Resolve to Evolve Towards Good Health

Winter Reminders for Everyone’s Safety

 To keep yourself and your family safer this winter, the Indiana Emergency Management Agency recommends:

v     During cold weather, wear several     layers of loose-fitting , lightweight, warm clothing rather than one layer    of heavy clothing. You should also wear mittens, a hat, and cover your mouth with a scarf to protect your lungs.

v     Check your car’s antifreeze level, the battery and the exhaust system to make sure all are in good working order. Place a winter emergency kit in your car, which should include a shovel, windshield scraper and small broom, flashlight, water, high-calorie non-perishable food, matches, blanket, extra hat and mittens, first aid kit, road salt and sand, booster cables, emergency flares, tow rope and tool kit.

v     Give your heating system a checkup. Have your furnace professionally      serviced to avoid breakdowns in the winter months.

v     Check your carbon monoxide detector to make sure it is functioning properly and check smoke detector batteries.

Plumbing Protection

To prevent pipes from freezing or to know what to do if it occurs, be sure to:

Know where the main water shut-off valve is in your home. Your first action in the event of a water supply line freeze or burst is to shut off water immediately. Do not attempt to thaw frozen pipes unless the water is shut off. Open the cold water faucet nearest  the frozen pipe by either warming the air around it or by heating it directly. Do not use an open flame to thaw pipes! Once pipes have thawed, turn the water back on slowly and check for leaks. If you are unable to locate the frozen area or if it is not accessible, call a licensed plumber for help.

v     Know where pipes are most vulnerable to freezing, such as near exterior walls or in unheated areas. Make your basement airtight by repairing broken windows, insulating walls and eliminating drafts. Be aware that turning down heat in certain rooms exposes pipes to colder temperatures. Open doors to cabinets located on exterior walls to expose pipes to warmer room temperatures when temperatures drop below zero.

v     Insulate pipes or use UL-listed heat tape for pipes prone to freezing.

Disconnect garden hoses and drain water from water sprinkler or other outdoor water supply lines.

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When the weather is cold, it is especially important to keep hydrated. Many find it difficult to drink adequate liquid when it's colder, but seniors are more susceptible to dehydration that younger people. As in warmer weather, try to drink 6-8 glasses of water a day.

 T’ai Chi Chuh Session Begins Feb. 2

 Jan Herpel, a certified T’ai Chi Chuh, instructor, will begin 12-weeks of this gentle exercise at 9:30 a.m., Monday, Feb. 2, in the  basement of the First Presbyterian Church, 124 W. Broadway St.

            Participants MUST register by calling Shelby Senior Services, Inc. at 398-0127, and attend consistently from week-to-week to learn a series of smooth flowing, easy-to-learn movements that have been found to bring a variety of health benefits. Those benefits include, but are not limited to, improved circulation, digestion/elimination, development of deep relaxed breathing patterns, natural postural alignment, increased energy, relaxation, reduction of stress, and clear mental focus. 

            Regular practice creates a calm oasis of inner strength that is credited for restoring balance to our lives for a peaceful existence.

            Sessions will continue every Monday at 9:30 a.m. through April 20. Donations are encouraged from participants 60 years of age and older and $5 each session for participants younger than 60.

            Am I the wrong age to do T’ai Chi exercise? Whatever age you are is the right age. There is no upper age limit for T’ai Chi exercises so you can continue as long as you enjoy it.

            I haven’t exercised in years — I’m really stiff — I’ve got Arthritis — Can I do T’ai Chi? The nice thing about T’ai Chi is that you can start from your current level of fitness and suppleness and do the exercise within your current capabilities. What you’ll find is that you will gradually extend your range of movement and your fitness levels will rise. A small warning! You might think nothing is happening because t he progress is gradual. It’s okay, things are gently happening, and one day you’ll think, ‘I couldn’t do that before’.  And it’ll be thanks to T’ai Chi.

            I have problems standing. Can   I do T’ai Chi? Many of the T’ai Chi exercises can be done sitting down and you’ll still get lots of benefits from the exercises. Always take it slow at first, adapt to your specific capabilities and consult with the T’ai Chi instructor to work out  which exercises are within your range of abilities.

            I’m really stressed. Can T’ai Chi help me? T’ai Chi is great at reducing stress and tension. A major part of the exercises are concentration and breathing in time with the slow graceful movements. Slow breathing promotes calmness and helps lower blood pressure and tension. As you focus on your movements and breathing your mind becomes clear of outside distractions, creating an oasis of calm.

Another Gentle Way to Well-Being

 Yoga also focuses on breathing and relaxation techniques. It also helps the body to regain flexibility.

            Shelby Senior Services has offered Yoga classes throughout the years. Are you interested in learning Yoga to increase your energy level and lift your spirits? After just six weeks of participation, you may be surprised that you are physically stronger, more flexible and more mentally alert.

            Would you consider registering for Yoga classes to be held in April?

Let me know by calling 398-0127.

                                               — LuAnn Mason, Health & Wellness Coordinator

 ICE Cell Phones for Safety

Most of us carry cell phones with names and numbers stored in its memory, but, nobody, other than ourselves, knows which of these numbers belong to our closest family or friends.

If we were to be involved in an accident or were taken ill, the people attending us would have our cell phone but wouldn’t know who to call. That’s why it’s important to ICE your phone. ICE stands for In Case of Emergency. Simply store the number of a contact person or persons who would be contacted during emergency under the name ICE. A paramedic thought up the idea after he found that when he went to the scenes of accidents, there were always cell phones with patients, but medics didn’t know who to call. He, therefore, thought it would be a good idea if there was a nationally recognized name for this purpose. In an emergency situation, Emergency Service personnel and hospitals staff would be able to quickly contact the right person by simply dialing the number you have stored as ICE.

For more than one contact name store ICE (In Case of Emergency) contacts simply as ICE1, ICE2 and ICE3 etc. Also by inserting a period (.) in front of ICE in your cell phone phonebook, ICE will be the first number in the phonebook.

Provided by Greg Treon

Public Information Officer

Blue River Valley Amateur

Radio Society

Practical Ways to Help a Family Facing Alzheimer's Disease

It may be hard to imagine, but sometimes caregiving can be so time consuming that there's little time (or energy) left for basic chores like cooking, cleaning, and yard work. Here are some ways to help a family near you. If you are that family, then here are some suggestions for how to respond when a neighbor says, "Anything I can do to help?"

Bring over a home-cooked meal, preferably one that can be frozen if there are leftovers.

If you're handy around the house, offer to fix a leaky pipe, install a grab bar in the bathroom, or even change a light bulb, if the caregiver has a hard time completing these kinds of tasks.

Offer to spend some time with the person who has Alzheimer's so the caregiver(s) can take a little break.

If you're handy outdoors, offer to rake leaves, put up holiday decorations and lights, or anything else that's needed around the yard.

Run errands for the family.

Give the house a deep cleaning -- or even a minor cleaning, if that's what's needed and desired.

Of course, it's always good to start by asking the family what they really need. Oftentimes, though, caregivers are so overwhelmed that it's hard for them to think of anything concrete. If they have trouble coming up with ideas, offer the ones above.

When you're providing help, it's also a chance to interact more with the person who has Alzheimer's disease. People with Alzheimer's have much to teach us, which means that your generosity will be a gift to yourself as well. — Provided through About.com

Tips on How to Manage Your

Medications

If you are taking medications  on a regular basis, here are some ideas you can use to keep tabs on your tablets:

R     Keep medicines in their original packaging when possible.

R     Don’t ever mix different pills in the same bottle.

R     If you take pills at different times of the day, color code the bottles according to which time of day you take the medication.

R     To avoid taking the same medicine twice,  jot down each dose you take on a daily calendar.

R     Tape a reminder note on your fridge — or somewhere else you’ll spot it. You can even buy special “timer caps” that beep when it’s time to take your pills.

— Provided by St. Francis Hospital

 Tall Tale or Wisely Wisdom?

 1.         Feed a cold, starve a fever

            False: Malnutrition, according to Dr. Frank Dienst, a Florida-based internal pulmonary critical care specialist, reduces the body’s response to infection, so skipping meals  is never a good idea.

2.  Garlic wards off the common cold

           True:  Dr. Andrew Weil, director of integrative medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, said garlic contains allicin,  which has antibiotic effects. He said one of the best remedies for a cold is to eat raw garlic at the onset of symptoms.

 Common Symptoms Explained

 Ear Pain  — It’s probably pressure on the ear drum from fluid in the middle ear. Try using over-the-counter pain relievers and ear drops, and applying a heating pad to the ear. See a doctor if the pain gets worse when you tug at your ear (an indication of “swimmer’s ear”, a bacterial infection that’s treated with antibiotic ear drops). See your doctor immediately if you also have a fever or a stiff neck. An infection may have spread.

Dizziness when you stand up — It’s probably the result of getting up too fast (your blood pressure drops) or a sign that you’re dehydrated. Try moving more slowly and increasing fluid intake. See a doctor if you have had nausea and vomiting, blurred vision or loss of consciousness. (can indicate an inner ear disturbance, overmedication or a neurological condition.)

 Red Itchy Eyes — It’s probably allergies or conjunctivitis (pinkeye), an inflammation of the eye covering. Try, if you have allergies, an oral medication and artificial tears. If not, assume its pinkeye; hold a warm, wet compress on eyes and use artificial tears. See a doctor if your eye is crusted shut or has yellow-green pus oozing from it (a sign of bacterial infection).

 Noticeable Hair Loss — It’s probably the harmless result of stress or having recently had a serious illness. Wait and see if it grows back..

HOW TO STAY YOUNG AND HAPPY

Throw out all the nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctor  worry about them -- that is why you pay him.
            Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down. If you really need a grouch, there are probably a few of your relatives to do the job.
            Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts,     gardening, whatever. Just never let your brain idle.
            Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath. Laugh so much that you can be tracked in the store           by your distinctive laughter.
            The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person who is with you your entire life is yourself.
            Surround yourself with what you love, whether it is family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever.  Your home is your refuge.
            Cherish your health. If it is good -- preserve it. If it is unstable -- improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve -- get help.
            Don't take guilt trips. Go to the mall, the next county, a foreign country but not to guilt.
            Tell the people you love that you love them, at every         opportunity.
            And remember that life is not measured by the number       of breaths we take ... But by the moments that take our breath away!                                                              From www.suddenlysenior.com

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