Thursday, December 23, 2021

Eating Right After 60

 








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The following information is provided by Harry Cline creator of NewCaregiver.org The New Caregiver’s Comprehensive Resource offers advice, tips, and solutions from around the web.

Harry Cline is also an author of the upcoming book, The A-Z Home Care Handbook: Health Management How-Tos for Senior Caregivers. As a retired nursing home administrator, father of three, and caregiver to his ninety-year-old uncle, Harry knows how challenging and rewarding caregiving can be. He also understands that caregiving is often overwhelming for those just starting out. He created his website and is writing his new book to offer new caregivers everywhere help and support.
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Eating Right After 60: What Seniors Should Know About Nutrition

You may be less concerned with your figure at 60 than you were at 30, but eating a balanced diet is just as important as ever. A healthy diet keeps your weight down, your energy up, and your immune system strong as you grow older. Without it, you may struggle to accomplish everything you want to do in retirement.

Despite the importance of senior nutrition, many older adults aren’t well-educated on what a healthy diet looks like. That’s where this guide comes in. United Stroke Alliance and Retreat & Refresh Stroke Camp hope the information below will help you plan a healthy, affordable diet that meets your nutritional needs in your 60s, 70s, and beyond.


How Your Body Changes with Age

For the most part, healthy eating looks the same at every age. However, older adults’ bodies undergo certain changes affecting their nutritional needs, such as:

  • Metabolism changes: As older adults lose muscle mass and become less active, their metabolism slows. As a result, seniors need fewer calories to maintain their weight. If you’re eating less, it’s even more important to choose nutrient-dense foods.

  • Digestive changes: Aging affects the gut microbiome, and these changes can affect your body’s ability to digest food properly. This can lead to nutrient deficiencies, particularly deficiencies of folic acid and vitamins B6 and B12, as well as digestive ailments like constipation and gastroesophageal reflux (GERD).

  • Appetite changes: As you get older, you may notice you’re not as hungry as you once were. Appetite loss may be caused by a loss of taste or smell, medication side effects, or changes to a senior’s emotional health. Seniors with appetite loss are at risk of malnutrition.

If you’ve noticed changes to your digestive health, are experiencing unexplained weight gain or loss, or are struggling to eat due to low appetite, talk to your doctor. Seniors with diabetes or chronic kidney disease can receive no-cost nutritional therapy at their primary care doctor’s recommendation. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, you may be eligible for a wellness program regardless of your health status. However, while many Medicare Advantage plans provide wellness benefits, not all do. Check your coverage to be sure you’re making the most of your health plan.

Maximizing Senior Nutrition on a Budget

Planning a high-nutrient, low-calorie diet is harder than it sounds. Add budget limitations to the mix, and it’s not hard to see why seniors get frustrated by meal planning. Use these tips to simplify meal time so you get the nutrition you need minus the stress:

  • Eat fruits and vegetables daily, but not always the same ones. Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables in different colors to get the widest range of nutrients. If fresh food is too expensive, frozen fruits and vegetables and unsweetened canned or dried fruit are great budget-friendly alternatives.

  • Opt for low-fat dairy fortified with calcium and vitamin D to get these important nutrients without the calories of full-fat dairy.

  • If you work from home, make sure you set aside some time to prep healthy meals instead of relying on food delivery services like GrubHub.

  • Make water your beverage of choice, avoiding sweetened beverages which are calorie-dense with little nutritional value. If you don’t like the taste of your tap water, a water filter is an economical alternative to buying bottled water.

  • Get more of your protein from beans. In addition to being a cheap source of protein, which many seniors don’t get enough of, beans are also high in dietary fiber. Some people experience gastrointestinal symptoms when eating beans, but this can be mitigated by introducing beans to your diet gradually. Other inexpensive protein sources include eggs, canned tuna, cottage cheese, quinoa, and chicken thighs.

  • Take a B12 supplement. Even with a balanced diet, many seniors don’t get enough vitamin B12. While eating dairy, eggs, lean protein, and other animal-based foods help you get vitamin B12, you may need a dietary supplement to ensure you’re getting enough.

Nutrition is only one part of healthy aging, but it is an important one. If you’re facing an obstacle that’s keeping you from eating well, whether it’s a lack of appetite, a low budget, or just old habits, talk to your doctor. With the right nutritional guidance, you can adopt a diet that keeps you healthy for life.

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Blog editors note (suggestions from the internet):


How do you make soft food for those who find it hard to swallow?

Use milk, cream, or broth to mash vegetables like potatoes, yams, squash or carrots. Blend banana, melon, or frozen fruit into milkshakes or smoothies. Use gravy, broth or sauce to moisten meat, poultry or fish. Use cheese sauce to moisten vegetables, noodles or rice.

What to cook for someone who has trouble swallowing?

Those types of foods include cereals softened in milk, ground meat softened in sauce, cooked fruits and vegetables without skins or seeds, fish and casseroles. Severe dysphagia may require pureed food. “It's a pudding-like texture that's easier to hold in the mouth and swallow,”

Cottage cheese, yogurt, custard, pudding, cream cheese, ricotta cheese and other soft cheeses are all relatively easy and safe to swallow. You should, however, avoid pieces of hard cheeses, like cubes of cheddar or Swiss cheese, and any product that has added nuts, seeds or granola, such as certain varieties of yogurt.

Try canned fruit and cooked vegetables. Fruits or vegetables with tough skins or seeds such as pears, nectarines, apples, cherries, apricots, tomatoes, peas, corn, blackberries, raspberries. Try soft peeled, canned or strained fruit and cooked mashed vegetables.

What are the best soft foods to eat?

Here are some great go-to's that are actually satisfying:
Smoothies and shakes.
Yogurt, pudding and ice cream.
Avocado.
Smooth soups, or those with very soft chunks.
Mashed potatoes, or a soft baked potato without the skin.
Cooked fruits, like applesauce.
Ripe fruits, like bananas or peaches without the skin.

Image via Rawpixel


Tuesday, November 16, 2021

Thanksgiving Tablescapes with Kelly

 







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For this week and next you have access to Kelly's video where she shows you how to make Fall and Thanksgiving Tablescapes. Just click the link below and enjoy the show.

                                              https://youtu.be/e4tVEGoapGU


Sunday, October 24, 2021

Are You Living Victoriously - By Phil Bell, retired, pastor








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Street & Steeple

Are You Living Victoriously?

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By Phil Bell, retired, pastor, University Baptist Church

What is your response when someone asks, “How are you?” I’ve heard all kinds of things from, ”Great!” to “Hang’n in there.” My usual response before my stroke was “wonderful.” Since then I’ve seen no reason to change it!

A good friend of mine always responds to that question with “Blessed” and I know that’s how he considers himself. For us Jesus followers there is no reason to respond any way but positively and victoriously. In John 10 Jesus tells us He came so that we might have life and have itabundantly!

What I consider my life verse is found in Paul’s letter to the church in Rome. Romans 8:37 follows his list of things which could separate us from Christ’s love, but don’t. In verse 37 he writes, “But in all these things we are overwhelming conquerors through Christ who loved us.”

Indeed, though, due to the stroke, I am paralyzed on my entire left side, negating the ability to walk, my victorious life includes the ability to do my own grooming every day, take a shower regularly, and live at home, rather than in a long term care facility, thanks to my angelic wife, Nancy! 

In addition, thanks to my motorized wheelchair and ramp van I can go wherever it’s wise to go and Nancy will take me, including to the grocery store, Walmart, church and to my weekly Rotary meetings, Also I’m cognitively able to write these articles every so often! For me, that’s living an abundant life, victoriously!

After my stroke Satan lied to me, telling me my ministry and enjoyable life had ended, but he lied about both! I enjoy my life now thoroughly.

You may tell me I don’t know what you’re going through or I wouldn’t ask you to live victoriously. Indeed I don’t, but, whatever your situation I know you can be living victoriously, which means living an enjoyable life in which you are positively impacting the lives of others. With God’s help you can absolutely do so! The alternative is barely getting through one day to the next, waiting for death to put you out of your misery. That is no way for anyone to live!

First, I ask, “Do you know God personally?” Next, I ask again, “Are you living victoriously?”

- Phil Bell, retired, pastor, University Baptist Church

Sunday, October 17, 2021

Fall decorations with Kelly








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This week I'm going to be lazy and let YouTube do all the work for me.

The two links below are a couple that our gracious volunteer Kelly made for us.

She is going to show you how to make some clever fall decorations.

We make three or four videos a week on various topics and post them on our Facebook page.

Many of this blog's viewers do not have access to that Facebook page because we limit it to stroke survivors, their caregivers, our volunteers, and medical teams. 

As you can see in these videos, we try to present some fun things along with the serious.

In the future I will post videos that deal with stroke as well as the fun ones such as you see here. This way those of you who do not have access to the Facebook page will be able to enjoy some of the things we share with stroke survivors and care givers.    

Fall decorations with Kelly: https://youtu.be/scb7VgDOfJA

More Fall decorations with Kelly: https://youtu.be/2gSXXMzUo4E


Sunday, August 22, 2021

Family Stroke Camp







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The following is an email that one of our Stroke Camp stroke survivors, John Kindschuh, sent us. He does an excellent job describing what all of our camp attendees experience and enjoy. I want to share it with you in case you have been thinking about joining us sometime but were not quite sure what we are all about, and let him show some of the things available at our camps. In his article John is referring to the family camp is unique in that  we include children. So far we do a family camp only in Illinois. Our other camps around the country are for adults only. 

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From: John Kindschuh
Date: August 18, 2021 at 4:41:45 PM CDT
To: marylee@strokecamp.org

Subject: Re: Newsletter: Stroke Camp

I hope that you all are well. Unlike last year, we were able to take a few family vacations this summer, and one of those vacations was to experience the Family Stroke Camp in northern Illinois.

I. Background

I am so grateful that we attended Stroke Camp this year. The retreatants, caregivers, volunteers, and coordinators are exceedingly understanding to those of us with disabilities; I wish that all members of our society would treat me with respect. I cannot say enough good things about Stroke Camp, as it is one of the best weekends, if not the highlight, of my entire year.

While at stroke camp, we do lots of fun things. Among other things, we play team games (water balloon throw, tossing frisbees, sack races, etc.), perform skits, have campfire activities, receive massages, swim, break out into survivor and caregiver groups, perform drum circles, and attend presentations. The kids play with volunteers when we are busy, so the staff already has thought of having built-in childcare when the adults are unavailable. The patience required by all parties is astronomical. It was nice that we can do things at a slower pace with people who truly understand our limitations.

It recently struck me that Stroke Camp is about building community. It is like a family reunion of sorts, as we are interacting with people that I usually see only periodically. These people not only understand me, but also are my friends. Lifelong friends.

For more information about the origins of Stroke Camp, I encourage you to read Sarah Christy’s book Keep Going. Sarah was the director of the family camp for over 10 years. In this book, she explores the creative thought behind Stroke Camp.

 

II. Why I Love Stroke Camp

There are dozens of reasons why my family and I adore Stroke Camp, but I wanted to identify five of these considerations for your reflection.

1) Entire Family. We attend the family camp, so Cindy and our three children are welcome to come. Usually only I attend various stroke events, so happily, my entire family is also able to experience this weekend. This spirit of inclusivity is a rarity.

2) All Ages. When I first attended, I was shocked because I was not the only young person there. I interacted with a young man who had his stroke when he was 18 years old. I also talked with a woman who had a stroke when she was 41 years old. Granted, I usually have the youngest children there, but for the first time since my stroke, I felt I was among people my own age.

3) Acceptance. I feel “normal” during the entire time of camp. People listen to me and wait for me to walk slower. Sadly, people in our society do not prioritize patience, and therefore, they marginalize stroke survivors. Happily (and often unusually), I feel as if I make a significant difference here.

4) Challenges. We are encouraged to try things that we have never done before. For example, this year I tried archery (Editor note: not available at all camps). I described the following on Facebook: “Family Stroke Camp is one of the highlights of my year for many reasons. For example, I am encouraged to try something new instead of giving up simply because of my stroke. I thought that I would never have the coordination to do archery again; there is no way that I could have stabilized a bow much less fired an arrow even six months ago. It was an understatement to say that I was excited to hit the target three consecutive times! I encourage you to never give up and not be defined by any limitations.”

5) Other Families. My children interact on a regular basis with other families who struggle with stroke. One year, I met a father who had a stroke two weeks after his daughter was born. Another year, I talked with a man who had a stroke while his wife was pregnant. Significantly, my children are able to see other families that manage life with a stroke as we are not the only people dealing with these ramifications.

Importantly, if you know someone who could benefit from this experience, please share this email with him or her. For additional information, refer to the following website: https://www.strokecamp.org/.

Additionally, if you are interested, you can read an April 2018 article highlighting my entire family during a Stroke Camp: 

Wednesday, August 11, 2021

What’s New in PEORIA, IL? WELCOME JAN!

 








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What’s New in PEORIA, IL? WELCOME JAN!

Welcome, Jan Jahnel. We are happy to announce our newest part-time  employee to United Stroke Alliance and Retreat & Refresh Stroke Camp as the Stroke Services Administrator. 

Jan has been a neuroscience nurse for 25 years at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center and the Stroke Coordinator for the OSF/INI stroke program for 17 years. She has  been a Certified Neuroscience Registered Nurse for 15 years and  continues to be a Stroke Certified Registered Nurse. Her job at OSF/INI  was very rewarding and took her to many interesting places to teach  and to learn more about stroke treatment, recovery and awareness. She even traveled to China in 2016… She says she got tired and retired from OSF on April 30th 2021 and is  happy to have joined the incredible team at United Stroke Alliance and is enjoying her retirement job so far…

Sunday, July 25, 2021

Are you or a member of your family/friend circle a stroke survivor?







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Are you or a member of your family/friend circle a stroke survivor?

Life is a journey...and sometimes there are unexplained and unpredictable changes. Some of the changes are immediate and others require a new beginning. Recovery from a stroke (or living with a stroke survivor) requires courage, patience, love, and support from family, friends, and the community.

Retreat & Refresh Stroke Camp strives to offer an enjoyable and fun-filled weekend with other stroke survivors, caregivers, and family members throughout the United States with the emphasis on education, socialization, relaxation, and support.

Welcome to the Retreat & Refresh family! We hope you and your family member(s) will visit our website often as you travel the ever-challenging post-stroke journey.

The Retreat & Refresh Stroke Camp website https://strokecamp.org provides information and resources offering a better understanding of stroke while helping survivors move forward and begin anew.

Our website contains helpful information including:
        - Links to this blog
        - Video clips
        - Resources 
        - Recommended reading materials 
        - Calendar of camps and events
        - Registration form for campers and volunteers
        - Photo gallery from each camp

And much more that will provide a greater understanding of stroke and its continuous challenges. Online visitors will find value in this website.

Also, be sure to visit www.strikeoutstroke.com for stroke awareness events near you, and www.unitedstrokealliance.org for much more information.

Monday, July 5, 2021

Update To We are seeking interested volunteers

 








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If you have attended a camp in the past but don't find it listed today on our website please know we are working with our sponsors to organize and fund it, but due to the pandemic some areas are not yet ready to give us the go-ahead.

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We are seeking interested volunteers who want to make a difference in the lives of others by joining us for a weekend retreat for Family Stroke Camp. This unique event is July 29-August 1, 2021 at Lutheran Outdoor Ministry Center in Oregon Illinois (just under a two hour drive from Peoria. The weekend will allow us to host families who are raising children and one parent has had a stroke. Volunteers do not need medical experience and will not need to do any patient care, but join us to partner with campers as they swim, fish, zip line, enjoy meals, enjoy walks, help with crafts, participate in discussion groups, play games, and enjoy socialization. Ideal volunteers simply love helping people. Volunteers are not paid monetarily, but their weekend includes accommodations, meals, camp t-shirt, participation in activities, and memories to last a lifetime. High School and College students qualify. Please consider joining us this year. For more information, follow the information on the flyer. The video linked here is a look into a Stroke Camp weekend, take a look and give it some thought.

Click here for video:  Stroke Camp Video

For more information:

   Call our office: 309-645-9258 or email marylee@strokecamp.org


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Sunday, June 20, 2021

35 Quotes for Caregivers That’ll Brighten Your Day


www.strokecamp.org



http://www.unitedstrokealliance.org/


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The following is an article originally posted on https://www.mycaringplan.com. This web site was founded by Daniel Morris. His site addresses issues focused on senior living and home care for them, however, there are some articles on his site that can be useful for caregivers of stroke survivors also. 

Need something to lift your spirits on a difficult day or inspire you to be your best self?
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35 Quotes for Caregivers That’ll Brighten Your Day

Those who care for others are the backbone of a functioning society, and yet, sometimes they go unappreciated. For that reason, even the greatest caregivers need reminders that what they are doing is important, and their time spent giving is valued. These inspirational quotes for caregivers will help you remember your “why,” and send you on your way with a reinvigorated optimism. When you have peace and pride in your heart, you will be a light to others as well.

Throughout the ups and downs, there is hope to be found. Sometimes we just need a little reminder.

If that’s the case for you, you’re in luck. Here are 35 quotes all about the realities of being a caregiver that are sure to brighten your day:

Inspirational Quotes for Caregivers

Need something to lift your spirits on a difficult day or inspire you to be your best self? Look no further than these inspirational, motivational quotes!

“Each day brings new opportunities, allowing you to constantly live with love – be there for others – bring a little light into someone’s day. Be grateful and live each day to the fullest.” -Roy T. Bennett

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” -Dalai Lama

“Never believe that a few caring people can change the world. For indeed, that’s all who ever have.” -Margaret Mead

“Affirmations are our mental vitamins, providing the supplementary positive thoughts we need to balance the barrage of negative events and thoughts we experience daily.” – Tia Walker

Funny Caregiver Quotes

Caregiving can be stressful and tough. Sometimes, giving yourself the chance to have a laugh about your experiences is helpful. Other times, you may be in need of a serious pick-me-up.

These quotes are sure to boost your mood:

“My opinions may have changed, but not the fact that I’m right.” -Ashleigh Brilliant

“Before you judge a man, walk a mile in his shoes. After that, who cares? He’s a mile away and you’ve got his shoes!” -Billy Connolly

“By the time a man realizes that his father was right, he has a son who thinks he’s wrong.” -Charles Wadsworth

“A failure is like fertilizer; it stinks to be sure, but it makes things grow faster in the future.” -Denis Waitley

Life as a Caregiver Quotes

Life as a caregiver can be challenging, but it can also be incredibly meaningful and empowering.

There’s a lot to be said about the ups and downs of caregiving, and these picks are a great start:

“To care for those who once cared for us is one of the highest honors.” -Tia Walker

“Offering care means being a companion, not a superior. It doesn’t matter whether the the person we are caring for is experiencing cancer, the flu, dementia, or grief… When our role is to be providers of care, we should be there as equals.” -Judy Cornish, The Dementia Handbook: How to Provide Dementia Care at Home

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” -Theodore Roosevelt

“Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit.” -E.E. Cummings

“My caregiver mantra is to remember: the only control you have is over the changes you choose to make.” -Nancy L. Kriseman, Mindful Caregiver: Finding Ease in the Caregiving Journey

Caregiver Appreciation Quotes

Being a caregiver is no easy task. When someone decides to take on the challenging, but essential, role of being a caregiver, they certainly deserve appreciation. Include these quotes in a thoughtful card, a text message, or social media post. Any caregiver who reads it will feel suddenly lifted and seen.

Whether you’re looking to acknowledge a caregiver in your life or trying to reflect on the value of your own caregiving experiences, these quotes are perfect:

“Caregiving often calls us to lean into love we didn’t know possible.” -Tia Walker

“One person caring about another represents life’s greatest value.” -John Rohn

“Caregiving has no second agendas or hidden motives. The care is given from love for the joy of giving without expectations, no strings attached.” -Gary Zukav

“Kindness can transform someone’s dark moment with a blaze of light. You’ll never know how much your caring matters. Making a difference for another today.” -Amy Leigh-Mercree

“It’s not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving.” -Mother Theresa

“When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives means the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand.” -Henri Nouwen

Thank You Quotes for Caregivers

Trying to think of a way to thank a caregiver in your life for their hard work and commitment? Or, perhaps you’re a caregiver looking to express your gratitude for others in your life. Whatever the case may be, take a look at these for inspiration:

“Sometimes we need someone to simply be there. Not to fix anything, or to do anything in particular, but just to let us feel that we are cared for and supported.” -Anonymous

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” -Leo Buscaglia

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” -John F. Kennedy

“‘I wanted to thank you,’ I said. She wrinkled her nose and squinted like I’d said something funny. ‘Thank me for what?’ she said. ‘You give me strength I didn’t know I had,’ I said. ‘You make me better.’” -Ransom Riggs, Hollow City

“Practice to live a thank you and acknowledge your blessings. A new world will open up to you.” Anupama Garg, The Tantric Curse

Caregiver Burnout Quotes

Caregiver burnout (click here to read our guide on the topic) is a very real and challenging state to find yourself in.

It’s important to remember that it’s okay to take care of yourself too. Not only is it important to take care of yourself for your own personal and mental health, it’s also important when it comes to your ability to care for others.

These quotes are great reminders of not just how challenging burnout is, but also that it’s possible to overcome and learn from it:

“Self-care is not selfish. You cannot serve from an empty vessel.” -Eleanor Brown

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples.” -Mother Theresa

“And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain: when you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what the storm’s all about.” -Haruki Murkami, Kafka on the Shore

“A healthy self-love means we have no compulsion to justify to ourselves or others why we take vacations, why we sleep late, why we buy new shoes, why we spoil ourselves from time to time. We feel comfortable doing things which add quality and beauty to life.” -Andrew Matthews

“Talk to yourself like you would to someone you love.” -Brené Brown

Dementia Caregiver Quotes

Dementia is (unfortunately) becoming increasingly common. According to The World Health Organization, dementia currently impacts nearly 50 million people worldwide. There are also nearly 10 million new cases every year. Remember that even when someone you love does not remember your name, they still do not forget the way they feel about you, and they still feel the love that you have always shared.

Dementia can sometimes feel like a grief impossible to carry, both for the ill and for loved ones/family. These quotes reflect not just upon the challenges dementia present, but also the hope we must try and hold onto throughout:

“The journey of dementia is a journey like no other. Dementia makes you realize that there’s no time to waste. Each moment is precious, a treasure in its own way. We all know the last chapter in the book. Dementia taught me that all any of us really have is today.” -Leanne Chames

“Remind yourself every day: ‘I am in charge of my happiness. I will not let anything outside of myself control me. I am creating a life that feels good on the inside and it will turn into experiences that are good on the outside.” -Unknown

“It is a strange, sad irony that so often, in the territory of a disease that robs an individual of memory, caregivers are often the forgotten.” -Karen Walker

“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
“Those with dementia are still people, and they still have stories, and they still have character, and they are all individuals, and they are all unique. And they just need to be interacted with on a human level.” -Carey Mulligan

Sources

Monday, June 7, 2021

How to Downsize Your Home: A Guide for Stroke Survivors, Caregivers and Seniors



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A new article on sleep by Cindy Page will be available on this blog 6/21.

Andrea Needham is the creator and editor at Elders Day. A lifelong writer, she created her website to share information and resources with other seniors who love living it up as they age. Andrea believes our golden years don’t have to be a time to slow down, and she looks forward to sharing the many health-boosting, fulfilling activities and experiences that are perfect for aging adults.

Editor's note: The tips mentioned in this article appear here because the author (and this editor) feels the issues facing stroke survivors can be similar to those retiring and recognizing the need to downsize their living space in order to better manage their day-to-day lives.

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How to Downsize Your Home

A  Guide for Stroke Survivors, Caregivers and Seniors

by Andrea Needham

                  Image via Unsplash

For many of us, moving becomes much more difficult as we age. In addition to the physical challenges of packing, unpacking, and hauling our belongings from one home to another, the mental and emotional obstacles of relocating may prevent us from moving in the first place. But despite these challenges, moving is oftentimes necessary as we age — especially for those of us who wish to downsize homes. This guide from Retreat & Refresh Stroke Camp a division of United Stroke Alliance will help to make the downsizing process as easy as possible!

Find the Right Type of Housing

After making the decision to downsize, you’ll need to compare housing options to find the right home for your senior years.

● Determine whether renting or buying will be best for you.

● If you’re selling a home during the pandemic, learn about
some precautions you should take.

● If community housing is right for you, decide whether you’ll need independent or assisted living.

Prepare to Sell Your Home

Finding a home to grow old in is just the beginning. If you own your current residence, you’ll also need to start preparing your home for sale.

● Look for an experienced real estate agent to help you throughout the process of selling your current home, and if necessary, buying a new property.

Start preparing your home for selling, like making any necessary repairs and decluttering your furniture and other personal belongings.

Donate unwanted items to soup kitchens, shelters, and other charitable organizations in your community.

Move Into Your New Home

Once you’ve received an offer on your current home and found a new place to live, you’ll need to start planning the move into your new house.

● Decide whether to hire professional movers or recruit a few family members on moving day.

Protect your back when packing and moving to reduce your risk of injury.

● Look out for signs of relocation stress syndrome, which often includes changes in weight or eating habits, depression, anger, and anxiety.

● If you’ll need to modify your new home for accessibility purposes, you may be able to finance your renovations with a reverse mortgage, government loan or grant, or personal loan.

Downsizing may seem like a daunting task, but it’s important to focus on the benefits of moving into a smaller, more manageable home. In many cases, you’ll save on living expenses, reduce stress, and have a lot more time and energy to enjoy your favorite hobbies and activities. After all, your senior years are meant to be spent with the ones you love and the activities you enjoy most!

Retreat & Refresh Stroke Camp can help improve the quality of life of stroke survivors and their caregivers. Call (309)688-5450 to learn more.

Sunday, May 9, 2021

Do You Know How To Recognize A Stroke?







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How many of you know how to recognize the symptoms of a stroke and know what to do? Maybe you've seen our acronym:

BE-FASTER!

We even have BE-FASTER! copyrighted and it is a registered trademark owned by United Stroke Alliance.

We show it a lot to help people remember what the majority of symptoms are. Do you know what the letters represent?

To help you know and understand what BE-FASTER! means we have created and made available in the USA an app, free of charge, for Android and Apple devices. These apps do not collect, store or download any information on or from your phone.  

Google Play Store(click here --> BE-FASTER! This should take you right to our Android version for downloadng.) If this doesn't work, go to the Google Play store and use the search outlined below.

Apple's Apple Store: (You have to use their store app and use the following search. Apple doesn't have a direct link to it.)  


Search for these letters, BE-FASTER! on the store of your choice. Include the dash and the exclamation point to make sure you find it, and download it to your device. With this always available to you on your device you won't be under pressure to remember all those letters.

Each letter and its symptom on the screen is a button that when tapped will give further explanation of that symptom.


Once a stroke begins to present itself, BE-FASTER! and dial 911 immediately - the more time that is wasted, the more functioning a stroke survivor could lose as a result of the loss of 1,900,000 brain cells a minute. As described above, BE-FASTER! represents the majority of the signs of stroke. Most people in America do not know the signs and do not respond quick enough to receive early treatment to minimize post stroke challenges. One or more of these symptoms could indicate a stroke. And especially if multiple symptoms are present.  

United Stroke Alliance recognizes that each year 700,000 Americans suffer a new or recurrent stroke. Approximately 543,000 survive the stroke, many experiencing significant physical limitations as well as emotional and cognitive challenges. For almost everyone, the stroke was not a planned or wanted event. In fact, 80% of Americans that experience a stroke do not respond quick enough because they did not know the signs of stroke. It struck without notice and changed the lives of the family forever.

According to Monroe Clinica national survey commissioned by Ronald Reagan, UCLA Medical Center revealed the startling findings that 75 percent of respondents under age 45 are unaware of, or underestimate, the signs and symptoms of a stroke. Because of this they do not respond quick enough to reduce the effects of the stroke. The web site geisinger.org states the same thing.

With this app, we hope to improve the awareness. Please use it and let your family and friends be aware of it. They could save your life.

















Tuesday, May 4, 2021

Self-Denial A Hallmark Of Christianity by Pastor and Stroke Survivor Phil Bell








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Editor note: Beginning with May, automatic email notification will be discontinued. Today, I received this message from Blogger support: You are receiving this information because your blog uses the FollowByEmail widget (Feedburner).
Recently, the Feedburner team released a system update announcement , that the email subscription service will be discontinued in July 2021.
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Phil Bell is a retired Baptist pastor and stroke survivor. He writes articles for his home town newspaper and permits us to pass them along. This article was meant for the Lenten season but came too late to make that timeframe. There is still, even now, a lot that you might gain from his writing. 

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Street & Steeple for March 26, 2021

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By Phil Bell, retired, pastor, University Baptist Church
“Self-Denial A Hallmark Of Christianity”
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We are in the period of the Christian Calendar known as Lent. Just exactly when is that? It begins on Ash Wednesday (Feb, 17 this year) and lasts for approximately six weeks, ending the Saturday night before Easter Sunday. During Lent many or most Christians give up something they normally would enjoy! The day before Ash Wednesday is sometimes called Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras) is a day of indulgences before the many days of denial.

Self-denial of the physical is a way to emphasize the Spiritual. In fact, fasting, which has been practiced since Bible times, is for just that purpose. It is intended to be a time in which we stop eating to be devoted to prayer and meditation on the Lord our God. Please note I’m writing of self-denial, not self-degradation. God wants us to have a healthy, humble respect for ourselves! Self-denial starts with Jesus as do most things Spiritual! Consider the words of Paul beginning with Philippians 2:5, “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond –servant, and being made in the likeness of a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Here, Paul explains that we, also are to have the same attitude of Jesus, who existed in heaven the second person of the triune God. The Trinity is clearly identified in Scriptures although the word, itself, is not used. We mortals have tried to come up with an analogy to help us try to understand it better, but have never done so successfully. One I like is the player in a baseball game. A Cubs player is a tremendous hitter, artful base runner, and gold glove defensive fielder, but this analogy fails in the sense that not even a Cubs player is all of those things at the same time, as is God is, the Father, God, the Son, and God the Holy Spirit!

Paul was writing of God, the Son, who, in heaven, has existed always and participated in creation with His Father. Why, then, did He choose to come to earth as a mere man? Love is the answer. Love for and obedience to His Father and great love for you and me! Didn’t He give up an awfully lot, I ask you. Yes, you say, but He knew He would be returning to heaven when His work on earth was done, you answer. Yes, He certainly did, but He also knew that while fully a man and fully God, He would endure physical torture both before and on the cross! I hope you’re getting the picture of just how great was and is the love of God for you!

While I can’t give you an example of the trinity I can give you an example of someone having the same attitude of the Christ, the example is my own dear loving wife, Nancy. When, following my massive stroke in January, 2012, I found myself in Heartland Healthcare for nursing and rehabilitation. I was being quite well taken care of, but, Nancy, took me home to be my sole caregiver, knowing she was giving up a life of her own, because she thought that was what was best for me! She even did this even before my insurance coverage for assisted living care had been exhausted. You might say, “Well, that’s what any spouse would do.” Tragically, that isn’t the case. While in Heartland I met a woman, there because of a stroke, like I, whose husband, not only did not take her home to care for, but left her on the day after their twenty seventh wedding anniversary! “Unimaginable,” you react angrily. Yes, but, all too common, I tell you. The attitude and actions of Nancy are those of an obedient Christian, knowing a good deal about self-denial and love!

I guess the opposite of self-denial is probably the overestimation of the importance of oneself. There have been many negative consequences of my disabling stroke nearly ten years ago now. The one I hate most is an insidious one. I find myself thinking and acting as if everything is all about me. I don’t want to have that attitude, but I have come to believe that, most likely, anyone who has lived through a catastrophic event is prone to that syndrome. Of course, we probably all know someone who thinks that, even though having not suffered anything catastrophic.

This clearly cannot be the attitude of an obedient Jesus follower! If you aren’t familiar with the practices of Lent this is still a good time to ask your pastor to tell you more about Lent and prepare for Holy Week; the remembrance of Holy Thursday, thankfulness of Good Friday, and celebration of Easter Sunday! Perhaps, by participating in Lent next year you will, indeed experience for yourself that self-denial is a hallmark of Christianity, just as much as participating in Holy Week is!

Why do we Jesus followers make such a big deal about Holy Week and Easter anyway? Jesus rising from the dead validates what He said about Himself and what was said about Him! Christianity is the only of the world’s major religions with a living leader! That should be evidence enough to believe Him when He said what John records in John 14:6, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father but through Me.” Jesus made it clear that there is no other source or religion in which a person can have a relationship with God the Father except by way of Him! Then, all He did to prove it is defeat death by rising from the dead on what we call Easter Sunday!

- Phil Bell, retired, pastor, University Baptist Church