Last weekend, we contemplated taking my Dad to the ER. (Sidenote: do all medical inconveniences only happen Friday night through Sunday?). After consulting his on-call doctor, the crisis was averted, and we avoided the dreaded trip to the emergency room. As wonderful as modern medicine is, long waits, punctuated by germs and forms, seem endless at the ER.
That's why my ears perked up when I heard this story on NPR last week:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=100823874
An emergency room specifically geared to seniors: What a genius idea! Simple changes make a big difference for seniors who need special care: non-slip floors to minimize falling, low-glare lighting to reduce eye strain, sound-proof walls between exam areas to reduce confusion and noise. Perhaps the most impressive of the changes in this new ER for seniors was the commitment of the staff, all of whom have completed geriatric coursework.
Here's the link from the Maryland newspaper:
http://www.gazette.net/stories/02042009/poolnew190946_32475.shtml
Seems to me we've got infants and children pretty well-cared for in the U.S. healthcare system. Now, let's give seniors the same attention and care, but adjust it to best meet their needs.
Be well.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Red Clay and Blue Sky
Last weekend, it seemed spring had finally arrived, just as the groundhog had predicted. A warm, "blue-sky above-y" kind of day, just perfect for an afternoon ride outdoors.
My Dad and I took the golf cart out, and spent a good portion of the day exploring some farmland. It's been in the family for more than four generations, and is so different from the other flat land around here, with their productive and dusty plots of crops planted in long, endless rows.
This place is different. It's got fresh coldwater springs hidden away, and deep, jaggedy clay terraces, which remind me of a mini Grand Canyon. The road we travel on curves and twists, and bumps along, like a modern-day safari. You forget about cell phones, and email, and newspapers. All you have is the sky above you and the ground below you, and some woods along the boundaries.
It's peaceful here, and my Dad and I are content in our own thoughts. I wonder what he must be thinking about being here again, after so many years away. I wonder if this spot was just how he remembered it. I think of Scarlett O'Hara, and her father reminding her: "This land, it gets in your blood, Katie Scarlett. Land's the only thing that matters."
My Dad and I took the golf cart out, and spent a good portion of the day exploring some farmland. It's been in the family for more than four generations, and is so different from the other flat land around here, with their productive and dusty plots of crops planted in long, endless rows.
This place is different. It's got fresh coldwater springs hidden away, and deep, jaggedy clay terraces, which remind me of a mini Grand Canyon. The road we travel on curves and twists, and bumps along, like a modern-day safari. You forget about cell phones, and email, and newspapers. All you have is the sky above you and the ground below you, and some woods along the boundaries.
It's peaceful here, and my Dad and I are content in our own thoughts. I wonder what he must be thinking about being here again, after so many years away. I wonder if this spot was just how he remembered it. I think of Scarlett O'Hara, and her father reminding her: "This land, it gets in your blood, Katie Scarlett. Land's the only thing that matters."
The Heart's Not in the Freezer
I think I will be cross-stitching this blog title on a pillow soon. Hands down, it just may be the best advice I've ever received.
Earlier this week, I had the privilege of being in the audience of one of the nation's premiere volunteer leaders. A hilarious and smart older woman who has devoted her career to service, she knows well the pleasures and pitfalls of life in the non-profit world.
While we always seem to find time to beat ourselves up over what didn't get done, or what still needs to be done, we must remember: "The heart's not in the freezer." A funny way of saying "Slow it down! Whatever you've got on your to-do list isn't life or death."
I wonder if the aging process is part of God's design to force us over-committed, overprogrammed humans to breathe deep, slow down, and be more in tune to the world around us. By reacting more slowly, we just might be better prepared to meet challenges or opportunities when they head our way.
Be well.
Earlier this week, I had the privilege of being in the audience of one of the nation's premiere volunteer leaders. A hilarious and smart older woman who has devoted her career to service, she knows well the pleasures and pitfalls of life in the non-profit world.
While we always seem to find time to beat ourselves up over what didn't get done, or what still needs to be done, we must remember: "The heart's not in the freezer." A funny way of saying "Slow it down! Whatever you've got on your to-do list isn't life or death."
I wonder if the aging process is part of God's design to force us over-committed, overprogrammed humans to breathe deep, slow down, and be more in tune to the world around us. By reacting more slowly, we just might be better prepared to meet challenges or opportunities when they head our way.
Be well.
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