With this being the month of love and hearts , it's definitely appropriate for our Sandwich Generation families to remember the important news for all of us boomers and seniors that it's also American Heart Month! The CDC (Centers for Disease Control Prevention) want to encourage all of us to:

• Get up and get active by being physically active for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week. (playing active games while babysitting grandchildren is a fun way to combine the two )
• Make your calories count by eating a heart-healthy diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables and low in sodium and trans fat. (sets a great example for those grandkids too)
• Take control of your heart health by following your doctor's prescription instructions.

AND

Corinne Ruiz  from The Bakersfield Voice has a terrific challenge for all of us – "Imagine if each person who made a New Year’s resolution knew how to perform CPR and use an automated external defibrillator (AED). Or if, instead of roses, 198 million AEDs were deployed in schools, churches, shopping malls and other public gathering places across the country." Smart ideas, aren't they? It definitely ain't easy with all the other Sandwich Generation issues of life that we have going on, but certainly especially useful for us as we are caregiving.  I am happy to say, I have had CPR training, including the use of the AED. How about you?

Also – something important that I personally discovered recently – if your elderly parent is showing symptoms of high blood pressure, shortness of breath, confusion, or even odd heart beats, be sure to get them checked out at the doctor's right away. Along with any and all other tests they decide to run, I would suggest you ask about a urine test for a UTI (Urinary Tract Infection), as well. We learned that the symptoms of a UTI can be quite different for elderly women than younger and can occasionally include the items I listed. It can be very odd, very frustrating, and very easy to miss – even for medical personnel! It won't hurt to check, and it could save you a lot of time and worry!

And speaking of doctor visits, be sure to check out my latest guest post at EldercareABCblog - Doctor Visits With Our Senior Parents Are Beneficial to All - including in situations like these.

Definitely a heart-y helping of interesting news for all of us boomers and seniors who are caregivers – in OR out of the Sandwich Generation. Have a great day!  

Kaye

Words With Friends - such a fun game for all ages and yes, that includes boomers like us AND many of our senior parents in our Sandwich Generation families.

My senior mom is NOT a "tech-happy" or "tech-interested" person, preferring books, long walks, and gardening any old time. But I have a few other tech-loving seniors in our family and, while not all have iPhones, there are a couple of other fun options for them like:

1. Apple iPad2. Yup! The Words With Friends game apps work on this handy-dandy and senior-friendly gizmo that also lets our senior parents enjoy fun and easy "Face-time" with grandkids, read books in type font that works well with their aging eyes, and even do fun and easy research projects online – like look up the recipe from today's Rachael Ray cooking show. I do not have one of these myself and have only occasionally test driven a friend's, but various reports keep indicating that these are much easier for seniors to use! So, if they have them, they can also enjoy exercising their brains with fun word game apps like Word With Friends.
2. Facebook. Another option that I have NOT tried, and probably won't as I'm quite happy playing on my iPhone. But for a couple of my sweet seniors who don't have iPhones but do have Facebook – this would be an great thing for them to test out, as I'm planning on telling them as soon as I finish typing this. They'll be able to enjoy a fun brain exercise with delightful social notes back and forth.; Definitely a double blessing for them both and others besides.

So how about you and your Sandwich Generation family? Have you tried Words With Friends on Facebook or an iPad? If so, we'd love to hear about it.

Kaye

Words With Friends! My multigenerational Sandwich Generation family is all falling victim to its delightful charms. I have to admit, when I started this game with a friend, I didn't expect to like it as much as I did. I have to warn you, it can be positively addicting. And so much fun. (Can you tell, I LOVE word games.)

A few days after we had started, I was babysitting my local grandchildren and I noticed it was my turn. I had a couple of free minutes, so I picked a word and showed my grandkids what I was doing. They were enthralled, so I let them play the next word. That's how they got hooked and I realized what a fun way this would be to help them work with phonics, reading, spelling, and word vocabulary!

We used my account for a few games, but then the grandkids all wanted their own. It really isn't made for more than one player per iPhone BUT there is one way to do two per iPhone. Download the free Words With Friends game app and sign up with one email address, then upgrade to the paid game app, and sign up on that with a different email address. Since I have an old iPhone that I keep as a babysitting helper when out with the grandkids – loaded with their games, music, and audio books, I was able to do the same on that iPhone as well (and since it's under the same Apple account, there wasn't a second charge) – giving me separate accounts for four of us! (Make sure, of course, that you don't delete the FREE app ).

We are having the best time playing games with each other. My oldest grandkids can usually make their own words, though I occasionally help them with longer ones for more points. My youngest grandkids and I make the words together, practicing sounding out the words and talking about the different sound endings as we make them. That makes them happy as they get higher points and are usually beating me!

Fun times, fun family memories, and fun brain exercise for all ages in our Sandwich Generation family! Have a lovely Pink Saturday visit later today and be sure to check back on Monday for more fun Words With Friends game apps tips and ideas with our LONG DISTANCE grandkids. And…

Kaye

This week I've been writing a lot about one of my favorite new additions to my "best iphone apps for kids and grandkids" – the Words with Friends game apps! And for all of us boomers and seniors it's grand news to realize it's also quite healthy for us in more than one way. Here are just SOME of the great headlines recently:

Kaye

Oh me, oh my, oh goodness gracious. It's been one of THOSE bad news tech weeks here for the boomers and seniors in my house. Well, OK, for me. I finally downloaded iTunes 10.3. I hadn't done it right away, so by the time I did it, they'd upgraded it to 10.3.1 due to issues with 10.3 and even that I waited on. Should have been safe, right? NOT!

I'm not sure WHAT happened but almost all my apps disappeared from my iPhone and won't load back on correctly. I re-installed it and that seemed to help a little. Now I can add them in MANUALLY – at the expense of VALUABLE TIME! Can you tell this Sandwich Generation granny nanny is feeling just. a. bit. FRAZZLED!

I tweeted it out the same day, as well as adding it to Facebook. And I wanted to be sure and let you know here, as well. I would highly recommend holding off a bit longer on the iTunes update. It will probably be fine, but then again, you might wind up with time wasting headaches like me. Whereas waiting a bit shouldn't hurt.  :)

In the meantime I took a few photos of my granddog to compare the iPhone 3gs vs. iPhone 4 and threw in the Canon Powershot camera as well. I used the built-in easy to use digital camera app that came with each iPhone for Sweet Shot Tuesday. I took the photos at the same time in the same room. And only cropped and rotated the pictures. What do you think of the difference?Or is there a difference?

The first photo is my fave digital camera  - my easy to use Canon Powershot digital camera. Next is my AT&T iPhone 3gs that is also quite easy to use. And last, but not least, is a friend's iPhone 4. I personally think the Canon wins, the iPhone 4 is second, but I'm still ok with the iPhone 3gs when I'm busy – at least until it dies and I have to replace it. But so far, other than upgrade glitches, it's working GREAT. So, granddog and Granny Nanny are still happy!

Kaye

Walking up to my front door, keys in hand, I popped the housekey into the lock. As I turned the key, I heard a slight "pop" and felt a burning sensation in my finger. "What in the world did I do?" I thought! "It wasn't even that hard to turn the lock!"

Popping a couple of Motrin and applying ice to my finger, I babied it for the next couple of days. Finally, I headed for the doctor's office, convinced I had somehow managed to sprain or break my poor finger. I was both relieved AND shocked to discover I had done neither. Instead, I received a diagnosis of osteoarthritis! It was scary and frustrating, but after plenty of research, I learned arthritis, including in my fingers, was something that I could deal with and still stay active. Very important for this busy granny nanny!

Important baby boomer and senior citizen news for all of us in the Sandwich Generation is that this is Arthritis Awareness month. Since many of us are caring for elderly parents dealing with one of the forms of arthritis and/or have it ourselves or both, like me –  in addition to my osteoarthritis, my senior mom is now dealing with both osteoarthritis AND bursitis/arthritis in the hip, as are a couple of other beloved seniors in my family – this is definitely an issue that impacts many of us in the Sandwich Generation. Of course, it's not limited to those of us who are senior citizens (or who are flirting with our senior status)! I have a couple of friends in their 30s who are beginning to see signs of it in their hands or feet. And some of us may have grandchildren dealing with juvenile arthritis. It's definitely a subject that impacts all of our Sandwich Generation families.

I just registered at the Arthritis Foundation and discovered several interesting e-newsletters I can receive, along with an interesting article, 25 Treatments for Arthritis Hip and Knee Pain, that I'll be sharing with my mom.  The U.S. government also has some great info on bursitis and tendinitis  at The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases – NIAMS including:

"People get bursitis by overusing a joint. It can also be caused by direct trauma. It usually occurs at the knee or elbow. Kneeling or leaning your elbows on a hard surface for a long time can make bursitis start. Tendinitis usually occurs after repeated injury to a certain area such as the wrist or ankle. Tendons become less flexible with age and become more prone to damage.

Doing the same kinds of movements every day or putting stress on joints increases the risk for both conditions. People like carpenters, gardeners, musicians, and athletes often get bursitis or tendinitis.

Infection, arthritis, gout, thyroid disease, and diabetes can also cause swelling of a bursa or tendon. Both bursitis and tendinitis are more frequent the older you get."

You can read the whole pdf document by clicking here.  

EldercareABC has an interesting article, as well, Understanding and Learning About Elderly Arthritis. And speaking of EldercareABC, you'll also find my latest guest post over there, Easier Tools Can Help Our Senior Parents and Friends Continue Enjoying Healthy Gardening Activities, which goes well with this subject, as it was my senior mom's gardening with arthritis that led to that article.  

Arthritis is definitely not fun to deal with. But we CAN deal with it. And thanks to great resources, products, and aids for all ages including the elderly, we can deal with it more easily than our great-grandparents did. How about you and your Sandwich Generation family? Do any of you deal with arthritis in one of its many forms? Got any tips to help us? We'd love to hear.  

Kaye

More "monthly awareness news" at SandwichINK, this time for boomers and seniors. April is Parkinsons Disease Awareness month and a good time to discuss some great ways to help raise awareness as well as some excellent resources for those of us caring for elderly parents with Parkinsons Disease and its various symptoms. 

When my senior dad first entered the early stages of Parkinsons, we mostly just noticed the tremor in his shaking hands. As the disease progressed, we learned more about living with Parkinsons and discovered such things as the Parkinsons gait, as well as the freezing when walking. When he reached the end stage of Parkinsons Disease, one of the first clues to that was the swallowing problems he started to experience. His neurologist referred us to other resources and therapists and we learned that it was called Dysphagia and is a common side effect of Parkinsons Disease – especially in the advanced stage of Parkinsons Disease

Through all of my dad's dealings with Parkinsons Disease, we were very blessed by regular newsletters and information from various Parkinsons Disease organizations and books. Towards the end of my dad's illness, we were also enjoying the great resources we discovered on the internet and now, of course, the web is a wealth of information and support through such great organizations as the National Parkinson Foundation, the American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA). You can find a great list of all the different Parkinson's Disease Organizations at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke – another excellent resource. 

As with Poetry.org for Poetry Awareness Month, with their fun list of ideas for helping our grandkids learn more about poetry, the National Parkinson Foundation has an interesting list of 30 ideas for patients with Parkinsons Disease as well as those of  us who are or have been involved in helping family members and friends with Parkinsons Disease to learn more about it AND to help others become more aware of this difficult disease. The more people who know about it, the better! 

I was quite pleased to realize I had already done some of the things on the list without even knowing about it, like:

• Share your personal Parkinsons story with a friend, neighbor or family member – I shared it with you at Caring for Our Elderly Parents Til “Death Does Them Part” and Are You Dealing With the Sandwich Generation Issues of Caring for Elderly Parents With Major Health Problems?
• Start blogging – My senior dad's Parkinsons Disease was, indeed, one of the several catalysts for SandwichINK. 
• Spend time with someone who has Parkinsons Disease – As I've shared many times, I was blessed to help my senior parents deal with this for several years. 
• Like the National Parkinson Foundation on Facebook – I did that today. Won't you join me?
• Follow the National Parkinson Foundation on Twitter - I also did that today. Come join us there as well.
• Download a publication on living with Parkinsons Disease - and they have several - just click here. Also, APDA is offering a free download of Ten Tips to Put the Freeze on Freezing. 

To read the rest of the great ideas and get more information, be sure to visit the National Parkinsons Organization website. 

Also, if you are caring for elderly parents who are dealing with swallowing problems and Parkinsons Disease, as my dad did, you'll be thrilled to know there is  a wonderful book on just that topic, Swallow Safely. It discusses what exactly is dysphagia, the symptoms and recommended treatment for dysphagia, and specific information for swallowing problems and Parkinsons Disease. I sent a copy to a senior friend whose husband has Parkinsons Disease and is now experiencing swallowing problems. I was very happy to hear it was a big help and encouragement to them.

All in all, much good news for all of us boomers and seniors who may be dealing with Parkinsons Disease or are caring for elderly parents with the symptoms.  Are you actively participating in Parkinsons Disease Awareness Month? Or do you have other resources to share with us? We'd love to hear.  

P.S. More good news! You can read my article, Tips to Ensure a Fun Visit with Elderly Grandparents and Younger Grandchildren, at another great resource for all of us caring for elderly parents as well as babysitting grandchildren – SeniorsForLiving.com

Kaye

As we continue on in the season of Lent 2011, all of us in the baby boomer and Sandwich Generation are so saddened by the news coming continually from Japan in the wake of the horrific earthquake, aftershocks, and the tsunami that have so devastated that country! My heart and prayers go out to everyone impacted, including the many Sandwich Generation families living there – especially the tiny grandchildren and the elderly grandparents who are least able to cope during this type of crisis!  I am sitting here with tears rolling down my face as I picture my senior mom or one of my grandbabies – what if they were in the midst of this and their parents or caregivers were lying dead beside them!

It is such a tragedy, but we can help – even though we may not live anywhere nearby. And what better time to do it than during a season that is noted for the tremendous sacrifice on the part of our precious Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Two of my favorite Christian ministries – World Vision and Samaritan's Purse – noted for their wonderful faith-based humanitarian work all around the world are already there, working night and day to help all that they can. And when we send our prayers, along with any monetary donations God may lead us to send to help with this, we are blessed to be able to join with them in helping others. Here are videos from each, starting with World Vision, with more information:

And here is one from Samaritans Purse:

On this Spiritual Sunday, if you would like to know more about how you can partner with World Vision or Samaritans Purse to help the victims of the Japan earthquake – tsunami disaster, just click on their names.

I would also encourage you to discuss this whole situation with your grandchildren. Times like these can be such fruitful opportunities to share with them the many ways we, as Christians, can help others, including other Sandwich Generation families, all around the world through missionary organizations like these. When my granddaughter and I were talking about it, she suggested a great passage of encouraging Bible verses for this topic:

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory…Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'  "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'" Matthew 5:31, 37-40 (NIV)

Sharing these thoughts and actions are a great way to teach our grandkids important lessons that will last for an eternity. And what a wonderful gift for Lent AND Easter that is to them, and to our Holy God! Perfect for this Pause in Lent. 

Kaye

Since I am actively involved in caring for elderly parents as well as being a member of the baby boomer generation, flirting with being a senior citizen (depending on which seniors discount I am looking at) and writing all about it, I often visit various medical and caregiving sites for news and updates of interest to myself, my family, and of course, you!  While visiting various caregiving sites this week, I found several interesting news updates for many of us caring for the elderly parents and relatives in our families:

• Anthony Cirillo shared encouraging information for those caring for elderly parents who are veterans at his website, Who Moved My Dentures? Essential Information for Boomers on Healthcare, Aging and Caregiving.

• In addition to the new book on Lewy Body Dementia Disease, that just came out, I discovered there is also a new book recently published, Help! What Do I Do Now? Caring for Your Loved One With Alzheimer’s by Nancy Nicholson, LBSW. Ms. Nicholson has both professional and personal experience in caring for elderly parents and other seniors with Alzheimer's Disease accompanied by dementia symptoms. It definitely looks interesting. 

• There has been a new government study that finds two pesticides associated with Parkinsons Disease. Having dealt with this disease with several family members, including my senior dad, from the early stages of Parkinsons Disease to the difficult end stage of Parkinsons Disease, this was especially interesting to me:

"New research shows a link between use of two pesticides, rotenone and paraquat, and Parkinson's disease. People who used either pesticide developed Parkinson's disease approximately 2.5 times more often than non-users.

The study was a collaborative effort conducted by researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), which is part of the National Institutes of Health, and the Parkinson's Institute and Clinical Center in Sunnyvale, Calif.

"Rotenone directly inhibits the function of the mitochondria, the structure responsible for making energy in the cell," said Freya Kamel, Ph.D., a researcher in the intramural program at NIEHS and co-author of the paper appearing online in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives. "Paraquat increases production of certain oxygen derivatives that may harm cellular structures. People who used these pesticides or others with a similar mechanism of action were more likely to develop Parkinson's disease."  You can read the entire article about this Parkinsons Disease news by clicking here.

• MedPage had an important warning about breast cancer and cigarette smoking, "Cigarette smoking — both past and present — was associated with an increased risk of invasive breast cancer among postmenopausal women, a prospective cohort study found. " I am not a smoker, by the grace of God Who made sure the cigarettes I sneaked from my parents tasted AWFUL (no filters ). But I grew up surrounded by smokers – parents, grandparents, in-laws, and more. And according to this article, that means I am at higher risk than someone never exposed. It's vital for us to be setting the right example for our grandchildren, as well as protecting them from any second hand smoke from us! 

• I was very encouraged to notice that the Womans Day magazine for March, 2011 has a complete section for caregiving – The Ultimate Caregiving Guide, including Afford the Cost, Choose the Right Doctor, and Manage the Stress. You can read one of the articles, The Caregivers Survival Guide, online. If you are interested in reading the rest of the articles, it may still be available at grocery stores or book stores, or you can probably find a copy at the library. 

Kaye

Important Baby Boomer news is that it's Practice Random Acts of Kindness Week. Why is that important? As those of us in the Sandwich Generation, dealing with the issues of caring for the elderly parents in our family while babysitting grandchildren, can tell you – life is getting more stressful by the second! That's true for everyone, and especially for those of us juggling non-stop! But following the Biblical principles to be kind to others, to do to others what we would have them do to us, and to show love to whomever God puts in our lives has been shown to lower stress which is doubly important for all of us caregivers – boomers AND young seniors! 

Need some ideas? How about -

1. Call a senior long distance to chat. Remind the kids and grandkids to call periodically too – our time is often so busy, and that can easily put put at the bottom of our to-do list. But it makes the day so much brighter for those who aren't so busy. My senior mom loves to get phone calls from the grandkids and great-grandkids on her Jitterbug cell phone. We used to have to call and ask the nursing home staff to run one of their phones to a patient for us to be able to encourage a sweet elderly relative – and they were always so nice and glad to do it because they knew how important it was to the patient's mental and emotional well-being. 
2. Bring home a tasty, but healthy treat (MUFAs, maybe) for the senior citizens who live with you.
3. If you spot a magazine that appeals to the interests of your senior parent, snap that up or make a note to pick it up for them at the library
4. Take walks regularly with your local senior parents – that's a great way to Practice Random Acts of Kindness that blesses you as much as them – both for the good company and the good exercise. And don't worry, even if it's slow, it's still good exercise.
5. When you head to the grocery store with a senior parent, budget in time for a "date" for lunch or dinner. Dating senior parents (and grandkids) is just as valuable as dating your sweet spouse (make sure you schedule that in regularly as well – my kids still mention all my dates with their dad. With him in heaven for over ten years, I wish we'd done it even MORE often!)
6. Leave a sweet note for them in the kitchen, along with the morning newspaper
7. Bring home flowers even when it's NOT a holiday – or if your senior parent loves gardening like my mom, make it flower seeds or a potted plant for the back yard

Now it's your turn. Got any creative ideas or suggestions for ways to Practice Random Acts of Kindness for fellow members of the Sandwich Generation, caring for elderly parents? We'd love to hear. It's always GOOD NEWS to find new ways to encourage those we love. And isn't it wonderful to remember encouraging Bible verses that tell us, "Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure -pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return."  Now that's de-stressing Good News for all us boomers and the seniors we love, isn't it?

P.S. I just found out that Seniors For Living is having their Second Annual Celebration of Practice Random Acts of Kindness Week, complete with a fun contest that is perfect for all of us caring for the elderly parents in our family! Enjoy!  :) 

Kaye