Added the kettlebell to my morning exercise

My arms and hands are weak, and my fingers struggle to open a package of cheese or squeeze the toothpaste tube. Today I added kettlebells to my morning routine at Lifetime Fitness. I started with 5 lbs, the smallest they had. The kettlebell is a round-shaped steel or cast iron weight, commonly described as resembling a cannonball with a handle. I only walked around the outside of the workout area once, so in case it's not comfortable, I shouldn't feel awful tomorrow. They are much more comfortable than carrying groceries in a sack with handles, which is usually the only weight I carry like that. When I looked it up I found it is a popular sport, especially in Europe and is used in physiotherapy in everything from metabolic syndrome to osteoporosis to hip fractures in the elderly.  I did my usual search for articles, using "ncbi" and elderly.  Not much out there, but in finding a review article I learned some new words, and discovered that what I did this morning is called "farmer's walk" I suppose because you look like you just carried 2 buckets to or from the barn.

For my morning walk around the condo grounds, I've added a water bottle attached to my waist to squirt at dogs that aren't on a leash.  I only met one dog this morning, but she was on a leash.  She looked eager to greet me with a jump on my legs, but fortunately Bobbi my neighbor (her owner) restrained her/him.  They used to have two 15-year-olds of the same breed, but they have died and this friskier one seems to be a rescue and younger.  God bless dog lovers who rescue their pets.

It’s true—Princeton University offers counseling for climate activists who are anxious

“No, it's not a joke, or the Babylon Bee, it's a real website at a real top university, which a number of readers of this blog have probably graduated from or donate money to.

Dialogue Circle: Navigating the Climate Crisis

The climate crisis has been impactful and many have turned to activism and supporting environmental justice movements. This is very meaningful work and can also create a sense of despair, burnout, anger, hopelessness, and other distressing emotions. CPS counselors will help to facilitate a conversation and create a supportive space to process such experiences. 

Mindfulness and Eco-Anxiety

Eco-anxiety is the fear we feel (sometimes acutely, sometimes as an underlying dread) about the climate crisis. Join in a discussion of how you experience eco-anxiety, and how mindfulness can help us respond to it. We’ll discuss managing worry loops, staying compassionate with difficult feelings and purpose-based coping, as well as practice a mindfulness meditation. 

Forest Therapy

Forest therapy provides a chance to connect, slow down, and cope with the stressors of life, including eco-distress and other emotional experiences related to the climate crisis.”

https://johnhcochrane.blogspot.com/2020/02/off-deep-end-navigating-climate-crisis.html

Lakeside 2019, Week 10, and Virtual Reality

Friday is a light day for programming at Lakeside; we had a class on organization (clutter) and cooking tips by Stacy Maple, a chef, on alternate Fridays earlier in the season, but today was the Wellness Fair.

I poked around at a few displays—the Methodists are having an apple dumpling fund raiser (have no idea why this is health related, except it’s fine fellowship and we all need friends and service); Magruder Hospital had a display on the danger of falls, but the ladies didn’t know how to keep my husband off the roof; and there were various “eastern” or meditative or movement programs that I don’t do.

I did, however, discover a new health related business by a woman entrepreneur which can assist hospice patients, shut-ins or nursing home residents reduce their pain, recall pleasant memories, and facilitate conversations with loved ones.  It’s called “Immersive cure; virtual reality solutions.”  Using virtual reality therapy it’s a non-pharmacological way to reduce stress, anxiety, depression and pain with a Gear VR Headset. Originally VR was used primarily for entertainment purposes, but in the last decade medical research has proven it effective for other uses.

As I sat in a chair waiting for the headset to be placed I learned that the CEO, Jessica Benson, of Medina, Ohio, had moved around a bit due to her husband’s career and then through a volunteer position at a hospital came up with this idea to provide personalized virtual experiences for people who are facility bound or too frail to travel.  The option (right now I believe there are 6 one of which is veteran travel to monuments) I used was the “Lakeside experience.” With the gentle sounds of Lake Erie and nature sounds I was transported to the front lawn near the Celtic cross and fountain at Hotel Lakeside looking up, down and around, enjoying lake views and watching people strolling, and some plein air artists (filmed in July).

The kit which Ms. Benson provides includes the headset with controller, a smart phone, headphones, an infection control kit, and case for the equipment. She will educate the staff of the organization that purchases her services. She can also personalize this service for other areas and events that would be familiar for the shut-in.

For more information and comments by users, see Immersivecure.com

"Virtual reality and pain management: current trends and future directions"  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3138477/ 

Sickle cell disease. https://www.healio.com/hematology-oncology/hematology/news/online/%7B5ab0e2a2-6198-4b7e-9420-8dcbff9d958b%7D/virtual-reality-helps-reduce-pain-among-patients-with-sickle-cell-disease

 https://interestingengineering.com/virtual-reality-can-help-relieve-severe-pain-in-patients-study-finds

https://www.gamerevolution.com/tech/417593-vr-labor-pain-study-samsung