Leggo Your Ego

From the time we are born to this very moment, our subconscious mind is recording what happens in our lives. The actions, reactions, thoughts and opinions expressed by others become embedded in who we think ourselves to be. These messages get played back hundreds of times during the day. Don't talk to strangers is an appropriate message for a four-year old, but not for a 24-year old about to walk into a job interview.

The Ego is us operating from this small sense of self. The True Self is the part of us that is beyond time and space, expansive, motivated by love, forgiveness, compassion and generosity.

The path from Ego to True Self lies in our consciousness -our awareness of the Ego's actions and taking alternate decisions. Perhaps your Ego tells you not to share a new idea with your colleagues because someone might steal or run away with it. Your True Self knows sharing the idea will make it bigger and help create a more powerful impact as a result. Your True Self also knows when to speak and when to hold silence.

There's freedom and power in your choice. When you decide based on previous experience, you will get some version of what has always happened. When you choose from a place of clarity, you hold the door open for a whole new range or possibility. The Ego is a little uncomfortable with that and you may hear a little voice shout out random warnings. Go through with it anyway. Give yourself the gift of opportunity, possibility and a new version of your life.

Meditation is a powerful way to adjust the Ego and clear the subconscious mind. Try this one:

By: Salimah Kassim-Lakha, Health & Yoga Expert at Agecomfort.org Health Care Resource Centre

Photo Credit: Martin Long

Every Day Living with Parkinson’s

Depending upon your age of onset, how you manage the symptoms, and your general health, you can live an active life with Parkinson's. In most cases, one's life is not shortened. However, as you age and as the disease progresses, there will be increased risks. For example, impaired balance can lead to pneumonia. Parkinson's is known as a chronic (long term) condition that will require ongoing monitoring and management to maintain one's quality of life.

Each person with Parkinson's is unique and each person may experience different symptoms. However, since Parkinson's is a progressive condition, symptoms will worsen over time and new ones may appear. It is difficult to estimate how quickly or slowly Parkinson's will progress in each person. It may progress more quickly in people who are older when the symptoms first begin. Parkinson's may progress less quickly when the main symptoms is tremor, especially when it starts on one side.

What approach can I take? 

Learn as much as you can about Parkinson's. Your local Parkinson Society has many resources to help you manage the condition.

Reducing stress in your life will make a difference. Join a Parkinson support group. Some people find yoga and tai chi helpful. Humor can also be a great stress reducer. Staying as active as possible and maintaining a positive attitude is important. Many people find that a creative activity such as painting, singing, playing an instrument, dancing or writing poetry helps. Even if Parkinson's affects your balance, you can still have a balanced life!

What do I need to know to plan my life? 

Take a stock of your life and communicate with those who are close to you (care partner, family, friends).

Work options. Discuss options with your employer, such as adaptive technology or reduced work load. If it becomes necessary, find out if retiring early is an option. Many people who reduce their workloads find they are able to focus on managing their Parkinson's (e.g. more time to keep physically fit).

Finances. Will your benefit/medical plan cover drugs and other expenses, such as speech therapy? Do you have a retirement and/or pension plan? Do you qualify for disability insurance or the disability tax credit? Contact disability professionals before reducing your work hours to determine if this will affect the amount of eligible funding.

Legal and health planning issues. Discuss power of attorney and advance care planning with your family now. Discuss what quality of life means for you. By talking about these issues now, you can impact your care in the future (*Information on advance care planning varies from province to province. Contact your local Parkinson Society for appropriate resources).

Care issues. Seek the care of a neurologist or movement disorder specialist. Together you can develop a care plan that will meet your needs. Monitor your symptoms and communicate any changes so adjustments to medications can be made.

Personal choices. As Parkinson's progresses, you will be faces with making choices about your life. Symptoms and medications can affect your ability to drive safely. Knowing this may happen and planning for it can make the decision easier. You may choose to stop driving.

Are you newly diagnosed? 

The Parkinson's journey will be different for everyone. To help you stay the course, think about what is important to you. Some things to consider may include:

• How you will manage your Parkinson's symptons
• How you will minimize the side effects of medications
• How you will maintain your emotional well-being
• How to ensure you continue your work or hobbies
• How you will maintain relationships with family and friends
• How you will maintain your independence 

Whatever you choose, maintaining your quality of life on a daily basis is important. 

Where can I find information? 

Contact your regional Parkinson Society or visit www.parkinson.ca.

April is Parkinson's Awareness month. Parkinson Society Canada salutes the everyday heroes who demonstrate extraordinary hope.  

By: Grace Ferrari, Parkinson Expert at Agecomfort.org Health Care Resource Centre

Photot Credit: Tim Parkinson

Tips for Caregivers

Parkinson's is a family disease; one that takes a team of involved and supportive loved ones to help a person with Parkinson's thrive. In most cases however, the bulk of responsibility lies with one main care partner -a spouse, a child, or a friend. For this individual, life is changed forever and they must take on many new roles when their loved one is diagnosed with Parkinson's. Theirs is a demanding job involving compromise, encouragement and strength. Their focus is on providing emotional and physical support, advocating on behalf of their loved one, and learning all that they can about Parkinson's disease. 

Lessons Learned

Over and over care partners report similar experienced about the challenges they face. Because of the progressive nature of Parkinson's, a care partner is challenged to know what degree of support their loved one needs at any given time. It is important that a person with Parkinson's is encouraged to speak for themselves and manage their own life for as long as possible; however, the care partner is a key member of the team. The relationship is sometimes described as one that begins as "partner" and evolves into "care provider". 

Here are a few practical steps for care partners to follow: 

1. Be an active member of the team: Attend medical appointments and be involved in every decision about your loved one's care. Research shows that people with actively involved care partners tend to do better. 
2. Ask questions until you understand the answer: Parkinson's is a complex, neurodegenerative disorder and as such, there is a lot to understand. Don't hesitate to ask questions until you feel comfortable that both you and your loved one understand the answer fully -this includes information about medication (what it's for, side effects, when to take, things to avoid). 
3. Keep your loved one honest: People tend to leave out important pieces of information when speaking with their doctor/neurologist either due to embarrassment or they simply think it doesn't matter. It is very important that care partners encourage their loved ones to tell their doctor everything including symptoms, changes in behaviour, other medications or supplements. 
4. Speak up for your loved one: Sometimes people with Parkinson's simply cannot communicate for themselves so care partners must speak up for them. 
5. Know what hospitals and/or care facilities have expertise with Parkinson's disease: Lack of Parkinson's education is the primary complaint that Canadians with Parkinson's and their care partners have about health care professionals coast-to-coast. If you have the opportunity, choose a facility that understands how to best care for someone with Parkinson's disease. 
6. Get to know the nurses: Whether in hospital, a care facility or at the movement disorder clinic, get to know the nurses that will be caring for your loved one. If necessary, explain the importance of administering medications on-time and act as a Parkinson's resource for them -your efforts will not only benefit your loved one, but every person with Parkinson's who needs care in the future. 
7. Take the opportunity to educate: Whether in a hospital, walking down the street or sitting in a restaurant, chances are that some aspect of Parkinson's will draw the attention of others to your loved one. Make the most of the situation by explaining what is happening and letting others know how they can help. 
8. Become an expert about supports & services: Find out what kind of support is available in your community and what the criteria for qualification are (home care, disability, CPP, tax credits). 
9. Befriend another care partner: Having someone who understands your situation can be invaluable. Over 240 Parkinson support groups operate coast-to-coast -simply contact your Parkinson Society Canada regional office to find the group best suited to you. 

You may find additional resources for caregivers online by visiting www.parkinson.ca and clicking on the Living with Parkinson's tab. 

By: Grace Ferrari, Parkinson Expert at Agecomfort.org Health Care Resource Centre

Photo Credit: Rosie O'Beirne

Diet and Nutrition in Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson's is a chronic degenerative neurological disease caused by loss of dopamine in the brain. When the dopamine producing cells die, Parkinson's symptoms appear.

Good nutrition can help you maintain a better level of well-being when you have Parkinson's. The quality of your diet will have an impact on reaching a healthy weight, maintaining optimal energy and providing adequate muscle strength.

There are three main areas of concern for people with Parkinson's: weight loss or gain and constipation.

Weight Loss
Weight loss may occur in up to 70% of people living with Parkinson's. A number of factors may contribute to the problem: difficulty preparing food, including fatigue; problems chewing or swallowing; constipation, reduced appetite perhaps due to loss of sense of smell, depression or changes in cognitive ability.

Weight Gain/Overweight
Some people with Parkinson's may be overweight and this may lead to other health problems. Stringent diets may decrease your energy. Compulsive (binge eating) may be a side effect of Parkinson medications. If you are experiencing this behaviour, tell your neurologist and/or doctor.

Constipation
Your diet can have a significant impact on constipation. Two key dietary recommendations for managing constipation are: eat high fiber foods and drink more fluid. Being constipated can slow the absorption of your Parkinson medication, thereby minimizing its effectiveness. Constipation can be treated. More information is available in the brochure on Constipation (PDF).

Other Helpful Resources
Visit Parkinson Society Canada's website for more information and resources on diet and nutrition related to Parkinson's disease. Contact Parkinson Society Canada to request a free Manual for People Living with Parkinson's Disease and find out about the Progression of Parkinson's Disease (PDF) and other resources for individuals and health professionals.

By: Grace Ferrari, Parkinson Expert at Agecomfort.org Health Care Resource Centre

Photo Credit: Michael Fludkov

Why a Good Night’s Sleep Should be A Priority

In today's hectic and competitive world, many people have relegated little priority to getting a good night's sleep -believing that using every waking moment to work or learn is far more productive and important. The problem with that philosophy is that you are not giving your body enough time to rest, reset and heal because, shorter hours of sleep mean, a lesser quality of sleep.

It is important not only to fall asleep easily, but to maintain sleep long enough (7-8 hours) so that you can reach that all important part of sleep known as REM. So make sure that you set aside this amount of time for sleeping every night. During the night, we cycle through 5 stages of sleep -with each cycle lasting about 90 minutes. We need to sleep long enough to go through these cycles 4-6 times a night because, with each cycle the REM portion gets longer and, it is during that portion of sleep, that we have our deepest and most restful sleep and when our body is able to repair and heal itself, which is so important to maintaining a strong immune system.

REM sleep is also associated with dreaming because it is marked by intense brain activity. That's how you can tell if you achieve REM sleep and have therefore slept sufficient hours. During REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep breathing is more rapid, irregular and shallow, eyes move in different directions and muscles become temporarily paralyzed.

It is believed that during this final stage, the regions of the brain used for thinking, learning, memory consolidation and organizing information are stimulated (like when a computer is re-booted). If you cannot sleep without constantly waking, then you are not getting good sleep and you feel it in the morning and all during your day. It's more important to sleep than to stay up late studying or preparing for a business meeting. Everything should be given its proper time so that you can function at your peak but also maintain a balance in your life.  

By: Tova Greenberg, Sleep Expert at AgeComfort.org Health Care Resource Centre

Putting Lipstick on Grandma at 97

My grandma recently turned 97...in the hospital. She fell and broke her hip, the good one. She will not be going home again.

When I was preparing to visit grandma, I thought to myself what can I do for her that will make her feel wonderful? What does she love in her personal care? Food? Leisure? What are her favourite things in the world?!

Instantly I thought about how important her hair and nails have always been to her so I went to the store and bought a nail file, buffer, nail polish remover and grandma's favourite shade of pink. I also bought hand cream to give her a gentle hand massage. I knew that the family had organized someone to do her hair regularly so I would simply fluff it! I also bought some prewashed mixed berries. Another favourite of grandma's.

As I walked into her hospital room yesterday, she was sitting in a chair wrapped in a blanket. Grandma looked so small and fragile, it was everything I could do to hold back my tears, to smile and pour energy into her room. To make her look and feel beautiful like the grandma I had always known.

Grandma woke as I was setting the bags down, she smiled and said, "Is that you, Kim?", and I hugged her and said, "Yes."

I pulled out the hand cream and pink nail polish and gave her a manicure. She was so excited. Her skin was so thin and cold. I fluffed her hair and then I said, "Grandma, would you like lipstick?".
She says, "Do you think I need it?"
I said, "Absolutely! Shouldn't we always look as good as we can?"
Grandma smiled and said, "Yes, we should."

See, grandma always wore lipstick, so why not now? The only reason  she is not wearing it is because it is hard for her to do it herself. So I searched her drawers...I found several boxes of "Pot of Gold" -the typical hospital present. And then I see her lipstick. I put it on her and then I mix hand cream and lipstick on my hand to make like a cream blush and dab her cheeks Grandma looks like grandma again. She is so beautiful and now she's glowing. My sadness has lifted.       

Just before I leave, grandma says, "I'll have to put my hands on top of the blanket so everyone can see my beautiful nails."

In my 44 years of knowing my grandmother, I have never felt so close to her. I have never touched her like I touched her, cared for her like I cared for her. This gift to my grandmother was a much greater gift to me. I will learn from this experience, share it and cherish this memory forever.

By: Kimbery Irwin, Beauty and Hair Expert at AgeComfort.org Health Care Resource Centre

Photo Credit: Haircuts on Wheels