WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR FEBRUARY 2020

felt like crap all fricken day! it's 6:12 and I'm going to bed.

Karen - thanks for the link on 5 wishes. I was telling the Rec and Rehab therapists along with our Director of Care about my dreams and worries. They said it’s a really good idea to put down your likes and dislikes, what your favourite colour is, some of your favourite activities, memories, etc and alternatively what upsets you, what are your dislikes. They said that they depend on family members to give this information but how well does your family know you. They used my shower example and said does your family know that you are claustrophobic in a shower or do they think you just prefer baths? It’s made me do a lot of thinking.

The rec therapist also told us a story about how small things they do in rec will trigger something in someone that makes them engage when they haven’t for months or even years. She has virtual reality goggles that can be used on the residents, one resident she found out was a farmer and his favourite time of year was harvest. She put a video of a field being harvested and he “drove” the combine for over an hour and was smiling and engaging the whole time.

The other story she told was last month she started a “pub night” she set the rec area up as a pub with cards on the tables, a variety of non alcoholic beverages. One man who has not engaged in any other activity and hasn’t really talked, even to his family members since the Fall started talking and interacting just as is he was a bartender again which he was in his 20’s. Another one, when offered a second beer, said he better not as he had to drive home. One of the rec aides said it was ok she would drive him home, he sat back and ordered two more beer and continued chatting with his table mates.

Flea - our transit system is terrible for connections. The same idea a 10 minute drive becomes an hour to get there.

Right now I am helping out by watching the Grands a couple evenings a week after work so my daughter could get a couple extra shifts. She picks me up from work, drives the kids and I back to my place, she goes to work. I feed the kids supper, they play for a bit then I drive them home after their Dad gets home from work and has had time to eat and shower. It’s how we help out because I don’t have money to give them to help.

Allie - I am so happy to read that you are giving notice. I bet you will find something very quickly when you don’t have all of that stress to deal with.

Michele - do you and Vince rent the condo out when you aren’t there. Do you get down more than once a year?

I had a chat with my Mom tonight on Facebook messenger video chat. Her nursing home has been shut to visitors for the last 3 weeks due to flu. I asked her how she has kept busy and she told me she has read and coloured. I said are you needing new colouring books, she said she did I then asked how her markers were doing and she said she could always use more. So after spending 25.00 to ship 3 packs of lifesavers to my Father In Law last week I thought I would look on Amazon for colouring books for Mom. I typed in Adult colouring book and got an education! There are some hilarious titles that my Mother would laugh at, but probably never use.

Lisa the titles tell me that your sarcastic cards would be a hit now

I’ve already written a novel so I’ll refrain from adding more.

It was +6 again, hopefully will be that nice this weekend.

Tracey in Edmonton