Gardening Safety for Seniors

As I am writing this article my knees are weak and my back hurts. Not because I slept wrong, but because I did too much in the garden last night.  There are some safety measures we should all take when gardening. 

1.)   Make sure you stretch!  Stretch before you begin and throughout your time in the garden.

2.)   Drink lots of water!  Make sure you are putting more water in you than is coming out.  Look for signs of dehydration some of which are feeling tired, dry mouth, feeling chills even though the thermometer is saying it is hot outside.  Rest if you feel funny and drink plenty of water.  Garden in the early morning or late evening to avoid the sun.  Drink at least 8 ounces of water 8 times per day and even more if it is hot.

3.)   Move around.  Don’t stay in the same position for very long.  Take breaks and get yourself up and moving.  Planting a garden bed doesn’t require you to move too much and that can make you stiff.  Just remember to walk around once in a while.

Keep these things in mind the next time you garden and you will be just fine.

Being a gardener will help you get out of the house and enjoy your surroundings.  Maybe even get you to talk with your neighbors…

God’s Blessings,

Sarah

Happy Mother’s Day

The very day that you hear your tiny child say, “I Love You Mommy” everything changes.  All the sleepless nights, runny noses, loads of laundry and skinned knees become stories that end in the over the moon feeling that your baby understands who you are in their life.  Motherhood is a job that is full of blessings, a job that God knew we would love.  For all us mothers out there, those wonderful sweet times, the “I love you” moments and the cuddles and the huge hugs by little arms, those are what we live for.  No matter what is going on in our lives, having that special time is priceless.

One of the most wonderful transitions is becoming a mother and then looking at yourself through your mother’s eyes.  Seeing how hard it was to watch you go down the isle and let someone else take her place to care for you.  Hearing those sirens and calling you to see if you are all right (however that has not stopped for me). 

Mother’s are special beings. They are there for us when we fall and see us in a different light then the rest of the world.  They are our soft place to fall when we are sick and the one who we want to share new things with. 

If you are lucky enough to have your mother and even your grandmother with you still, take time this mother’s day to let them know how you feel about them.  You never know what tomorrow will bring so take advantage of what you have today!

If your mother or grandmother has gone on to heaven, take time to go through some pictures and tell others of their legacy.  Life may never be the same without them, but you can take them with you and share what you learned from them with others.  In doing so, they are never truly gone.

May God bless you and All Mother’s!

Sarah

Get into Spring!

Let’s face it.  The mid-west has been anything but kind to us this winter.  In fact the entire country has taken a beating with this weather.  The hint of a few warm days and we see lots of activity in our neighborhoods.  Our neighbors are out and walking or working on their own yards and the kids are playing!  Yes, spring is here and with great anticipation we welcome the warmer weather.

If you were planning your garden in those dark and cold months you probably have some ideas of what you would like to plant this summer.  If not, you can always take an evening or two and draw up some plans.  It’s easy!  Start with a rough outline of your home, draw the areas where your garden is and don’t forget your lawn!  Make notes on your drawing of how much sun each garden area gets and during what time of day.  You can describe your sun as “all day sun”, “only late afternoon sun”, “early morning sun”, “mid-afternoon sun” or even “full shade” to give a few examples.  Once that is established you can go to the many gardening books and web sites that are available to help you choose the best plants for your area, climate (zone) and sun exposure. 

Take the time to write down what plants you would like and where they should go.  Take note on how big they will be when full grown and walk around your garden to see how many plants you think would fit in each area.  I usually over plant because I like a fuller garden look, but do what you feel is best in your area.  With that information, you will be armed with a list to follow which will help you spend less at the store.  Trust me; I always end up with more than I need when I get to those stores with their beautiful flats that I can’t resist!  Even with a list!!

Get outside and enjoy what you have.  Walk your gardens and pick a few weeds.  The outside air, the movement of your body and the chance to talk to someone passing by will help you feel better and less cooped up in your home.  Gardening is not only good for your body by providing you exercise, but it is good for your soul as well.  Taking care of something and bringing it to life will make you feel more fulfilled and happy.  Flowers ask for so little and give you so much in return.

Happy Spring and Happy Gardening!!

Sarah

Building Your Support Network III

How do you ensure the people you choose to be in your support network will be on the same page and help you when you need it? There are certain ways to help the people in your support network do the best job for you. Keeping communication strong among your network will give you the peace of mind that they know each other and will do well at communicating your needs when you are unable. You should also keep an updated list of your medications on your refrigerator and let your support network know where to find it. They will be able to help the emergency personnel find what they need. If you have a Durable Power of Attorney, let them know who is appointed to care for you and where that paperwork is. Also, let them know if you have signed a “No Code” form stating whether you want to be placed on life support or if you want no heroics.

The support network is going to be there for you when you need them the most. The importance of the support network is priceless, that means the decision to build this network before you have need is so important.

Enjoy your journey!

God Bless!!

Sarah D

Building Your Support Network II

Last time I covered the importance of creating a support network and why it is truly something we all need. This allows me to answer a very important question in the journey of creating this support network. Who belongs in this network and how do you choose from the many people in your life, which ones will best serve you?

That is a very hard question when you are thinking about friends and family and who would be there for you. Those people should be trusted friends and/or family who are motivated individuals who will help you. Think about those people in your life who you can count on, who answer the phone when you call or who will call you back just as soon as they are able. If you have two or three people that come to mind you have a perfect support network!

Make sure that you call your people and ask them if they do not mind being on your contact list. Let them know what that requires. We will talk about building your support network and the job of the Support Network people next time.

Until then, keep safe and God Bless!

Sarah D

Building Your Support Network

Please forgive the bad link from yesterday's blog. I will include it here.

Kidney Stone and a Heart Attack Too

Hopefully this will be a better link.

God Bless!

Sarah D

Building Your Support Network

We all need a support network in our lives to help us through good times and bad. If you review my blog called “Kidney Stone and a Heart Attack Too” you will find one of the reasons why I am so passionate about protecting yourself before any problems occur. The whole idea of a support network is having those people in your life that will support you any time. This is a hard job to do because you have to take a good hard look at those around you and choose who will be there for you. We know those people who we love dearly but never answer our calls; they are not going to be on the top of our emergency contact list. I don’t want to get ahead of myself. Let’s talk about building a support network next time.

A support network is best defined as a safety net of trusted persons in your life who you can have on a list in your home, in your wallet and on your cell phone. These people can be contacted if you are in a medical emergency; need help reviewing a contract or just need to bounce a question off of someone. It sounds simple, but the strength it has and the power it gives you will really be empowering. Just think how wonderful it would be to sleep at night without any concern of who will be there for you when you need them.

Of course you will have to inform these people of your intention on having them in your circle of support. We will discuss the ins and outs of building one of these wonderful support networks next time.

Be Careful and God Bless!

Sarah D