After recently becoming the primary caretaker of an injured aging loved one, I am reminded that it is so important to make sure we are in good health now, not just physically, but mentally as well.  Dignity fly’s right out the window when we are unable to take care of our bathroom functions on our own. Imagine for a moment that you cannot reach you bottom area to make use of the toilet paper you have in your one good hand. Then imagine how you must rely on someone to assist you in this area and let’s hope you are lucky enough to have a relative of the same sex who is there and would be kind enough to help you.  Can you also imagine how this would make you feel mentally, to be reduced to such a helpless state?

No matter how much education you learned over the course of your life, or how independent you may been during your lifetime, nothing can prepare you when you are  in a limited helpless physical state. That’s why it so important now to take care of your physical body as best you can.  Begin to do strengthening  exercises for you thighs, so you can get up off a chair or the toilet.  Practice balancing exercises to help your co-ordination should you injure a leg or ankle and need to use a cane or crutches. Try using your non dominate  hand to eat or write with once in a while. Even better, try writing a check and see if your handwriting is  somewhat legible.

While no one can be totally prepared for any sort of accident that can happen any time, we can prepare our bodies to be  in the best limber shape we can be in. I am not suggesting hitting the gym and doing hard core workouts, but try getting up off the couch during commercial breaks and walk around the house or yard.  Or stretch your arms over  your head like you have a basket ball and pretend to throw it in the imaginary hoop a couple of times a day.   You could play trashcan basket ball with the waded up junk mail that arrives daily in your mailbox and really have some fun.   These are just a few suggestions but I think you get the idea.

Mentally you have to prepare to allow yourself  to ask for help once in awhile while you don’t really need it yet.  Let a friend or relative help you move the furniture or help in the garden pulling weeds.  Ask someone to help with the laundry or cook you a meal. But most importantly be appreciative of what you do have, the chance and opportunity to smile at a stranger passing by you.  Or  try putting a grocery cart someone let in the parking lot back in the cart roundup and don’t mentally judge the person who may have had to leave it there for untold reasons.

Most of all, enjoy your life to the fullest, even if that means a remote in one hand and a snack in the other. You have choices and it’s all up to you!  Be a Blessing!