Last Thursday, we experienced the summer Solstice here in Ada, Michigan. Daylight was 15 hours and 22 minutes. The sunrise has moved east behind our little woods.
With days starting to shorten, I become melancholy thinking about time passing. A life is made up of memories, good, bad and ugly ones. But what about friends and family members that are living with dementia? How do we interact with a good friend who no longer knows us. A sibling with sensory and cognitive losses or a spouse who needs help recalling events from the recent past?
We will all age and change. How can we age gracefully?
Cultivate a sense of humor. As a speech pathologist, I find it hard to allow my brain to sift through words to find the correct one. Often, the word is a similar sounding word. I find that relaxing and given time, I will say the word I want.
Losing where your body is located in relation to a room layout can be frustrating. Moving to find a piece of furniture or rug can give a person an anchor. Don’t hurry. My worst accidents have happened when I was distracted. For example, I was walking and looking at my new I phone. I ran into an open door and bounced backward falling to the floor and breaking my hip.
Tackle harder tasks early in the day when you are rested and not stressed. If you are tired or upset, take a break or short nap.
Above all, know you can still do many tasks, but they will take longer and use your energy.
Each day I center my thoughts to accomplish one task. Taking time to enjoy the work. There will always be something on the “to do list.”
Take time to talk to a friend. Listen without trying to fix the problem. Just be supportive. It will be time well spent.
Feeling better after completing my blog, I can go for a bike ride.
A bicycle built for two
A marriage is a bicycle for two
balancing in the shared ride.
we alternate who is in the driver’s seat
as the other takes the stoker’s
supporting role
Different strengths, overcome deficits
move as one, through this day.
We will worry about tomorrow another day.
Carolaspot@aol.com June 28, 2023
traveling up and down the blind highway 