Memories

Some of my fondest childhood memories are…..

….. I remember when i was only a youngster, playing hopscotch, and baseball and tag with boys & girls alike… those were the days! We were a family of 7 altogether, mom, dad, 3 brothers and 1 sister. We didnt have much money, but there was lots of love to go around. I remember when dad would have tis man come once a week, usually Saturday mornings, and put a HUGE block of ice in our fridge. i never forgot this, as it seemed so big! And, sitting on the kitchen floor, would be 2 large bags, one with powdered skim milk, does anyone remember that? and as well, one large bag with rolled oats. In those days, they weren’t flavoured either! So, for breakfast, we get rolled oats, topped with powdered, LUMPY skim milk! And, we had this very old stove in kitchen, when the toaster wouldnt work, we’d just stick a knife into the bread and toast it over an element. But,it actually tasted good! Every morning dad would line all five of us kids up for a large teaspoon of cod liver oil…yuck! but yu know, it sure kept us from being sick. (and this wasnt sweetly flavoured either) I remember quite a bit from those days, some good memories and some bad, but for some strange reason, i cannot remember the childhood fiends i played with…isnt that strange. One girl does stand out, but that is only because while playing one day, when i was 12,i broke my finger. I remember as well going on the bus every saturday with dad down to this radio shop, where he’d pick up a part or two for another project. He was into fixing up old radios & tv’s, as when he was in the air force, he was a mechanic and maintained the air planes and so on…i think he flew once or twice, but had a bad ear, so he opted to just stay on ground and do this job. I remember my sister and i had to sleep togewther, and it seemed the only contact we had was pulling each others’ hair! I swear she has a bald spot to this day hahaha….I also remember a time especially when i was only about 5 years old, was playing and cut my knee on some glass, but this stands out because i remember my father carrying me on his shoulders all the way to the hospital,then back home in the middle of the night. but anyway, there a so many more warm childhood memories that come to mind, but im running out of space here. It has been fun reminiscing a bit, makes me feel close again to mom & dad, rest their souls. These memories are ours to treasure. Oh….another memory is of my dad getting me in the kitchen every sunday night, to try to teach me how to cook. The thing here is, whatever i tried to make and the results were always terible, my brothers had to eat! hahahah…they still kid me about this time to this day, but it is a fun memory. And before dad passed away, he’d come up to my house, to have dinner with hubby , my son and myself, and he once said “You finally learned how to cook” well, i am no chef, but hubby has survived 36 years now on my cooking so…..
Dee

Doctors versus Pharmacists/Who Is More Qualified To Prescribe Drugs?

What does everyone think of the idea, of entrusting pharmacists to prescribing what we need for ailments, etc.,( same as your family doctor would), instead of doctors? As they are not doctors, would they therefore really be qualified to make this decision? And, would you really feel safe in taking these drugs, prescribed by the phamacist, instead of your doctor? I think I'd still prefer my doctor's professional opinion, over the pharmacist. Someone had suggested that when the family doctor prescribes certain drugs for an ailment, he fails to mention the disadvantages of taking it, whereas, the pharmacist always points out the disadvantages of drugs to you, when filling out your prescription. So, in that way, he would be more qualified. Would like to know how you feel about this discussion on prescriptions. Who, in your opinion, is more qualified, your doctor, or the pharmacist?

Dee

When I feel the edge of these early fall winds I begin to think about winter, do you? I wonder, what can I do to ensure a safe season for me and my parent?  Though there are several hazards in winter, I'm most concerned about guarding against hypothermia, dehydration, and major storms.

As we grow older it doesn't take an especially cold indoor temperature to cause hypothermia in winter. Some parents, like mine, try to save money by turning the thermostat lower then  68 or 70 which is the recommended setting to ensure safety. Certain health conditions can also make us more vulnerable. Thyroid problems or diabetes cause body temperature to run low thereby increasing hypothermic risk during the cold season. Memory problems or restrictions that make it hard to move or put on clothes create challenges in being adequately dressed for the cold. You and I may stay active during winter but inactive lifestyles are at increased risk for indoor hypothermia and steps need to be taken to provide warmth.

Dehydration, another main concern, happens as easily in winter as in summer. Don't like water? Try flavoring water with lemon or drink juice or soda. Even watery fruits help us avoid the dangers of dehydration.  It's easier to dehydrate once we reach 60 because fluids in our bodies decline as a proportion of our weight and thinning skin causes us to need a higher fluid intake. Episodes of diahhrea or vomiting that come with winter illness will, of course, quickly cause dehydration. Dehydration can kill and is a major cause of hospital visits for older generations so having an ample supply of fluids everyone will drink is high on the list of winter preparations.

Dehydration and hypothermia are dangers we can control but winter weather is harder to manage. Backup generators, emergency kits, and ample supplies of medicines can ease the impact of winter storms. Many communities have volunteer programs for snow removal or help with sandbagging and other winter preparations. Here in the north, I see bags of ice remover in stores already and it's important to have that on hand because even after a path in the snow is cleared there's still the danger of slippery ice.  Are there neighbors who can help? This is the time of year I start renewing connections with people nearby that can help me or my parent with unexpected minor winter problems.  Exchanging phone numbers or email and making time to chat helps me feel more comfortable calling for help.  

Taking the time to safeguard ourselves and our loved ones and knowing how takes stress off our minds and maximizes the odds that this will be a safe winter. Maybe you have other suggestions for getting ready for winter? Let us know what you do to prepare.  Or, maybe you'd rather enjoy every last bit of summer before you start thinking about those dark cold months....totally understandable. Enjoy!

Updates:

Article from National Institutes of Health overviews hypothermia and age. Also find links here for financial help with heating costs.

Great list from weather.gov with links to all weather alert sites and aps.

Are you a good sleeper? I hope so. In fact if you're in your 80's you may be getting the best sleep of us all. Recent reports from a phone survey of over 155,000 people indicate that either we tend to complain less about not sleeping as we get older (with the exception of the years between 40 and 59) or the quality of our sleep actually increases with age and peaks in our 80's. Those were surprising findings for sleep scientists and they may be surprising to you!

Sleep researchers had reason to assume that sleep quality degrades with age because at around 50 years the "architecture" of our sleep begins to change. Our bodies don't produce as much melatonin (which helps with sleep regulation) and we spend less time in the non dreaming stage of sleep called slow-wave or deep sleep. When we're very young we spend alot of time in deep sleep, when we grow old we may go days without entering that phase. Consequently, researchers expect older generations to have more wakeful episodes in bed and to find it harder to get back to sleep when awaken. Maybe you fit that description? Many people do but it's not because of age, the study suggests, it's caused by stress and health problems.

Anxiety, stress, medicines and many health problems can radically impact the quality of our sleep. 90 milllion of us snore, and 40 million suffer from some kind of sleep disorder. 1 in 4 women over 65 have sleep apnea and 40% are estimated to experience insomnia. So, if you're skeptical of the study findings because they contradict your experience---you're not alone. Sleep helps memory, concentration and, less obviously, boosts our immune functions. The average adult needs 8 hours of it. Stimulants like caffeine, tobacco and alcohol (which is both a stimulant and depressant) can ruin sound sleep. Long daytime naps or drinking liquids too late can cause us to awaken at night. If the study results are accurate, sleep doesn't have to be a challenge as we age. If we can stay healthy and avoid behaviors that aggravate good rest we can look forward to many good hours of zzzzz's. Sweet dreams!

Update Feb 2013:  Sleep and memory are closely related, science finds. As we get older our sleep doesn't regenerate memory like it once did...

Update June 2013: Great sleep infographic from the National Institute of Health

Update Dec 2013: Brain cleansing function of sleep discovered!

Update March 2015: Wonderful site with advice from people 65+, some with health challenges, on how to fall asleep and enjoy a good night's rest. Testimonies are available in text, audio only, or video.

Update May 2017: Does the brain eat itself when we don't get enough sleep? That's what science if finding.