Exercise Is Key for Brain and Mental Health, Too

How do you feel today? By Susan Fink www.trainwithsusan.com It’s a simple question that can bring a lot of different responses, right? You might say, “I feel great – had a checkup with the doctor yesterday and everything’s good.” Or, “I feel kinda crabby… Didn’t get much sleep last night.” Or even, “I feel tired […]

Grandma & Great Grandma

Grandma & Great Grandma Susan Fink Personal Trainer www.trainwithsusan.com My mother is a grandmother of five and a great-grandmother of three. At 91, she still volunteers, plays mah jongg, and, as you can see above, participates in water exercise on a regular basis. She is a breast cancer survivor and has both knee and shoulder […]

The Outside Looking In

This is one of my favorite views in my house. It’s taken from the perspective of my leather recliner looking through the living room into the dining room. I sit in this chair each morning and watch the sun rays  fill the dining room with light  while I contemplate the day, meditate, pray, drink my […]

Self-Care: A Lost Art

I’m in many online groups. It’s a way to see what the “hot” topic is, learn about new tools and strategies and connect with others who have common interests. One group had the following post the other day “Every few years popular buzzwords come around and get overused. Anyone else ever tired of hearing/seeing certain […]

Three Great Reasons to Create Beautiful Memories With Your Elderly Parents

Providing care for your elderly parents can be demanding, but it can have joyous opportunities. Here’s some motivation for creating positive memories with your parents, as well as practical ways to get started. Making Family Memories Improves the Quality of Life. Older people benefit from remaining mentally active and connected to others. Help them share […]

LA Elderly Resources

LA Elderly Resources It is stressful enough caring for an elderly loved one. Take a peek into the world of acronyms, abbreviations, and definitions for eldercare. Placements of Care SNF-Skilled Nursing Facility Setting with nurses capable of more involved care like administering medication, tending to wounds, tube feeding (enteral feeding) among other procedures. ALF- Assisted […]

The Blessing of a Used Book

As it became more clear that the pandemic would be around for a while, I began to think more critically about how I use my time in positive ways. I continued to engage in the common practices–exercise, time in nature, organizing closets, finding new recipes to try etc. All have become part of my household […]

How Can I Prevent Caregiver Burnout?

Being a caregiver to an elderly client/ loved one can sometimes feel like an exhausting endeavor.  Here are some steps you can take to help prevent caregiver burnout: Find someone you trust — such as a friend, co-worker, or neighbor — to talk to about your feelings and frustrations. Set realistic goals, accept that you […]

Compassion Fatigue: When Caregivers Go Beyond Burnout

Most caregivers experience times when the fatigue and frustration of providing care for a loved one can border on caregiver burnout. Even though I’ve handled caring for multiple elders and their unique needs reasonably well, there have been moments when I’ve wondered how much longer I could keep it up. During those times, I came […]