Nursing home phones keep families connected

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nursing home phone
quotescoffee.com

Alexander Graham Bell’s dream was for there to be a telephone in every major city. My dream is one day there will be nursing home phones or a similar device in every resident’s room so families can stay connected.

Monta Fleming wrote in her blog post, The Importance of the Phone for the Elderly, “Reliable communication is such a common, ordinary thing that we do not even think about it anymore. The invention of the telephone by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876 revolutionized the way we think about communication. Now, today, we have cell phones and email as well as landlines. But, to many of the elderly, a phone is their only source of communication with the outside world.” This is the case with my Mom who is currently in a nursing home under hospice care.

After Mom entered the nursing home for skilled nursing care on May 17th, I learned she did not have access to a phone in her shared room. Something I did not even consider when I toured the facility and three others. I have since learned that by federal law, nursing home residents have certain rights; one of them is the use of a telephone.

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Living Life Retired website turns three

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Friendship is really not a noun but a verb. Relationships of any kind require attention, energy, and time. If they are not nourished, they lose their value. When we are with our friends, we are always ‘friendshipping.’ That is, we are listening, sharing our own experiences, laughing, comforting each other, and enjoying the present moment. We are telling our friends we love and appreciate them.

–Mary Pipher, Author of Women Rowing North: Navigating Life’s Currents and Flourishing as We Age

Thank you for your readership, support, and caring comments over the past three years. I hope and pray you have been “nourished” and inspired. I consider you as friends. The website turns three today and the founder turns 60!

Since this website provides information and inspiration, I want to tell you about a book I just finished reading. It is Mary Pipher’s new book, Women Rowing North and I highly recommend it. Like the quote above, she tells it like it is and provides much food for thought. The Library Journal’s states, “This is bound to become the bible of baby boomer women.” I agree and the book will make a great retirement gift for yourself or someone you know. Or maybe even a nice birthday gift.

The Table of Contents of Women Rowing North includes these major categories:

  1. Challenges of the Journey
  2. Travel Skills
  3. The People on the Boat
  4. The Northern Lights

This next year I encourage you to share your retirement experiences. If you have a unique story, please email me at LivingLifeRetired16@gmail.com for possible posting on this website. Remember, this site is primarily focused on those of us who are solo retirees.

I love and appreciate you. HAPPY “FRIENDSHIPPING!” and thanks for three great years.

Cabin update – waiting

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It’s been awhile since I have written a cabin update on my mountain property. The reason is heartbreaking really. A year ago my son-in-law and I removed the tongue and groove pine and the rodent infested insulation from the cabin’s interior. We stripped it down to the studs. I signed a contract with a structural engineer to begin work on improving the cabin and adding a septic system. I also got a bid on refurbishing the original 1938 stone fireplace. Everything was working according to plan until I received an email from my ex-husband.

It read, “I am retiring in January.  40 years. Per previous communications, I will be filing to terminate maintenance. I am traveling for the next week.  If we can not come to an agreement, I anticipate we will file for maintenance termination in September with a January effective date.”

It could not have been worse timing. I made an appointment with an attorney to discuss options. His advice was to put off improvements until I knew what my income was going to be and whether I would be able to keep the property. So, I cancelled the contract with the structural engineer and put the fireplace work on hold. I was heartbroken. My childhood dream was possibly going to be taken from me. A dream possibly unfilled. I waited to be served court papers.

And waited.

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“If you want to end your isolation,…

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end-your-isolation
riesphotography.net

you must be honest about what you want at a core level and decide to go after it.” —Martha Beck, best-selling author, life coach and speaker

It has been four years since I retired from teaching full time. Even after all this time, I still struggle with the lack of social interaction and isolation, but I’m working on it.

The high school I taught in was populated with 1500 people; more than many Wyoming towns. It was difficult to find alone time as a teacher. Now, in retirement, it’s just the opposite; lots of alone time. I long for something in between and end the isolation.

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Facebook helped find me after Mom’s fall

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Facebook Messenger on May 7th:

2:15 p.m. “Hi sherry. I think your mom is Irene?”

2:19 p.m. J/M tried to call me through Messenger.

4:08 p.m. “Your moms neighbor.”

5:53 p.m. “Please call me at ____________ it’s about your mom.”

6:18 p.m. I called J/M.

This is how Facebook helped find me after Mom’s fall. My Mom’s neighbors sent me the above alarming messages May 7th on Facebook’s Messenger. They tried several times to reach me to tell me my Mom had fallen in her home and an ambulance transported her to the local hospital. She had been down for approximately 16 hours before they found her, but she was not unconscious. My whole life changed after that 39 minute phone conversation at 6:18 p.m.

I called my daughter, a nurse, right away to tell her the heartbreaking news and then I texted my sister in Oregon. She would have the furthest to travel if she wanted to go to see Mom. Since it was getting late, I would contact my other five siblings in the morning once I found out more information. Worried about what happened and how hurt, inside and out, my Mom was, I had difficulty sleeping.

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Becoming a CASA volunteer

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Tonight, I begin my training to become a CASA volunteer. What’s CASA? It stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates. I have been searching for a meaningful way to make a difference after retiring from teaching and I believe this opportunity is a great fit for me. I’m excited.

Casa Logo
https://casaforchildren.org/

According to the promotional brochure, “The Court Appointed Special Advocates program recruits, trains, and supports volunteers to advocate for children who have been victims of abuse or neglect. CASA volunteers are appointed by judges to represent the best interest of the children. Volunteers visit with the children weekly, gather information from family members, medical professionals, teachers and therapists, and then make recommendations to the court regarding services for and placement of the children.”

In the process of becoming a CASA volunteer, I attended orientation, filled out an application with references, been interviewed, observed court proceedings and had my background checked. Starting tonight, I will complete about 30 hours of training (in person and online). If all goes well I will be sworn in May 29th as a new Larimer County CASA volunteer, but more importantly I can once again make a difference for kids.

If you want to get involved in Larimer County CASA or find out more about it, go to www.casalarimer.com.

When was the last time you had your eyes checked?

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Seeing everyone wearing the latest style of dark plastic eyeglasses made me ask myself when was the last time I had my eyes checked? The answer was over five years ago. So I made an appointment with my optometrist, Dr. Douglas Kiefer and it turned out my prescription had changed and I needed new glasses.

According to the Mayo Clinic, “In general, if you are healthy and you have no symptoms of vision problems, have your eyes checked on this schedule:

eyeglasses
My new eyeglasses!
  • Every five to 10 years in your 20s and 30s
  • Every two to four years from 40 to 54
  • Every one to three years from 55 to 64
  • Every one to two years after age 65

Have your eyes checked more often if you:

  • Wear glasses or contact lenses
  • Have a family history of eye disease or loss of vision
  • Have a chronic disease that puts you at greater risk of eye disease, such as diabetes
  • Take medications that have serious eye side effects.”

I have worn glasses since the fourth grade and I’m 59 so I should have my eyes examined every year or two.

During the exam your doctor may perform several tests:

eyeglasses
  • eye muscle test
  • visual acuity test
  • refraction assessment
  • visual field test (perimetry)
  • color vision testing
  • slit-lamp examination
  • retinal examination
  • screening for glaucoma

“Each test during an eye exam evaluates a different aspect of your vision or eye health. An eye exam helps detect eye problems at their earliest stage — when they’re most treatable. Regular eye exams give your eye care professional a chance to help you correct or adapt to vision changes and provide you with tips on caring for your eyes.” These tests are not expensive given the amount of beneficial information you receive about your overall health.

My eye exam cost $114 without vision insurance. EyeCare America offers seniors free eye exams to qualifying individuals.

So, what are you waiting for? When was the last time you had your eyes checked?