Those of you that have either completed a one-on-one program, purchased an on-line program or have read anything else that I have written in the past have most likely determined by now and realize it is quite evident… I am a huge supporter and advocate of integrated and phase-based training as optimized methods of health and fitness technologies/systemologies. And it wasn’t until I started researching Tai Chi as an alternative form of exercise (I have been exercising for three-and-a-half decades consistently) did I understand how such a slow-velocity activity can help decrease blood pressure, reduce stress, help develop a greater degree of coordination and diminish the number of falls experienced by the elderly. The affects of resistance and aerobic type activities and their impact on health is unequivocal. Resistance training improves strength and the development of lean muscle mass, as well as an increase in bone-density and cardiovascular training improves the efficiently of the heart, lungs and circulatory function while decreasing mortality rates. However, over the past few decades, Eastern practices such as Tai Chi and Yoga have complimented mainstream fitness training programs by demonstrating comparable health benefits to traditional fitness training. A closer look at Tai Chi is warranted and yes this is coming from a fitness coach who intrinsically knows and has meticulously practiced and has been the recipient of the absolute benefits of weight bearing exercise for over 30 years.

So… What is Tai Chi Anyway?

Tai Chi is pronounced as “Tie Chee.” Tai Chi can be translated from Chinese to English as “moving life force.” Tai Chi is a form of Martial Art that focuses on cultivating the flow of energy in the body by performing a slow, gentle and precise sequence of movements that channel potentially destructive energy away from the body. As you could probably gleen, Tai Chi requires a high level of concentration when performing a sequence of moves, called Forms. Historically practiced as a martial art, today Tai Chi is used as an alternative form of exercise that requires a greater degree of movement than yoga and eliminates the impact nature of many aerobic or cardio-respiratory type activities.

Vitality: The Health and Well-Benefits of Tai Chi

Talk about Synergy… The life force or energy in Tai Chi is believed to be in the form of the Yin and the Yang. Yin and Yang represent two opposite halves that come together to create a unified whole. Tai Chi finds its roots in Taoist philosophy, which adheres to the principle that optimum health is achieved through a balanced Chi, or life force. Balance is maintained through the use of focused, mindful breathing, precise execution of movements and by keeping the muscles active but relaxed. Imbalance can result in an array of health problems and a decrease in the over-all quality of life. Tai Chi is a moderate intensity exercise where aggregate energy expenditure is comparable to walking at a pace of 3.5 mph. Overt health benefits such as decreased stress, improved cardiovascular fitness, balance, muscle strength, coordinative reflexes, arthritis relief and flexibility in people of all ages have been reported. The practice of Tai Chi has also been linked to a reduction of falls and injury for the elderly, an important attribute given that one in three adults 65 years or older fall each year. Recent research also suggests Tai Chi to be an effective program in the reduction of blood pressure and blood lipid levels.

Integrating Tai Chi and Strength/Training.

Ahh…yes, a typical Tai Chi session can last five minutes to an hour depending on the experience and fitness and primary conditioning level of the participant. All sessions begin with a few minutes of meditation to calm the mind as well as the body, followed by a warm-up to increase blood-oxygen flow and body temperature. The forms are completed very slowly and consist of many sequential and continuous postural changes from the beginning to the end of the workout session, including both double stance and single stance weight-bearing maneuvers. The forms can be performed in a quick controlled pace to raise the heart rate and induce a greater aerobic intensity. Similarly, muscular effort can be increased by emphasizing knee bends, arms swings, twisting of the trunk and overall body recruitment when carrying out and finishing the forms. While the movements may look simple, proper execution of forms take months of practice. Since Tai Chi creates a state of tranquility, calmness and relaxation it is best to perform the activity on days off from your regular workouts. Depending on how much time you want to dedicate to exercise per week, you have a number of options to consider when planning your session. For example, if you perform an integrated circuit training or peak-intensive workout every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, you can incorporate a Tai Chi session on Tuesday and Saturday. Alternatively, you may complete the circuit on Monday and Thursday, followed by a short 20-minute cardio session on both days, and practice Tai Chi on Tuesday and Friday. It is absolutely up to you. Just remember… Give yourself ample time for rest, recuperation and regeneration.

Traditions…

The ancient Taoists were renowned for their study of the arts of health and longevity. The gentle movements of Taoist Tai Chi convey the essence of this tradition to the modern world. In over 25 countries around the globe, people are enjoying the many benefits of practicing Taoist Tai Chi in friendly atmospheric locales. Life is about balancing tasks while nourishing your mind, body and spirit. Combined with a proper fitness training program and nutrition, Tai Chi can provide the alternative form of movement that you have been searching for. Using a phase-based training approach, Tai Chi is a valuable form of exercise to help relax your body and replenish your energy stores from the intense fitness workouts you are accustomed to, so good luck and may God bless each and everyone of you.

As we grow older we, experience higher risks of heart disease, cholesterol increase, weaken joints, muscles, and so on. Most people who experience illnesses often feel frustrated and experience feelings of despair. People who suffer illnesses or tragedies unfortunately set themselves up, saying, “It can’t happen to me.” It can happen to any of us, which is why we should take the steps in our youth to prevent illnesses and tragedies.

Many of us fail to take the steps in our youth. It hinders us to a large degree, yet we have options regardless of what we endure.

According to experts in aging and heart disease is rising higher these days than ever. The aging progression alone slowly builds up through impulsive changes of the body and mind. The maturity phase carries on starting at childhood as the person works through puberty, teenage and so on. At this time the body and minds starts to decline. As the person reaches mid-age or moves into advanced aging, the person starts to decline its natural physical functions.

Aging alone starts as we are born and carries throughout our life. Through the process, the body has positive reflections on our bodily components and development, yet as we age negative effects take fold, which include the declining phase.

According to experts in medicine, no one can determine when our body becomes aged. At one time people 65 and older where considered the aged, yet today people are working further on than 65 years of age. In short, people are working in the 70s, 80s and even 90 years of age today, which returned a different view on the aged.

Still, millions of American citizens are falling victim to heart disease, strokes, etc. What can they do?

How to relieve emotional strikes after a heart attack:
If you’ve experienced a heart attack, likely you feel frustrated, hopeless, etc. The emotions are common after any illnesses, yet you must take steps to control these negative emotions, since it only causes stress on your body. The stress will wear you down and perhaps lead to another heart attack. Let’s stop it now. After illnesses, including heart attack learn to focus on the day, instead of yesterday and tomorrow. You only have control of each day you live. Instead of sweating weeks ahead, try doing something you enjoy. Walking is a great way to reduce the risks of heart attacks. You can also visit friends or family members that make you feel good about you.

Support is essential. If you have support, you will have friends and family members who will open their minds to your feelings. You should never allow your feelings to linger in your own mind without expressing what you feel. Express your feelings to people you trust. Take time to listen to them and let these people know what you need. For instance, if you just need a friendly ear, then let them know. Holding back emotions leads to soaring complications.
If you can find support groups in your area that is experiencing the same thing as you, then join the team. The support will help you to share information with people who understand what you are going through. It is frustrating to express feelings with people who have not experienced similar illnesses or experiences as you. Try to find someone that you can relate to and speak your feelings.

Exercise:
Exercise is the leading element we have offered to us in life that helps to reduce any disease, emotional reactions and so on. When you sit around feeling anxious, depressed, or despaired, you are working toward worse health conditions. Reverse your actions and take the steps to live longer by exercising each day.

Working is a good way to stay on top of your health. Many things about working make a person feel good both inside and out. Knowing that you can do something to make a difference in peoples lives is a great inter feeling.

How does working make me happy?
Working will keep you healthy by keeping you in shape so you can maintain. Working forces the brain to continue processing, which is good when one is trying to say healthy. Work boosts your self-esteem. Your self-esteem when satisfied will be so high you will not know what to do with it. You won’t feel depressed, since the stress is less on you. Just knowing that you are going to meet your bills on time will give you a peace of mind.

There is a lot of reason why you should work to stay healthy. Take someone that does not work. These people are always sick and depressed, stressed out and not knowing which direction to turn. However, if they were working they would be feeling like a new person that can walk over a mountaintop. If your working you doesn’t have, time to sit and stress over things like paying your bills. You know that you will be able to pay them on time. In addition, you will not be stressing about things that you can’t change in life like maybe a bad marriage, or the children moving out of the house. You will be able to go to work and come home a new person and love the change.

What can stress do to you?
Stress can do a lot to your mental as we as physical reactions. You have to be able to control your stress to avoid illness. Being stressed out all the time can cause you to go into a depression and not be able to get out without your doctors help.

When you feel stressed, it often brings you down. You feel worn and often feel like nothing in life will help. Stress begins to burden you, which affects your health and in time, you will not have control if you do not take control now.

Stress will cause you to lose weight or even gain weight. Stress can cause headaches, which seems to continue. As you allow stress to take over, it gradually breaks down your immunity system. This is when you experience sickness, colds, flu etc. Depression follows symptoms appear similar to common stress. At this point the mind takes over, playing tricks to confuse you further.

Some of the things that depression can cause are either too much sleep where all you do is sleep or not enough sleep making it hard to sleep. You will find it hard to achieve a good night sleep. Now we see fatigue during wake hours accumulating.

Some people that are depressed gain weight. Often they sit around sinking in self-pity, which means activities are out of the question. Now the muscles start to deteriorate, since these natural sources need activities to survive. As the depression continues, the person starts binge eating, or not eating enough foods. Now we have a problem, since the intestines, and other vital organs will sustain damage.

The person often feels saggy, Nagy, and unwilling to exercise. Now we have more problems. Can anyone say Hello Obesity? As you can see, in the end it pays to work, since you will feel better about you. The muscles and joints require consistent movement to promote health. Learn how you can keep those muscles and joints happy by learning more about healthy aging.

Back pain is caused from a variety of problems including “Acute Pulmonary Edema.” Edema builds up abnormal and excessive fluids that cause serious actions to the tissue cells. What happens is similar to over watering plants. The plant will swell and gradually wither away.Edema in acute stages is defined as heart failure to one side, yet the problem extends to cause pain in the back. What occurs is when the heart is interrupted; it channels the fluids to tubes, vessels, ducts, and passageways that extend to the lungs.

Causes of edema:
Edema may arise from inhaling smoke, MI, CHF, Myocarditis, excessive I.V. intakes of fluid, Valvular disease, overdose of drugs, such as morphine, barbiturates, and heroin. Acute edema arises from ARDS (Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome) and Atherosclerosis.

The lack of heart pumping can cause stress to the chest, which when the chest is scarred it affects the spines structure and mobility. Overarching the back is where back pain starts, since the chest is restricted from scarring and/or edema.

Experts will often use X-rays, ABG tests, ECG, and monitor Homodynamic to discover edema. Of course, edema can lead to major problems, such as Hypernatremia, Digoxin Toxicity, Hypokalemia, Excessive Fluid, and Pulmonary Blockage of the arteries, (Embolism), which starts blood clotting and affects blood circulation. Hypokalemia will decrease potassium intake that is required by blood. What happens is the decrease of potassium to the blood causes excessive excretion of fluids that lead to the muscles, which cause weakness. The back pain is not necessary the issue at this stage, since the heart is the starting point, which could lead to cardiac arrest.

When acute edema is present, experts will often restrict fluid intake, while administering I.V. fluids to substitute. Oxygen and meds are prescribed. Often the doctor will request that the patient remain consistent in a high position, such as “Fowler’s.”

Symptoms:
Edema may present fatigue, coughing, JVD, Hypophysis, murmurs, Orthopnea, one-side heart failure (Right often), low output of cardiac, exerted Dyspnea, and so on. The condition can cause various other symptoms to emerge as well.

Experts will request that the patient limit fluid intake, and join in oxygen therapy. Since edema causes excessive fluid buildup, isometric exercises, and bed, rest is required. Isometric workouts is the process of pushing muscles next to a sturdy surface, whereas the muscles are put under tension, yet restricted from contractions. The exercises are recommended in a variety of medical treatments when back pain is involved.

Edema also affects the joints, cartilages, muscles etc, which can cause tenderness, ulcers of the legs, changes of stasis, and so forth. Edema affects the veins found in the neck as well, which is one of the leading starts of back pain. To avoid traveling into the heart cavity and discussing heart conditions, I will sum up edema and the causes of back pain.

As I mentioned earlier, back pain starts with edema since when the heart is not pumping blood it affects the connective tissues, ligaments, tendons, muscles, cells, joints, etc. As you can see, when the skeleton elements are targeted pain will occur from swelling and inflammation. The cause of back pain then starts with excessive fluid buildup emerging from acute edema and/or peripheral edema conditions.

To learn more about edema and back pain consider tendons, ligaments, disks, joints, connective tissues, neurological disorders, and so on.

Back pain has affected millions of people, yet the leading causes emerge from nerve and musculoskeletal disorders. Still, many diseases and disorders can cause back pain, including edema. In fact, when doctors discover musculoskeletal and nerve disorders, they often link one of the potential causes to edema.

Have you ever thought what you would do without your Grandmom ? She’s the one that always stands beside us and gives us the cookies on the side? She fills in when Mom can’t. She’s the one that will spoil us rotten given half a chance. God thought enough of us to give us three earthly Guardian Angels if we are lucky enough when we are born all three are living. So many times, we forget Grandmom on Mother’s Day.

I am following my guidance in the writing of this article because Grandmom’s need to be exalted…not forgotten. Remember what I stated previously… God loves us enough that we are personally given this earthly Guardian Angel. Think about this for a moment… allow the monumental impact of that statement to sink in and all that encompasses. The one person that will always love you no matter what. As we get older we don’t think we need Grandmom quite as much as we did before and we generally take her for granted … She will always be here? She’s behind the times. Maybe sitting in a nursing home hoping someone will remember she is there. Will they come today? Will they call today? Do I matter anymore? Is it any wonder our elderly suffer from so much depression?

Grandmom’s are still Mom’s… they have a son or a daughter that happens to be your Mother or Father… then they have a Grandson or a Granddaughter that happens to be you. You have always come first with her. The apple of her eye. The one she could do all the things with that she didn’t have time with your Father or Mother because she was busy raising them full time… She loves you with unconditional love… remember that.

So you may have let her down once or twice, did she let you know or just give you a hug and a kiss and look upon you with those loving eyes of her’s?

Mother’s day is coming up May 8th. and what will you do for your Grandmom ? Will you remember to pick up the telephone to make the long distance telephone call to Grandmom who is now in the nursing home or lives just around the block that you haven’t seen or talked to in several weeks? Maybe Granddad isn’t here anymore and she could be very lonely, no matter the conditions take the time to reach out. Grandmom won’t be here forever and there may not be many tomorrow’s so let her know she is loved.

Will you remember to order, purchase or make a special gift for her? To send her a Mother’s Day card that isn’t an e-mail? To get in the car and make the 3 hour trip to Grandmom’s to just let her know how special she is to you… loved, honored and respected…

Remember…

God loves us enough that we are personally given an earthly Guardian Angel…

‘Grandmom’

One of God’s greatest gifts to us.

Let you be the reason for the smile on her face and the glow in her heart… you remembered.

Socrates was once asked by a pupil, this question: “What kind of people shall we be when we reach Elysium?”

And the answer was this: “We shall be the same kind of people that we were here.”

If there is a life after this, we are preparing for it now, just as I am today preparing for my life tomorrow.

What kind of a man shall I be tomorrow? Oh, about the same kind of a man that I am now. The kind of a man that I shall be next month depends upon the kind of a man that I have been this month.

If I am miserable today, it is not within the round of probabilities that I shall be supremely happy tomorrow. Heaven is a habit. And if we are going to Heaven we would better be getting used to it.

Life is a preparation for the future; and the best preparation for the future is to live as if there were none.

We are preparing all the time for old age. The two things that make old age beautiful are resignation and a just consideration for the rights of others.

In the play of Ivan the Terrible, the interest centers around one man, the Czar Ivan. If anybody but Richard Mansfield played the part, there would be nothing in it. We simply get a glimpse into the life of a tyrant who has run the full gamut of goosedom, grumpiness, selfishness and grouch. Incidentally this man had the power to put other men to death, and this he does and has done as his whim and temper might dictate. He has been vindictive, cruel, quarrelsome, tyrannical and terrible. Now that he feels the approach of death, he would make his peace with God. But he has delayed that matter too long. He didn’t realize in youth and middle life that he was then preparing for old age.

Man is the result of cause and effect, and the causes are to a degree in our hands. Life is a fluid, and well has it been called the stream of life we are going, flowing somewhere. Strip Ivan of his robes and crown, and he might be an old farmer and live in Ebenezer. Every town and village has its Ivan. To be an Ivan, just turn your temper loose and practise cruelty on any person or thing within your reach, and the result will be a sure preparation for a querulous, quarrelsome, pickety, snipity, fussy and foolish old age, accented with many outbursts of wrath that are terrible in their futility and ineffectiveness.

Babyhood has no monopoly on the tantrum. The characters of King Lear and Ivan the Terrible have much in common. One might almost believe that the writer of Ivan had felt the incompleteness of Lear, and had seen the absurdity of making a melodramatic bid for sympathy in behalf of this old man thrust out by his daughters.

Lear, the troublesome, Lear to whose limber tongue there was constantly leaping words unprintable and names of tar, deserves no soft pity at our hands. All his life he had been training his three daughters for exactly the treatment he was to receive. All his life Lear had been lubricating the chute that was to give him a quick ride out into that black midnight storm.

“Oh, how sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child,” he cries.

There is something quite as bad as a thankless child, and that is a thankless parent an irate, irascible parent who possesses an underground vocabulary and a disposition to use it.

The false note in Lear lies in giving to him a daughter like Cordelia. Tolstoy and Mansfield ring true, and Ivan the Terrible is what he is without apology, excuse or explanation. Take it or leave it if you do not like plays of this kind, go to see Vaudeville.

Mansfield’s Ivan is terrible. The Czar is not old in years not over seventy but you can see that Death is sniffing close upon his track. Ivan has lost the power of repose. He cannot listen, weigh and decide he has no thought or consideration for any man or thing this is his habit of life. His bony hands are never still the fingers open and shut, and pick at things eternally. He fumbles the cross on his breast, adjusts his jewels, scratches his cosmos, plays the devil’s tattoo, gets up nervously and looks behind the throne, holds his breath to listen. When people address him, he damns them savagely if they kneel, and if they stand upright he accuses them of lack of respect. He asks that he be relieved from the cares of state, and then trembles for fear his people will take him at his word. When asked to remain ruler of Russia he proceeds to curse his councilors and accuses them of loading him with burdens that they themselves would not endeavor to bear.

He is a victim of amor senilis, and right here if Mansfield took one step more his realism would be appalling, but he stops in time and suggests what he dares not express. This tottering, doddering, slobbering, sniffling old man is in love he is about to wed a young, beautiful girl. He selects jewels for her he makes remarks about what would become her beauty, jeers and laughs in cracked falsetto. In the animality of youth there is something pleasing it is natural but the vices of an old man, when they have become only mental, are most revolting.

The people about Ivan are in mortal terror of him, for he is still the absolute monarch he has the power to promote or disgrace, to take their lives or let them go free. They laugh when he laughs, cry when he does, and watch his fleeting moods with thumping hearts.

He is intensely religious and affects the robe and cowl of a priest. Around his neck hangs the crucifix. His fear is that he will die with no opportunity of confession and absolution. He prays to High Heaven every moment, kisses the cross, and his toothless old mouth interjects prayers to God and curses on man in the same breath.

If any one is talking to him he looks the other way, slips down until his shoulders occupy the throne, scratches his leg, and keeps up a running comment of insult “Aye,” “Oh,” “Of course,” “Certainly,” “Ugh,” “Listen to him now!” There is a comedy side to all this which relieves the tragedy and keeps the play from becoming disgusting.

Glimpses of Ivan’s past are given in his jerky confessions he is the most miserable and unhappy of men, and you behold that he is reaping as he has sown.

All his life he has been preparing for this. Each day has been a preparation for the next. Ivan dies in a fit of wrath, hurling curses on his family and court dies in a fit of wrath into which he has been purposely taunted by a man who knows that the outburst is certain to kill the weakened monarch.

Where does Ivan the Terrible go when Death closes his eyes?

I know not. But this I believe: No confessional can absolve him no priest benefit him no God forgive him. He has damned himself, and he began the work in youth. He was getting ready all his life for this old age, and this old age was getting ready for the fifth act.

The playwright does not say so, Mansfield does not say so, but this is the lesson: Hate is a poison wrath is a toxin sensuality leads to death clutching selfishness is a lighting of the fires of hell. It is all a preparation cause and effect.

If you are ever absolved, you must absolve yourself, for no one else can. And the sooner you begin, the better.

We often hear of the beauties of old age, but the only old age that is beautiful is the one the man has long been preparing for by living a beautiful life. Every one of us are right now preparing for old age.

There may be a substitute somewhere in the world for Good Nature, but I do not know where it can be found.

The secret of salvation is this: Keep Sweet.

No stair lifts and 18 years of full time caring of my disabled sweetheart (she died Sept 2004) I can barely walk because of serious arm and back pain. Had I taken more time and good advise from folks around me I’d be in much better condition today for sure.

Years ago when all this started I couldn’t afford the various devices that were available. I wish I could’ve had a stair lift and medical equipment support for transporting and lifting along with proper training. Shopping for these items and buying online now days is easy.

Medicare didn’t and still in most cases doesn’t help much financially and the H.M.O’s don’t seem too interested in helping either. I felt as though their mission was to get rid of me and not spend any money. Nevertheless, today you can purchase all sorts of products for the disabled including wheelchairs, electric, manual, curved, handicapped home lifting equipment.

Moving around the home has never been easier with stair glide lifts. You’re even shown on website’s how to measure a person, so ordering the right size is no mishap.

With great money back guarantee’s you needn’t be worried about refunds if you’re not satisfied with your purchase. That’s really a great feature putting us at ease especially where the money is a major issue to start with.

You’ll also be able to call an 800# for free professional help – better than by going to the medical office for sure. These people make it their business helping the care providers, patients, professional medical providers get the proper lift for your needs.

Ramps, wheelchairs, beds, walkers, bath safety make up a range of marvelous support tools that are a serious absolute must not matter the expense.

Power mobility equipment can be a life saver for sure and a stair lift should be on top of everyone’s list. As I age, the probable medicare and insurance supplement expense for me could’ve been minimized with a little better sensitivity to plight of the average caregiver.

I am reminded time after time of the profound effect Angels have on people. Recently, I have been receiving many
emails containing examples of how the Angels are reaching through the veils to assist the elderly. The elderly respond to Angel Paintings with a knowingness of love and illumination that comes from within them. Sometimes the reactions have been as though they are recognizing an old friend.

One example was a client emailing me to let me know of the response of woman who suffered from Alzheimer’s. The response
to the Angel painting that had been commissioned was very profound from my understanding. The woman took one
look at the painting, reached for it and refused to be parted with it and for the rest of the day had to keep it in her lap
as she was wheeled around in her wheelchair.

Another email stated:

Sharae,

As you know, your angelic paintings of our Guardian Angels have, from the day we received them, blessed all of our lives in one way or the other. Upon receipt of Marge’s (My Mother) we were all stunned to see the uncanny parallels in what you were given to paint by the angels and what is actual reality. The colors, the subject, the roses!!! As you have learned, she had a stroke 2 years ago and this painting has provided her with an everlasting source of inspiration and hope. She has it hung in her bedroom so that she may look at her angel when she nods off to sleep at night and when she first awakes in the morning.

This painting speaks volumes to her and keeps her motivated to continue therapy and to trudge on when all seems lost. She is doing very well! Ray’s (My Father) has also provided him with the strength to not only take care of my mother but gives him the where withall to still take care of himself, his family and his business. He too has his angel next to my Mother’s in that he can see it before nodding off at night and again in the morning when he awakes. I really, honestly, know that these angels; that have been presented to them through you, have helped them more than anyone could possibly imagine. Again, they are a source of constant inspiration and they have provided many wonderful thoughts and actions upon all who see them.

My parents mean the world to me and I thank you from the depths of my heart for being the link to actually seeing their angels. I know that we are not in control of many things that happen to us in life, however, just in knowing … and seeing … that we all do have guardian angels that are there for us, definitely helps to put things into perspective and yields a very positive attitude towards life. How could it not? Sometimes we cannot see the forest through the trees … with the light that you have shined on my family we are not only seeing the forest but we now know that we are part of the whole process of life and take nothing for granted. For each day is a very special one and thanks to you, we know, even when we are “alone” we are never alone.

There will almost absolutely come a day when your parents and/grandparents will need YOU. When this time comes, they will probably not admit that they need YOU or ANYONE, but in reality, they will definitely need SOMEONE.

It’s actually quite similar to the days when you were a tiny baby and you needed them to: survive every day; have help going to the bathroom; be fed a good meal; take a real bath; get dressed appropriately; etc…

You may not remember those days with convincing clarity, but you do know that they existed regardless of what you actually recall.

Your parents/grandparents, (the people who raised you, fed you, took care of you, gave you shelter, gave you love and support…), will someday grow older and NEED you.

Are you ready? Do you have a clue what this involves?
Bottom line (if you choose to distance yourself from this natural occurence) is that you have to find the best nursing home/assisted living facility in your area that is suitable for your parent(s)/grandparent(s)…

I have more advice on how to choose the BEST home outside of your home for your parents/grandparents later…

However, if you are at all like me, and you choose to become your parents/grandparents’ caretaker, the story is entirely different…

You will need a number of material things, as well as a diverse range of emotions, an undisputed grasp on reality (if that’s possible), the ability to put someone (other than your child/children) totally before yourself…

1) Remember that THEY MADE YOU who you are today…

They took care of your every basic need for at least five to ten years… They changed your diaper, gave you a bath, rocked you to sleep at night, ran to your crib in the middle of the night if you were crying… and MUCH MORE – Think about it…

2) Consider the fact that they probably did WITHOUT luxuries

like vacations, new furniture, the latest clothing styles, the best vehicles, etc… so that they COULD GIVE YOU THE BEST there was to give…

3) Do not forget that without them, you would not be here.

They CHOSE to have you, to BRING YOU into this world… What can be a more significant sign of love than that?

4) Think about how different and probably HARD life was for them compared to how they made life for you…

It’s natural for a parent to want and/or try to give their child/children more or better than what they had growing up… but DO you REALLY appreciate and/or acknowledge this?

5) Your parents/grandparents unarguably made sacrifices in their lives, so that you could have a better life…

Don’t you think you should do the same?

How can you give them back what they gave to you?

If you choose to put them in a nursing home/assisted living facility, make it your business to FIND the BEST one there is in your area. Make sure you VISIT your parents/grandparents REGULARLY (atleast once or twice a week…)

Get involved at the facility that you chose for them, VOLUNTEER your time and/or donate extra supplies etc…

If you decide to keep your parents/grandparents at home with you, make sure you accommodate their basic needs (ie. wheelchair ramp, hospital bed, assisted in-home nursing care, proper diet, adequate exercise, etc…)

Remember that they’re hurting a lot more than you are and a lot more than they’ll probably ever tell you. They made a tremendous effort to make your life relatively easy when you were growing up, the least they deserve is to have a life that is comparably comfortable as they live out their golden years.

And for the small percentage of people who read this article and think “My parents/grandparents did not do anything for me growing up…” or “They made my life miserable…” or “They could have done a lot more for me when I was a kid…” etc…

Consider this, you made it to where you are today without their “unconditional love and support” that I described, so although you may not feel that you “owe” them anything…

Maybe you should be a bigger person and reach out to help them in any way you can, in ways that you feel they did not help you… Maybe you will get to know them in a different way, on a different level… and perhaps you will even come to understand why they made the choices they made when you were a child…

If you don’t try to reach out to them now, you may never have the chance again.

Once they’re gone, you will never be able to get answers to any of your lingering questions…

1) What does Adrian Mitchell say we do to people when their working lives are over?

Adrian says that “when a man’s too ill to work we punish him”, rob him of half his income or replace it with “pocket money” and or place him in a retirement home to sit out the remainder of his live in isolation.

2) What does he think about this?

Adrian thinks that “the old people are being robbed” and says “to hell with retiring” he believes that the way that deal with old people (to have your ability to sport yourself removed and then being given “pocket money”). is an insult; He thinks that this is backboards, that the retired should have more money that before retirement.

3) Describe the impression he gives of retirement homes?

In the image of the text, a retirement home is a “basement”, a dilapidated old building with “fungus” growing up the walls.

Nothing happens or ever moves “except the raught and the light and darkgrey figures” and the cat. A place where the “food” is so bad that an animal would reject it, a place where what is not dead is waiting to die, if not from the effects of time, but from the lack of stimulation.

3) How would he treat old people?

Adrian would give the retired “the freedom they always heard about”, give them the money to live out the remainder of there lives in comfit and dignity.

4) The poet uses exaggeration to make his point. Find a couple of places where he does this and describe the effects it has.

[1] The description of the food available in retirement homes “the meat tastes of feet”.

[2] The description of the type of activities that we should offer the retired “Print her a ticket to the universe, let her slum-white skin be tanned by a dozen different planets”

Such exaggerations like the above, make the text more interesting to read as apposed to using factual arrangement alone, give the text more substance as they offer the rearer points of reference to which they can relate to.

They also draw attention to the opinions of the writer (the food being bad and that the retired should be given the means to do as they please), being out of content in relation to the waiting they stand out.