Rebuilding your finances after any time of significant change can be challenging to navigate. Luckily, there are a few tried and true ways to find the right path to your financial independence.
One of the most recommended courses of action is to increase your income though that may not be a feasible strategy for everyone. Beyond the standard cutting back on expenses and finding ways to turn passions into profit, here are four other ideas to finding your financial independence.
It’s likely that if you have suffered a recent trauma, loss, or another life-changing event, your financial goals have also changed. So before diving into any new financial strategies, revisit your priorities and get clarity around your long-term goals.
For some, it may be paying off a mortgage. For others, it might be funding college for their children or having enough savings to retire early. The steps you take to achieve financial independence will largely depend on your specific goals. Set those goals early and evaluate them annually to make better financial decisions.
Hire A Financial Advisor
When we have medical concerns, we consult a doctor. When we need our air conditioner repaired, we hire a professional. Why then are so many people trying to solve their financial problems?
Hiring a financial advisor helps take the emotions out of the process and focus on the issues that matter. The best advisors will help frame your goals, understand your challenges, and then guide you through making the best decisions that are right for you. Consult this list from Forbes for the best wealth advisors in your state.
Create A Flexible Budget
Whether you’re new to budgeting, taking it on after the death of a spouse or loved one, or getting back on track after a financial crisis, a flexible budget will help you visualize your goals and keep you accountable.
Decide on your spending categories and do your best to track every expense. It may take a month or two to see where your costs can be adjusted or opportunities to increase your income.
List your top three financial goals at the top of your budget and read them often. Then, when it’s tempting to spring for that spur-of-the-moment expense, you’ll be reminded that you’re working toward a larger goal.
Learn About Investments
The stock market, mutual funds, real estate investments are exclusive to the financial community. However, anyone can learn more about investments and educate themselves about how to diversify their income through creating investment opportunities.
Don’t let the new terminology or confusing guidelines discourage you. Talk to your financial advisor about your goals and let them know you’d like to explore different earning strategies. When investing, keep your goals in mind and adjust your risk level based on your anticipated retirement age or expected expenses.
And, play the long game. Of course, the stock market will fluctuate, and it will be tempting to jump ship at the first downturn. However, history tells us that those who play the long game will perform better and come out ahead.
If you’ve gone through a loss and come through the other side, you’re already winning! Implement some or all of these ideas, and financial freedom will be one step closer.
Here are a few products I’m loving right now. I hope you find a product to add to your household or self-care routine. The list may also give you ideas for a surprise for friends, and family. Most of the products were found on Amazon.
Ursa Major Essential Face Wipes
I don’t wear makeup anymore so there’s no need for a makeup remover. The wipes have a light scent and are oversized. I avoid my eyes, not sure their meant for that. The wipes not only keep my skin clean without any breakouts. They are more expensive but you are worth it.
The Body Shop Shea Butter
The 12.9 oz. Shea Body Butter is creamy and it melts right in. It’s vegan and the container is recyclable. This size will last and is affordable. The Body Shop has long been a favorite place to shop.
Pure Enrichment Small Heating Pad
I love having a smaller size for my shoulder, instead of our much larger one. It comes with its own storage pouch which makes it easy to store. There are a variety of settings and turns itself off. I move it under my pillow when not in use.
L’Occitane Nail & Cuticle Oil
The smell is great and there is a small brush to apply the oil on one end. This brand is more expensive but I love their products. I had a large bottle of oil on my nightstand but never used it, now I apply it most days. This is so convenient that you may get addicted to it.
Melixir Clear Lip Balm
Finding a lip balm I like is hard to find and Melixir has many colors if you like a sheer color. It goes on smoothly and lasts for several hours. I think all of their products are vegan and made in Korea which is known for excellent face products.
What products have you added to your life that you love?
People who are chronically ill or disabled have little challenges they may not talk about because these are little in comparison to the top challenges.
After leaving the hospital last month, I realized that many small challenges add to the stress I already juggle.
Here’s an example of mine
Not being able to open most lids due to lack of strength, and then spending 30 minutes to screw the lid back on. Sometimes they sit overnight without a lid off, other nights I continue to try for dexterity and concentration.
I tried to take care of myself without going to the doctor. At that time, I wore adult underwear for the first time. My husband doesn’t know how to shop in this category. What good is adult underwear when the crotch hangs low and they gap all the way around the legs which caused many accidents that were quite embarrassing. At the hospital, I was given a mesh boy short underwear that hardly covered anything and I had to add a pad for security.
I have to sit on the toilet to put on socks, jeans, and shoes or I’ll lose my balance getting dressed and standing up.
After the big fall in the shower gave me a concussion, my walking is different. I will walk straight and then my feet move three or four times to one side. I trip over my own feet and when I’m standing close to a wall, my body is like a magnet and I fall into the wall.
The very frustrating one is getting off the toilet and rolling then falling on the floor.
I’m also growing older and my hands do not have much strength. Which I deal with every day. I get tired of asking my husband to open something, it makes me feel even older.
This post is part of TED’s “How to Be a Better Human” series, each of which contains a piece of helpful advice from people in the TED community; browse through all the posts here.
I don’t meditate.
It’s a simple fact that often feels like a confession. After all, meditation is hailed as an almost magical cure in self-help circles, and the list of benefits it offers is undeniably impressive. Meditation promotes calm and compassion, decreases stress, and improves attention and concentration. Avid meditators won’t hesitate to point out, breathlessly, that it can actuallychange your brain. It is one of the most studied non-pharmacologic mental health interventions in the world, and most of the data is overwhelmingly positive.
So why don’t I do it?
At its best, meditation felt like I was floating in the ocean. But I noticed this only seemed to happen when I was already calm. When I was anxious, meditation actually increased my agitation.
It’s not that I’ve never tried. I used the apps and the timers. I tried body scan meditations and mindfulness meditations. I tried sitting, which made me uncomfortable, and then lying down, which made me fall asleep. I focused on my breath (until I began to hyperventilate), and I also imagined my thoughts floating away in little clouds (there were a lot of clouds).
And to be fair, I went through a period of a couple of months when I had some success with it. At its best, it felt like I was floating in the ocean, bobbing on waves of pure consciousness. But I noticed this only seemed to happen when I was already calm.
When I was anxious, meditation actually increased my agitation. I felt a profound sense of dissonance, my mind bubbling like it was coming to a boil, trapped inside a body that was desperately trying to hold still. At the end of each effort, I felt drained from the failure and worn out by the attempt. Despite the assurances of meditation evangelists that I just needed to stick with it and that feeling like I was failing was part of the process, I suspected that maybe meditation wasn’t for me.
I gained a new perspective when one day I shared with my therapist that meditation has been such a struggle for me.
“Oh, I definitely wouldn’t recommend meditation for someone with your profile,” she said matter-of-factly.
In fact, a 2017 study found that a significant proportion of meditators have experienced fear, pain, dizziness, paranoia, dysphoria and other “challenging” effects.
I was surprised, and strangely relieved. I’d become so used to people extolling the virtues of meditation that I had assumed it was universally beneficial. It never occurred to me that a therapist might not recommend it, or even advise against it. When I asked why, she explained that for some people with histories of unprocessed trauma and physical dissociation, meditation can do exactly what I’d experienced — increase anxiety, prompt flashbacks or trigger other physical symptoms.
In fact, a 2017 study of meditation experiences found that a significant proportion of meditators have experienced fear, pain, dizziness, paranoia, dysphoria and other “challenging” effects. Researchers believe these effects are often under-reported, because studies aiming to understand the benefits of meditation don’t ask about adverse effects. As a non-pharmacologic intervention, meditation is assumed to be harmless.
The moral of this story isn’t “don’t meditate” but rather, that meditation is like many things — great for some people, but not necessarily for everyone.
If it works for you, wonderful! No need to read any further.
But if like me you’ve struggled with traditional forms of meditation, yet still crave a way to settle your mind and ease your anxiety, happily, there are other approaches that can create a similar kind of mental expansiveness to that offered by meditation. These techniques don’t have nearly the same fervor or body of research backing them, but they are valuable alternatives, especially for those of us who find meditation unbearable rather than unburdening.
Rather than feeling like I need to sit with uncomfortable feelings or ideas, visualization allows me to transform them creatively and work with them in a generative, dynamic way.
Here they are:
1. Visualization
I’d always thought of visualization as a kind of new age-y cousin to manifesting, but it was actually in therapy where I began to use this technique. During our early sessions, my therapist sometimes asked me to envision a place where I felt safe and calm, describing it out loud as I envisioned it in my mind.
I began to create a garden in my mind, a place I could go when I felt overwhelmed or stressed, or when I struggled to sleep. When anxious, I often come back to this place, adding detail in one corner or another. Some elements are constant, while others change. I always enter the same way, for example, but once inside, I might see different flowers or trees, or I might look around a corner and “find” a new area previously unexplored.
Another time, I was struggling with the noise of constant construction in my building. I was working on my book Joyful at home, and I never knew when the grinding noise would start up, spiking my anxiety and making it impossible to focus.
My therapist asked me to envision something noisy yet innocuous, and for some reason, elephants came to mind. I imagined a crew of elephants in yellow hard hats bumbling around with tools and jackhammers. Whenever the noise fired up and I felt that pit in my stomach, I pictured the elephants and my tension eased. Of course, it didn’t erase the noise, but it helped me find calm amid a situation where I couldn’t gain control.
I find that visualization gives me the same kind of distance and space that many people find in meditation, but it also engages my imagination in the process. Rather than feeling like I need to sit with uncomfortable feelings or ideas, it allows me to transform them creatively — not to avoid them but to work with them in a generative, dynamic way. I haven’t found great research on the use of visualization as a meditation alternative, but there are anecdotal accountsof nurses using visualization with patients, particularly children, as a method of relieving pain.
2. Coloring
Adult coloring books had a real heyday in the mid-to-late 2010s, as people sought a creative yet low pressure form of stress relief.
As it turns out, certain types of coloring may help reduce anxiety. In particular, research shows that coloring a complex abstract design such as a mandala or a plaid pattern can reduce anxiety in a meaningful way. Structured patterns like this have strong symmetry that taps into the harmony aesthetic, which promotes calm through symmetry and balance, quieting the visual noise of our surroundings so we can focus more deeply on what we care about. Tied to this, subsequent studies have shown that coloring not only decreases anxiety, but also increases mindfulness and may also improve attention and creativity.
The physicality of coloring may also be helpful to those of us who tend to dissociate from our bodies. The engagement of the hands and the senses can keep us from feeling like we’re swimming in our thoughts.
In one study, a group drumming initiative resulted in significant reductions in anxiety and depression, along with an increase in overall mental well-being.
3. Drumming
OK, parents of a child who recently acquired a drum set might not see this activity as calming, but research shows that the rhythmic quality of drumming can be a powerful aid for mental health. In one study, a group drumming initiative resulted in significant reductions in anxiety and depression, along with an increase in overall mental well-being. Drumming also correlated with a decrease in inflammatory markers in the bodies of the participants.
Why does drumming promote calm?
One reason may be the repetition of the sounds and movements (again, a manifestation of the harmony aesthetic). Percussion is considered one of the oldest forms of music-making (perhaps after singing) and may have originated as a way to promote coordination of work among groups of early humans.
Drumming is a grounding activity that lets us blow off steam in a safe and non-aggressive way. Notably, drumming is one activity that has typically been studied as a group intervention rather than an individual practice. It’s possible that solo drumming also has benefits, but current research on drumming tends to focus on the physical experience of rhythm, synchrony and belonging as the key drivers of mental well-being.
4. Cloud gazing
For those who benefit from having something outside of themselves to focus on, cloud gazing can be an appealing alternative to meditation. Cloud gazing draws us outside, which has documented mental health benefits, while amorphous, softly shifting clouds give the attention something calming to focus on.
Looking upward may also help, as this increases the amount of light that enters the eye, which itself has distinct benefits for mental well-being.
Little research has been done on cloud gazing (sadly!), however one studypoints to the benefits of sky views as restorative, and accessible. While green nature views have been widely shown to help reduce stress, sky views are beneficial because they can be accessed even in dense urban areas.
While it might sound far-fetched, a whole community of internet users have found peace and joy in vintage videos of Bob Ross’s The Joy of Painting.
5. Morning pages
Morning pages are a creative tool devised by the writer Julia Cameron in her celebrated book The Artist’s Way. To do them, you simply write three long-hand pages first thing in the morning, writing without stopping and allowing whatever thoughts arise to go onto the page.
For writers, morning pages are a way of breaking through the pressure of the blank page and opening a line of dialogue with your creative brain. No one has to read them. In fact, you can place them directly into the trash when you’re done if you choose.
Though morning pages are billed as a creativity tool, for me they function as a mental health tool. I discovered the technique while working on the later chapters of my book and found it far more effective than meditation at calming my anxiety around my work. Knowing I had the open space of morning pages as a buffer before sitting down to work on my book alleviated so much pressure that I began sleeping better and enjoying my free time more. I regularly return to the practice if not every day, then several times a week at least.
6. Walking
Walking meditation is a form of meditation in its own right, but even if you don’t have a formal walking meditation practice, some form of mindful movement can be calming. Walking is easy and accessible to most people, and for those who feel stuck when attempting a seated meditation, it can help by engaging the body as well as the mind in the act of quiet reflection.
Benefits of mindful walking include stress reduction and improved cognition among older adults, in addition to the many mental health benefits of increased physical activity that it provides.
7. Watching Bob Ross painting videos
And if you’re still struggling to find a way to calm your mind, maybe it’s time to turn to a soothing voice and his “happy little trees.” While it might sound far-fetched, a whole community of internet users have found peace and joy in vintage videos of Bob Ross’s The Joy of Painting.
Some researchers believe that Ross’s soft baritone and the swishy sounds of his brush against the canvas trigger ASMR reactions, also known as “brain tingles.” The popular meditation app Calm has used Bob Ross’s voice in their Sleep Stories series, which is intended to help insomniac users fall asleep. You can watch every episode of his show on YouTube, and if you’re looking for one to get started, here’s a favorite episode.
I left the hospital 6 weeks ago and still have an issue with my stay. I will file a claim with the Texas Medical Board on the doctor who told me my eGFR was 20 which would mean, I’m not far from death. He said I may not make it out of the hospital. The lab and doctor made a rookie mistake by not testing again since it was so low. I was in complete shock and started calling my brother. I was crying so hard he could not understand what I was saying and had to call my husband to find out what was happening.
How would you feel?
If a doctor told you something devastating like you’re dying in a few days?
If the hospital loses your medication list and you don’t get your meds for three days? I went into withdrawal due to not having medication?
If the janitor came in with only a screwdriver, rammed it around, then rinsed it off in your sink?
The list is long so I’ll stop here. Please think about how you would react if faced with these challenges.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts and thanks for reading.
The teen years are a time of change and growth. Hormones, new challenges, and trying to figure out who they are – all these things can make the teen years difficult. Parents will often say that it’s hard for them too! As a parent, you may be wondering how you can show your teenager that you care about them. This post offers four ways to do just that:
You may feel like you spend most of the day helping your teen with homework, projects, sports practices, and more. That’s great! But it can also be easy to forget that they have their own lives – friends at school, drama in relationships, or problems with peers. So take time each night before bedtime to ask how their day went and listen when they talk about it. Don’t interrupt them; let them finish saying everything on their mind without interruption. Then give your input if asked for advice, but always try to end by asking if anything else was bothering them today (even if you think you already know).
Talk with them about their interests
Even if you couldn’t care less about the latest video game they’re playing, talk to them about their interests. Ask questions like “What’s your favorite part of this?” or “How do you think that happened?”, then listen and ask more questions (without interrupting). This will let them know that you are interested in what is important to them and help build communication skills! For example, if they love reading fantasy novels, buy one new book each month to read it without spending their allowance on books. If your teen loves sports or music videos online, sign up to sites like Netflix or watch movies online instead of paying for cable or satellite TV.
Help them get rid of bad habits
Getting drunk or high is not only dangerous for teens but can also lead to destructive behavior. So when you notice anything has changed, you might need to consider getting help from American Addiction Centers. Also, make sure your teen knows it’s essential to be safe around friends who may have been drinking – if they show up at home later smelling like alcohol or smoke, let them know you’re glad they came home safely but make sure to talk about their actions too! Encouraging good habits in your teenager will help keep both of you happy throughout this trying time.
Treats or small gifts from time to time
Everyone loves getting a treat now and then, so it’s essential to show your teenager you care about them with small gifts or treats. But make sure these are things they like – if they don’t want it, after all, give the gift away (to charity). Please put some thought into what might be unique for them, though! For example: If they love candy one month but hate chocolate another, get something else instead of just buying chocolates each time.
It can be challenging to show your teenager that you care about them. This is because the teen years are a time of change and growth – hormones, new challenges, and trying to figure out who they are all making this tumultuous period in life challenging for both teens and their parents!
Thank you for all the great feedback on the Blogger Highlight series, I’ve enjoyed meeting each blogger and sharing their site with you. This week we highlight the blog of Homestead On Lakeside.
This recipe sounds so good, I could use one right now!
Ingredients
2 black tea bags
2 cups full-fat coconut milk
1 tsp. raw honey
1 tsp. pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cardamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
How to make
Steep both tea bags in 1 cup of hot water for 5 minutes. Remove and discard
Meanwhile, warm the coconut milk in a small saucepan over medium-high heat to your discard bags
Pour the warm milk into a high-powered blender and add the brewed tea, honey, maple syrup, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, and vanilla extract. Blend until the latte is combined and slightly frothy, about 1 minute
Pour into two cups and enjoy.
Melinda
Reference:
The recipe is from Kristin Cavallari’s cookbook True Comfort.
The recipe is from Kristin Cavallari’s cookbook True Comfort.
I am so impressed with her cookbook, she covers every meal, snack, and smoothie. You don’t have to be living a Gluten-Free life to enjoy the recipes, they sound delicious. Several followers have made comments about how good the recipe was.
Ingredients
1/2 avocado
1 tbs raw honey
1 cup almond milk
2 tbs raw cacao nibs
1 cup frozen cauliflower florets
1 big handful of fresh spinach
1 tsp brain octane oil (she likes Bulletproof)
1 tbs bee pollen
1 tbs hemp seeds
1/4 cup chopped or sliced blueberries and blackberry
How to make
Place the avocado, honey, almond milk, cacao nibs, cauliflower florets, spinach, and brain octane oil (if using) in a high-powered blender and blend until well combined, about one minute.
Pour into glass and top with the bee pollen, hemp seeds, and berries.
The recipe is from Kristin Cavallari’s book True Comfort.
This smoothie sounds so good I’ll have to try it. I like how easy it is to make and you can double the recipe to make two lattes.
1 tbs. ground coffee or instant coffee granules
1 tbs. raw cacao powder
1 tbs. coconut cream
1 cup frozen cauliflower florets
1 1/2 cups almond milk
1 frozen banana
Serves 1
Place the coffee, cacao powder, coconut cream, cauliflower, almond milk, and a banana in a high-powered blender and blend until well combined, about 1 minute.
Personal budgeting is a powerful tool, but few know its value. You see, most people get upset when they hear that they have to make a budget for their expenses. It is associated with discomfort and headache. Just as it is linked to diet to hunger and limited food, this is because most people only resort to budgeting when things get tough and there are difficulties, just like with someone who, because he has gained a lot of weight, decides to lose weight. But this is not precisely the case. A personal budget is a necessary tool that we must learn to use in our lives. Its mission is not to make you limit your expenses but to help you set aside more money or spend it more efficiently.
Most people who do not have a budget end up spending more than they need each month. But this exaggeration has significant implications as it limits their future economic power. The result is that they have less money left, but also create more fixed costs if the purchases are made with installments and credit cards. But when you plan how much you will spend each month and know in advance where they will go, it is easier to restrain yourself and realize when you are overdoing it. For this reason, make your own personal budget so that you know where you are. If you have types of subscriptions, then look at reassessing them. If you have car costs, then look at honest car service to ensure that you are always keeping the necessities at a lower price.
Helps you achieve your goals
A personal budget is essentially a plan that helps you prioritize where you spend your money. This means that when you create an account, you are shifting your focus to the things that matter most to you. This can be repaying a loan, raising enough money to get a home, or starting your own business. The budget essentially creates the plan that you will follow and allows you to monitor your progress.
Helps you save
People who do not use budgets will not have as much money in savings. Also, planning how you will spend your money each month helps you to avoid infringing on your existing savings. By doing things this way, you can gradually increase the money you have set aside. And the more that you save, the more you will start to feel more comfortable with your finances and of course your future. This will assist you with your home too.
Helps you be flexible
Budget work is to help you be flexible. By recording the income and expenses in detail, you can see how you can transfer money from one expense category to another. It also helps you identify issues that may arise and make the necessary adjustments.
Helps you stay in control
If you feel that you do not have control over your finances and you are always wondering where your money and salary have disappeared, your budget will help you to recover it. By setting your financial priorities and seeing on paper how you spend your money during the month, you better understand habits and patterns that hurt you. This way, it is easier to know where to stop. Having a definite plan for the month, you know what to do and what not to do, and it is easier to think about the future. Make your plans and prepare. The budget is probably the most essential tool you need to change your financial future and gives you the power to make changes right away.
It’s simple
Personal budgeting is not difficult to set up. We are not talking about a budget drawn up by a multinational or a state, where the responsibilities are significant, and the variables are many. We are talking about the account that will help you maintain order in your finances.
So if you start using it regularly, you will see that it is something simple. You can make it even easier and instead of using pen and paper, take advantage of technological advances using a corresponding application. As with anything new, you may be skeptical or feel that you do not have to bother analyzing your finances. But try it for a few months. As you apply it, you will see that you will become more familiar and it will be easier for you to manage your money properly.
I’m so glad you’ve joined me this week for another edition of Weekend Music Share.
Have a great weekend!
Melinda
Welcome back to Weekend Music Share, the place where everyone can share their favorite music.
Feel free to use the Weekend Music Share banner in your post, and use the hashtag #WeekendMusicShare on social media so other participants can find your post.
This is my reality and it’s hard to swallow when I look at my life 20 years ago. No doubt many people with Chronic Illnesses face similar problems. It’s not that I miss my younger self, I miss being capable and independent.
In December, I was writing my 2024 goals, and my health and limits on driving make going to new places or getting a smoothie require my husband to be available to drive me. It sucks!
I’d love your feedback and any ideas you have.
My Life
I have no family except my husband
No friends
The only people I see are doctors and my hairdresser
My hobbies
Blog
Photography
Bird watching
Green Thumb
Ancestry
Reality
I can not drive anymore
Agoraphobia
Memory Impairment
Balance problems have returned
Severe Anemia
It’s difficult to bring joy to your life when you sit at home day after day. If you’re housebound, how do you add joy to your day?
Buying a gift is deeply personal and can get complicated when trying to buy for a friend with a chronic illness or for one who has chronic pain. I have a few chronic illnesses of my own and thought it would be nice to put together a list of year-round gift ideas.
Ideas
Silk pillowcase
Ultrasonic diffuser
Lavender essential oil
Weighted blanket
Scented candle with a pretty box of matches
Light Therapy Lamp
A handmade card or scrapbook
Audible subscription for a year
Footbath massager
Pack of foot masks
Luxurious foot cream
A wellness basket that includes body cleaning towelettes, dry shampoo, hand conditioning treatment, a box of Camomile tea bags
A journal with motivational sayings, or Scripture
Maid service for a deep clean
Car detail that comes to them
Walk their pet for a week
A gift certificate for a manicure/pedicure
A gift card to their favorite store
Lumbar pillow
Picture frame with a lovely photo you’ve taken
Insulated (non-sweating) water bottle with a flip-top
Assortment of coffees along with a mug
A pretty faux plant for the plant lover
Flowers in a pretty vase with a bow tied around it with a personal message
Singing Gram
Magazine subscription for one of their interest
A book that is special to you they may enjoy with an inscription in the front
Nice writing pen
A wreath and hanger for their front door
Bath and shower bombs
Assortment of food goodies like chocolates or gluten-free items
Pack of face masks
Homemade potpourri with or without scent
Pretty adjustable cane
A walker attachment bag
Subscription to Itunes
Subscription to streaming service
A Fire TV stick
An annual subscription to Amazon Prime
Wireless Earbuds
Cook dinner for them
Pay for a meal delivery service for a month
Walk in the park with a camera to capture the moments
Silk eyemask
Metro card
Scented hand wash with matching lotion
A luxurious assortment of soaps
Travel-size hand sanitizer
Travel-size hand lotion
A Silk mask with a place for a filter insert
Certificate for a back massage
Matching dish and hand soap in a dish
Electric toothbrush
An assortment of flavored toothpaste
Wool throw
Hand warmers
Heating pad
Sunrise clock
Reusable grocery bags
Alexa enabled lightbulb
Slip-resistant socks
I hope this sparks some ideas of your own. Shopping for someone who has a chronic illness isn’t as complicated as it feels, just think from a different perspective.
I know whatever you decide to give your friend or loved one, they will appreciate it and you very much.
As we age, everything that was once taken for granted will become more difficult. Often, friends and family will need to step in and care for you.
If a loved one of yours needs to be looked after, then it may seem like the right thing to do to take care of them. But before you do decide to take care of someone in this way, it is important that you consider everything that is involved in caring for elderly relatives. Elder-care is more than a full-time job, and it will be both emotionally and physically challenging.In many cases, it may be best to find a respite care provider, to ensure your relative gets the best care they can. However, if you have decided to take this role on yourself, educating yourself about how to help them best is essential.
Here is everything you should think about when taking care of an elderly relative.
One of the most important aspects of caring for an elderly relative is that you’ll need to make sure that they are taking any medication that they are on when they need to. They may be on several different medications for a variety of different conditions. Make sure you know about their medical conditions and understand what the medication is for. In addition, you should get to know more about the medication, including:
When the medication needs to be taken
What dosage do they require
When you can order repeat prescriptions
You may be required to administer their medication or to check each day to ensure it has been taken.
Carrying Out Housework
If the elderly relative that you are caring for has limited mobility, then you may need to help them with their housework. While this may mean carrying out major tasks such as cleaning the whole house, it may also involve smaller tasks such as washing the dishes.
Assisting With Mobility
Since mobility is a problem for many older people, there are risk factors that you should be aware of. You may need to supervise or provide mobility aids to help them get about their day without having any slips, trips, or falls.
Make sure that the home environment is safe for them. This could involve making sure that the house is free from clutter, that the walkways are clear, that there are handrails throughout the home, that there is a stairlift in place, that walkers or wheelchairs are available as needed.
This wheelchair guide will talk you through finding the right wheelchair for the relative that you are caring for.
You should go through the house and identify any potential risks and make the necessary changes.
You’ll Need a Bathing Routine
Personal hygiene and health go hand-in-hand. Wherever possible, you should ensure that the relative that you’re caring for has some sense of independence when it comes to bathing and washing. To achieve this, you could provide handrails in the bathroom, along with baths and showers that are easily accessible.
When someone is unable to clean themselves, you will need to help them. Creating a bathing and washing routine is essential. This will ensure your loved one will stay clean all of the time. This will be even more important if your relative is either bed-bound or incontinent, as sores may form if you don’t keep proper hygiene.
You’ll Need to Cook for Your Relative
Unless your elderly relative is able to cook themselves, you will very likely to do this on their behalf every day. Make sure that you provide a healthy balanced diet that is not only varied, but that is also interesting. Make sure that mealtimes are something to look forward to.
If you want to save yourself some time, you may want to batch cook some meals so that these can be quickly reheated another day.
You May Need To Lift Your Relative
If the person that you are caring for has mobility issues, then it will be essential that you help them to get around. To do this, you may need to lift them up. If this is something that you need to do, ensure you do it safely and consider your own body. Make sure that you are not putting yourself at risk at all.
There may be lifting equipment that you can buy that will help you to lift your loved one safely. There may also be courses that you can take that teach you safe lifting and handling.
You’ll Need To Help Your Relative To Exercise
It is essential that you help keep your elderly relative as active as possible. Even if your elderly relative has mobility problems, there will be some exercises that they can do. This may just mean doing simple movements with their arms and feet. Find some basic routines that they can complete. Join in with the exercises with them to make them feel more at ease while they’re doing them.
You Will Need To Run Errands
There will often be errands that need to be run. If your elderly relative is unable to do them, you will need to do them on their behalf. This may mean going to the shop, paying bills for them, returning their library books, and much more. Try to maintain a routine so that you can easily keep up with the required errands.
There May Be Hospital Procedures
If your relative needs to go into the hospital for a procedure, you’ll need to be there to help them out with their aftercare. Make sure that you’re there to speak with the doctor and find out what you’ll need to do in terms of caring for them after the procedure. You will also need to ensure they are able to attend any follow-up appointments.
Providing End of Life Care
One of the hardest things that you’ll need to deal with is the end of life care. It will be important that you know exactly when you should call a hospice.
With all the best intentions, there will be times when caring for someone that you are close to will get to be too much for you. Make sure that you take a break whenever possible, and build a support network around yourself.
Not all, but a lot of the older people in our lives are going to need some kind of help in getting the care they need. This has always been a concern of younger generations, but now there are more elderly than ever, so we need to take a closer look at the options available to us, their shortcomings, their benefits, and which are most likely for us. Here, we’re going to look at three primary options for the care of your elderly loved one, how to choose the option that best fits your needs, and how to make it work for you.
It’s an option that is becoming more common as fewer people can afford the kind of care they might need for a loved one. However, providing that care yourself is a big risk factor. Carer burnout is a real risk for those who don’t research how to provide adequate care for their loved ones. Respite care services can help you get a little break here and there so you have time to focus on your own needs, too. Don’t neglect to look at what kind of financial aid there is available for carers, either.
Care in the home
Perhaps the most widely sought-after option of all is to get a carer who can either spend time in the home with your loved one or even live with them on a full-time basis. This is the most financially demanding option, but it’s also one that should be chosen with care. It’s important to look for a home nurse that not only provides all of the physical assistance that your loved one needs but also provides companionship and conversation as best as possible. Isolation is one of the greatest health risks to the elderly, putting them more at risk of anxiety, dementia, and even premature death. As such, it’s important to choose services that offer them the company that they need, not just the practical needs.
Finding the right community
One of the options that probably sparks the most concern or at least second thoughts, is the notion of having your loved one live in a nursing home. However, there are plenty of different types of assisted living communities out there, including ones that offer access to holistic health care, such as art therapy, field trips, and the like. It is important to do research into the kind of community that your older loved one is joining and to be aware of the risks of neglect, doing your research into the care standards, and any past trouble of the operations that you might be taking a look at.
Most important of all is that, if you’re entrusting the care of your loved one to professionals, you still need to be present in their lives. First of all, they need someone who can provide contact and companionship on a more personal level. Second of all, they’re more vulnerable, so they need someone to watch out for their interests.
Thank you for all the great feedback on the Blogger Highlight series. I’ve enjoyed meeting each blogger and sharing their site with you. This week we highlight the blog of Ms. C. Loves.
In my world, where my life is ever so happening yet my memory is ever so fleeting, I have decided to dedicate some time weekly to preserve those precious moments for my future wrinkly self.
So here, I present to you: my valiant attempt to document all the big and small things in life that capture my heart (cheesy, I know!)—enjoy!
You have to stop by often to see what new is going on.
In this fast-paced social media world, it can be difficult to find the time to look within or back in time. I hope you find these quotes and questions interesting. So glad you stopped by today!
This post was written after I saw my first Lyme Literate Doctor. Quack! One day I’m reviewing the doctor’s notes again and realize I have another person’s file. I fired him because he said I had high lead levels and had to go through this horrible treatment, what else can I expect? The second doctor was a great success.
I have learned several lessons since the last journal entry. A word of caution. Please educate yourself on Lyme Disease for those who enjoy the outdoors anywhere in the US, Canada, Germany, and parts of England. If detected early doctors can usually treat with a short round of antibiotics. It is hard to think a tick the size of a period used in a sentence could do so much damage. I can’t imagine looking for a tick that size or a larger one the size of rice. The classic symptom doctors look for is called a Bulls Eye Rash. Up to 50% don’t get the rash, slipping through during the early phase.
The CDC acknowledges there are flaws with in Lyme Test. DEET and proper clothing are your only defenses against ticks. Other critters like mosquitos and flies carry the Lyme Virus. Protect yourself by using a spray or a sunscreen containing DEET. Read about extra precautions you can take.
Here are three resources recommended by my doctor, lymenet.org, lyme.org, and lymediseaseassociation.org (A great site for locating a Lyme Literate doctor)
* The doctor was right, when giving yourself a shot you have to go with gusto. I made the mistake of going slow, I had a little blood, a slight pain at the entry spot, and medication stained my shirt. You don’t have to stab yourself hard, pick your spot with enough stomach fat, and when you aim keep going.
* Managing the number of probiotics, pills requiring an empty stomach, pills with food, and working with my normal meds can cause a challenge. The key reason for the probiotics is to prepare your “gut” for the antibiotics. I’ve been told long-term use of high levels of antibiotics will take your stomach for a ride. I hate to throw up, it’s high on my list of things I dislike.
* Enjoy the good days remembering overexertion and lack of sleep can worsen symptoms. I was fooled last week, staying up till 1:00 or 2:00, one night at 4:40 AM. The past three days are a reminder, the lack of sleep catches up. If you wake up late it throws your med schedule off the next day if you sleep in. I’m the queen of sleeping in, there is no discipline to force myself to set an alarm to get out of my comfy bed to take meds.
* You could have several doctors on your support team. I can’t drive while drugged and jerking, my husband has to take the day off to shuttle me to appointments. I’ve had appointments one day every week for the past month.
* When you’re enjoying the good days, you don’t think about what day the symptoms will return. Upon return this time my symptoms are like an early Parkinson’s’. I’m herky jerky making typing difficult. I have to realize at this point the disease is in the front seat driving me. I have little control.
* As the virus invades my brain the neurological symptoms increase, last night I experienced 15-20 seizures before they let up. My memory is getting foggy. I picked a song for Throwback Thursday over the weekend. It’s Wednesday morning and I still can’t remember the name of the band. I see the singer on stage, some of the lyrics to songs yet the band name escapes me. It is hard to accept the disease is invading your body. I try to keep positive, looking at this as a growing experience. When you read my post or comments and I use the wrong word or make no sense at all please remember it’s the virus in me speaking.
* My doctor handed me a brochure for a Healing Center with a new state-of-the-art HYPERBARIC THERAPY. Maybe Michael Jackson can sleep in one, not me. The therapy is 1 1/2 hours long, lying in this weird chamber and receiving 100% oxygen. I am claustrophobic, not to the worst degree however put me in one of those and someone will not see the better side of me.
This morning, 8/6/14 is the first time I’ve cried, just losing it. I was reading the beautiful feedback from friends and followers and the level of support warmed my heart.
Warrior
In 2014, I went by Warrior and then decided my name was more personal.
The #Stop Hate campaign first started with #Stop Jew Hate but it has clearly expanded its reach to include everyone who is being persecuted for their religion, the color of their skin, or what country they lived in before moving to America.
Let’s make this a chance to heal. Only we can take the steps to heal, no steps forward leaves you among the chaos.
lookingforthelight.blog 