope with an Aging Parent?, I thought I’d jot down a few thoughts for some of you who haven’t reached this stage.

My Sweet Mom
Outside of her nursing home holding a stuffed animal which she has since given away

A Few Words For the Pre-Caregiver
Look for signs of forgetfulness before you really believe your parents are dangerously forgetful. My mother did a great job of covering for her forgetfulness for quite a while. Looking back, I can see that she was a danger to herself and others (on the roadways) long before we seriously thought there was a problem. Some early signs of being dangerously forgetful can be problems refilling and dosing (correctly) medications and confusion in the kitchen. Feeding yourself can become complicated because of the number of dependent steps involved. Consider the steps involved in shopping, assembling recipes and working various kitchen appliances. The kitchen can also be a dangerous place prone to fires and burns. Losing physical and/or mental capabilities can make the kitchen challenging.

Independent Living, Living With Children, Decline Continues
My mother moved to an independent living facility when she was 73 after being widowed twice. She loved it because of all the social interaction. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and continued to decline. She was having so much difficulty the last year in independent living; we should have moved her to a nursing home sooner. It took us a while to realize that she was often sleeping in her clothes and forgetting how to do personal hygiene. We paid home health to administer her meds and my sister lived nearby to pop in and supervise from time to time. At that stage, if we had recognized it, she would have done well to move into one of our homes. Up until that time, she thoroughly enjoyed the independent living situation.

Moving to a Nursing Home
We moved her to a nursing home when she was 79. By the time we recognized what was happening and thoroughly assessed her situation with the help of medical professionals, we decided to try a nursing home. After a period of adjustment, she is now very happy living there. At this stage, she needs structure and a very regulated environment, which not only keeps her safe, but also makes her feel safe. She is unable to do much for herself, but the routines and attentiveness of the staff keep her clean, safe and content.

She can no longer carry on a conversation, but smiles and laughs often. She enjoys the entertainment and activities the nursing home provides. She likes to “play” bingo with the other residents, but needs assistance to play; she doesn’t recognize the numbers anymore. She enjoys winning the prizes. Her favorites are stuffed animals, which she enjoys giving to another resident within the hour. Assistance is provided for activities, so that she is able to participate to the best of her ability. At this point, I believe she would be bored to live in my home. I can’t entertain her all day and the television does not interest her anymore. There is a time in life that the right nursing home can be a blessing.

Don’t automatically think that an Alzheimer’s unit is better than placing your loved one in the general population. That was my assumption when I began researching where Mom’s next placement would be. Most Alzheimer’s units are for very severe cases in which the resident is a danger to themselves or others or is able to “escape” from the facility. Mom is very happy and safe among the general population, so we see no need to restrict her further.

Attitude is Key
I encourage caregivers and future caregivers to be proactive in watching for signs of declining memory. Be open to change and don’t think all facilities are alike or bad. Don’t make decisions based on misguided guilt. Do the research and try new things. I encourage all people as they age, to be like my sweet Mom and make the best of your situation. Enjoy people. Don’t let things like your car, your home and your possessions take priority over meaningful interaction with people.