Comments were closed on this post by the time I’d seen it. Hey, it was my anniversary this weekend! No fancy stuff to celebrate, I was battling a respiratory infection. So, not a Whoop-de-doo celebration. Just rest and recuperation. And a lot less online stuff.
I used to be a quick up-and-out person in the mornings. Shower, dress, eat, get my stuff out to the car, and go. In the winter, add 20-30 minutes to that time, to clear the snow off the car and chip away at the ice, if needed.
Husband was generally great about clearing the drive and walkways.
It was more complicated when the kids were little, but I was still on the road to work with one to 1-1/2 hours. With ONE bathroom.
After retirement, I could afford to slow down, but usually did not.
Until the last year.
Why?
It takes longer today:
- More meds, which have to be taken with food.
- Greater need for lengthy breathing treatment, when experiencing respiratory infections, alas, more common since last January.
- It takes longer to “oil my joints” – add a topical like Voltaren , do some walking around and stretching, and gradually get to the point where I can move with need of a cane.
- Breathing exercises
- Vocal exercises – my voice can be rough and scratchy without going through the limbering up exercises. I haven’t lost my voice in MONTHS.
- Check calendar – for appointments, bills that need to be paid, people to call (with lengthy waiting time), check off the tasks completed.
- Check text messages, in case any family member is having a crisis that I need to deal with.
- Check email.
- Once a week tasks, like changing my hearing aid filters (all parts are TINY, and need a fair amount of manual dexterity, which I no longer have), filling my weekly meds box, and mopping, filing, etc.
Today, at this point, 2 hours after crawling out of bed, I’m still working on the above list. Face it, I’m a rusting and obsolete piece of machinery, whose owner is still trying to keep in operation. I’m not alone. There are a lot of those creaky old citizens.
Consider offering a little assistance, if you can. Not just for seniors, but anyone who struggles with manual tasks, or other activities of daily living.
“Solutions”, like Canada’s MAID – Medical “Assistance” in Dying, are NOT the answer.
