Superbrain Yoga

In an article taken from AARP Magazine, I've discovered a new way of boosting brain power! Now, this is something anyone may be interested in, the aging parent or the caregiver.

Yoga has been around a long time, and before you panic at the thought of trying to put your body through the many contortions Yoga is known for, let me reassure you, that is not the case here. Actually, it's one of the reasons I was so excited to read the method for Superbrain Yoga as it is called, because there is no way I could twist myself into a pretzel for my brain or anything else! I truly admire those who have mastered the art of Yoga, but I still have difficulty sitting cross legged on a mat. While I believe I'll have to leave the intricate positions to the masters of Yoga, I think I can accomplish the one described in AARP magazine under the Mental Muscle heading.

Basically, you hold onto your right earlobe with your left thumb and finger, and your left earlobe with your right thumb and finger, stimulating accupressure points on the earlobes. While pressing on the earlobes, squat a little with your legs about shoulder width apart and do about 10 deep bends while you breathe in and out. I've taken some liberty with the instructions, so it would be best if you check it out in AARP magazine. The article says it should be done daily.
Don't you wonder how my mother is going to like this exercise? I'll let you know.

Never Too Soon to Plan

My sister and I began talking with Mom and Dad about health proxies and power of attorney long before Dad spent his final years in a wheel chair. Rheumatoid arthritis struck at age 45, followed in later years by strokes and other conditions. Our mother became his primary caregiver. My sister and I both lived hundreds of miles away from our parents. This made it even more important that we talk about what their preferences were as age and illness progressed. Like many other seniors, they wanted to stay at home as long as possible. Insisted on it, in fact. We looked at their financial information, insurances, health plans, wills and every piece of the puzzle to plan for the years ahead.

Boomers everywhere who have elderly parents need to initiate the conversation on living preferences and care BEFORE it becomes necessary. According to research by the AARP, too many still wait until a crisis strikes and try to make major changes to our loved ones lives. It's not always easy, I'll admit. If Dad doesn't want to discuss it, work on Mom and try to ease into things. Gather articles from the newspaper or the internet on topics you want to discuss with them. Use these while you talk or leave them to read at a later time. There may not be as much resistance as you think once you break the ice. Knowing how to plan can give enormous peace of mind to all involved.