Two mothers and two daughters go shopping. They have $21, which they split equally between them. How can this be possible?
There are only three people. One of them is both a mother and a daughter. So there is a grandmother, a mother and a daughter. They each get $7 exactly.
How much do you know about the many different greens you may pass over at the grocery store? Are you lacking any essential nutrients, vitamins or minerals? Chances are there’s a leafy green to solve what ails you! The following info graphic created by Live Eat Green, gives you a lesson on the many types of leafy greens, including some powerhouse super foods and how they can boost your health!
“When pain brings you down, don’t be silly, don’t close your eyes and cry, you just might be in the best position to see the sun shine.”
Alanis Morissette
If you have ever traveled by air you are familiar with the drill. Instructions on how to buckle and unbuckle your seatbelt, where the life vest is located, emergency exits, and “should cabin pressure change, an oxygen mask will fall from the overhead compartment…passengers should always put on his or her own mask before assisting children, or a disabled passenger”.
I read a mommy blog the other day that called this the “airplane example” and the writer related this to how moms should approach motherhood. Ultimately the message is this: as a mom, put your own health first because you are useless to your kids and spouse if you ignore your own needs. Really, you can’t help a child with an emergency escape from a crashing plane if you pass out helping them with their mask.
While I do agree that mothers (and fathers for that matter) need to consider their own needs in providing for the family, this is also true of people that provide care to a disabled person. My experience is that often caregivers do not really “elect” that role. They are not trained to be a caregiver, and really just try to do their best with the skills and resources they possess. However, where many fall short is maintaining their own health and well-being in dedicating their physical and emotional time to another person: a person with challenging and multiple needs. The job of a caregiver is often 24 hours, and resources don’t often permit, nor does the government provide, sufficient relief from this responsibility. Caregivers are often sleep deprived, suffer from muscle and joint pain in fulfilling their role, and can become isolated and depressed due to the changes they have made to take on these new responsibilities. Sound familiar? This very closely mimics motherhood (especially for new moms).
The answer? Put on your own oxygen mask first. What can you do to breathe easier? What helps you to feel clear-headed, energetic and optimistic? What gives you that ability to stay positive, appreciate and take on your responsibilities with some enthusiasm? The answers are often different for all of us. In the end, figuring out how to wear your oxygen mask first requires you to be honest about your abilities and skills, to utilize the resources available, and to ultimately ask for help if this is needed.
And for us health care professionals? We need to be very careful of the responsibilities we place on caregivers. This is especially true in the medical community where we repeatedly discharge people into the care of family, without family really knowing what the responsibilities will entail. As health care
providers our responsibility is always to the client, yet we need to take that extra time to check in with the caregiver, talk about how they are coping and managing and if needed, offer them an oxygen mask.
I learned early in life about the perils of impaired cognition. I worked for Scotiabank for many years as a customer service agent. In this role, I would assist many clients who I now assume had dementia with their finances. I remember having to call family when one elderly woman replaced her visa card six times in one month. The family found them all in the lettuce compartment. Or, the other lady that paid the same roofer three times. She was being taken advantage of. In school, I read the book “The Man That Mistook His Wife for a Hat”. What a great way to understand dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
It is national Alzheimer’s week so I thought I would take some time to talk about this very sad and difficult illness. Alzheimer’s disease, or related dementias, impact 1 in 11 Canadian’s over the age of 65, with three-quarters of these being females. It is expected that within a generation, this will double, to around 1.3 million people (http://www.alzheimertoronto.org/ad_Statistics.htm).
Signs of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia include:
Assessment of this is often done medically by eliminating other factors that could explain these problems (such as poor sleep, medication use, other conditions, stress, etc). Also, an Occupational Therapy Assessment in the home is very helpful at determining how the noted problems are impacting function, how these can be addressed or treated, if the person is safe to be at home (with or without supports), and what care is required. Following the assessment, the Occupational Therapist can make recommendations regarding devices, strategies, and supports that can help to reduce the impacts of the disability, improve safely, promote independence, and ensure the caregiver is trained to provide the necessary support. Such suggestions could include ways to:
As with most things, early diagnosis and intervention is key. Seek medical attention and ask for an OT in-home assessment to gather information about how to improve function, and to safely prevent premature losses that can result from lack of information about the condition and its management.
“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”
George Bernard Shaw
The first is needed to make quotes you see, and it often sticks up when it’s time for noon tea.
The second’s biggest distinction is found, bearing the symbol of love that is bound.
The third should be biggest but that can depend, never standing alone or it may offend.
The fourth is oft used when making a selection, or if you should need a gun for protection.
The fifth is the fattest and oddest by far, and can sometimes be found in a wrestling war.
What are they?
The digits of the hand! (The order on the poem is pinky, ring finger, middle finger, index or pointer finger, and thumb)
Earlier this week, millions across the world took part in the annual “Terry Fox Run” to raise funds for cancer research. Terry started his “Marathon of Hope” in 1981, but died before finishing his cross Canada trek. Terry’s spirit has inspired others to carry on his legacy and the annual Terry Fox Run has become the world’s largest one day fundraiser for cancer research. See more about this inspirational Canadian hero here.