The Way Up When I Feel Down
The Bridge Assisted Living at Longmont
May 18, 2021
Colorado - Boulder County
This COVID season has provided a lot of wonderful opportunities to throw parties! Stick with me here.
For the past 15 months, like you, I've encountered isolation, uncertainty, frustration, as well as a long list of other not-so-good feelings and experiences. Needless to say, I have not always been at my best emotionally. I wanted someone to help me out of my emotional doldrums. So, I decided to throw myself a pity party. I set the date. Decorated my home. Sent the invitations. And no one showed up! Contrary to what we often think we need or want, it is on us to do what is necessary to restore our emotional and mental well-being. The research tells us if you want to feel good, then do good. Doing good to others lights up places in our brains that increase happiness. Doing good connects us with others and we all know that a key to long-term emotional health is relationships. Doing good helps us gain a clearer perspective on the quality of our own life. Doing good is contagious soon others will also join us in doing good. If feels amazing to have a positive impact on those around us and our environment.
"No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted." - Aesop
Doing good is often as easy as "simple kindnesses": looking someone in the eye and saying "hello", opening doors for others, giving your place in the checkout line at a store to the person behind you who has one or two items, stopping to listen to the answer to "how are you?", letting a car in front of you merge on the highway, giving a specific complement to someone for a task well done, using a friend's name often as you talk with them, and the list could go on for pages.
"Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does." - William James
The way up when you feel down is to do good whether you feel like it or not. I invite you to not wait until you feel like acting, rather do good when you don't feel like it and watch what happens to both you and the recipient of your deed. Nike's motto of "Just Do It!" fits here perfectly. What if your level of feeling good is primarily determined by the good you do for others? If you believed this you would probably make it your habit each day to bless someone. Do you want to feel more energized? Then energize someone today. Do you want to feel more connected with others? Then step out and connect to someone on your path today. Do you want to feel more inspired? Then take that risk and inspire someone God places in front of you today.
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." - Theodore Roosevelt
This season of COVID has hit most of us hard these last number of months. Don't wait for others to bring you up. Do good to feel good.
Other Articles You May Like
About Dignity Care
Dignity Care is a homegrown business in Boulder.In the 1990s, Mary Kirk, a registered dietitian, began caregiving for family and relatives. Her husband, Ged, offered a companion travel service for the elderly and disabled. Together they established Dignity Care, LLC in 1997 as a home care business with just two caregivers and a home office.As demand for home care service increased, Mary recruited additional caregivers, but always with an emphasis on the compassionate, respectful, personalized care that was Dignity Cares trademark. Mary created her own approach to senior home care, unique in this area.With this dedication and passion to provide the best caregivers in the Boulder County region, Dignity Care has continued to grow and in 2009 became licensed as a Class A home care provider. We specialize in using Certified Nursing Assistants on our teams so we can bring you the skill and experience you deserve, if you have any questions, please call us at 303-444-4040.
In Home Care Helps Seniors with Depression
Too many seniors grapple with isolation and depression, but these are not a normal part of growing older. They are treatable medical illnesses, much like heart disease or diabetes. Depression is a serious illness affecting approximately 15 out of every 100 adults over age 65 in the United States.Seniors experiencing feelings of depression and isolation have a higher risk of hospital admissions, as well as a higher risk for being scammed. Not to mention it makes for a miserable life.So, what can you do? Helping seniors stay healthy means more than ensuring they get good physical care. Individuals living alone miss out on the stimulation of interactions with others on a regular basis. Our caregivers serve that dual purpose of providing physical care and social connection. We enjoy our clients, building a relationship with them, and sharing the highs and lows of their days. Caregivers can laugh with their clients and be an empathetic ear. We make sure our clients are getting out of the house and attending events and activities that interest them.Hiring a caregiver to help out, even for a couple of hours each week, brings conversation and spark along with the physical help. Caregivers are a good antidote for depression. If you have any questions, please call us at 303-444-4040.
Why Is Staying Hydrated So Difficult for Seniors?
Hot summer days are a good time for everyone to think about staying hydrated. For older adults the topic of hydration is a year-round discussion that never goes away. Its a serious issue for most seniors but doesnt get resolved because it needs to be addressed every day and cant be solved with a pill.Seniors have a very high risk for dehydration, which is one of the most frequent causes of hospitalization after the age of 65. They have a greater risk of dehydration for many reasons, including the fact that as we age, our kidneys become less efficient at conserving fluids, our sense of thirst weakens, and we are less able to adjust to changes in temperature. Some medications like diuretics, sedatives, and laxatives can also cause increased fluid loss.Dehydration can cause temporary symptoms that mimic symptoms of Alzheimers. If dementia-like symptoms seem to appear suddenly, it could be dehydration which is easily curable.Symptoms of dehydration range from minor to severe and include persistent fatigue, muscle weakness, headaches, dizziness, nausea, forgetfulness, confusion, lethargy, increased heart rate, sunken eyes, dry mouth, dark colored urine. Urine should be clear to pale yellow. I tell my clients that if their urine is darker than pale yellow, they should head straight to the kitchen from the bathroom and drink a full glass of water. Keeping a glass of water beside you all day to sip on rarely results in someone drinking enough fluids. Its more effective to drink the entire glass, even if its a small glass. Seniors cant rely on their sense of thirst to tell them when to drink water. Scheduling a glass at each meal and/or after a bathroom visit, making sure to drink the full glass, is the best way to make sure youve gotten your full daily amount.If you have any questions, please call us at 303-444-4040.
Local Services By This Author
The Bridge Assisted Living at Longmont
Assisted Living 2444 Pratt Street, Longmont, Colorado, 80501Comfort and luxury abound at The Bridge, a premier assisted living community. If you or your loved one need a reminder about taking medication or a little help with tasks such as dressing, bathing and grooming, an assisted living community may provide the perfect amount of care. At our location you will find professional staff members working with residents and their family members.