Day to day, planning for the elderly you care for

Day to day. As each day passes before you know it a whole year has gone by. I think I get things back on track and on a schedule and then something BIG happens and the things I want to do for "me" do get pushed to the side.

I have daily lists of things to post and a whole notebook of great ideas. I just need to fine a few minutes to be able to sit down and post here on the blog.

Being a full time caregiver of and elderly person who needs you all the time, taking time to post on a blog gets pushed to the back burner since I still have to care for my family, cook, clean and all that great wonderful stuff we all do every day.

So on that note....

 Getting a small kit for the Grandma, or Grandpa together if you care for them is a huge deal.

A few things I have had to "add" to Grandma's kit. You may have to add things every six months as things change quickly for elderly people!

One week of Medicine and Prescriptions!
Diapers, Chuck pads, and wipes, extra towels
Puzzle books, book to read, pencils, and pencil sharpener.
Extra glasses
Extra clothes, being that she has accidents more often than not, extra clothes and wash clothes are needed!
Things to help her feel comfortable, photos, blanket, sweater, stuff animal, etc.
List of all medications, doctors names and numbers.

Medical history written down and copies of the ID and such. Important paperwork!
Bottle of water "just for her".
Snacks for her.
Ask them what they may want or have them help put the kit, bag, etc together. 



We have a safe zone in our house for when we get tornado warnings. In an extra drawer in the room I have placed all her "items". I also have a bag packed for her in case we have to leave the house for any emergency.

Know that older people and the elderly can not move that fast, especially if they have a disability.  You may have to talk to them many times about the emergency plans, what to do and such. They may not understand the reason why you are making them move and go in to a certain room. They may not understand the danger you maybe in! Try to stay calm and explain again and again. Give them something to do and sit and talk to them.

You can not pick them up and move them like a small child. You have to give them as much warning as possible. When we get a tornado watch. I tell her that we have a Tornado watch and tell what is going on and if I tell her to get to the bathroom, which is right across the hall of her, she needs to move now. Not after a show, or commercial, not after I read this page in the book. When I say now, I mean now! After a while they "may" get it and then depending on the conditions of each person they may not.


If you have a plan and the items in place you will be more prepared and ready to handle the emergency that may come along. So you can be calm and can think with a straight head and not be running around trying to figure out what to do!

Each family is different, each person is different. You kit may need other things or things I have listed you do not need. Make your own list, make your own kit for your needs and the needs of those you care for!

Here is a blog post I thought covered things well.
 http://momwithaprep.com/emergency-preparedness-for-elders/

Gardening do not over water

The garden idea for this month is not to over water your garden. It is hot outside! But do not over water the garden. We all see people just turning on the sprinkler and letting the water for hours. One this costs money and two it is not good for the plants. Check the plants in the morning and in the cooler evening hours. never water in the heat of the day!

Hand check
Before whipping out the watering can, check your garden's soil moisture with that handiest of tools, your finger. Push it into the ground around your plants. You want the top 2 or 3 inches of the soil to be dry, and the soil below that to be moist. Oh, and don't forget to check your local weather forecast to see what Mother Nature has planned before turning on the hose.
Timing is everything
In warm weather, water in the morning to give plants a chance to drink up before the hot sun or strong winds evaporate the moisture. This protects plants from wilting in the afternoon heat, too. In a prolonged drought, cover more sensitive plants with a shade cloth to limit midday transpiration, suggests Cado Daily of the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension. If you can't water in the morning, try for late afternoon—but not too late; the foliage should have time to dry before the sun goes down so it doesn't develop fungal diseases.
 Deep and infrequent
Seeds and seedlings demand moisture close to the soil's surface, but more established plants need deep watering to develop roots that will find water in the subsoil when drought strikes. Just be careful not to over water! You want soil that's damp but not soggy down to 5 to 6 inches below the surface. In waterlogged soil, roots are deprived of oxygen and may lose the ability to take up water. If your plants' foliage begins to brown at the edges and fall from the plant, you may be over watering.

One thing that people do it hand water their plants, use a water can, or a hose with a water nozzle. another thing you can do is recycle 2 liter bottles, and fill them up with water and punch in at an angle to the roots of the plants. The water will come down as needed for the plants. Just make sure when you punch them into the ground you make it gurgle to make sure there is no dirt soil cork in the bottle.  I personally use old wine bottles. they have a longer neck and blend in to the plants.

National Sugar Cookie Day

July 9, 2013 is

National Sugar Cookie Day

It’s National Sugar Cookie Day! Today, we honor a cookie that is simple and straightforward, but totally delicious. Traditional sugar cookie recipes call for just six ingredients: sugar, flour, butter, eggs, vanilla, and baking powder.
Although sugar cookies by themselves can be quite plain, they are incredibly versatile. Use cookie cutters to create shaped sugar cookies, and top them with frosting or sprinkles. You can also make cookie sandwiches with two sugar cookies and fillings like marshmallow, melted chocolate, or jam.
To celebrate National Sugar Cookie Day, make a batch of homemade sugar cookies to share with friends and coworkers. Provide a variety of interesting decorations and let everyone personalize their bite-sized dessert!

So use your favorite sugar cookie recipe today and bake up a few extra cookies and share with your neighbors. 

 Here are a few links for sugar cookie recipes just in case.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/easy-sugar-cookies/

http://www.mccormick.com/Recipes/Dessert/Vanilla-Sugar-Cookies?utm_source=google-bing&utm_medium=search&utm_term=sugar_cookies_recipe&utm_content=Sugar_Cookies_Exact_recipelp&utm_campaign=bakingEG&k_clickid=5c2d6ba0-f5af-8f49-4ad8-00007b6f4e79

Non Food Item Hammers and Nails

This month we will add to the list of non food items to add to your storage is hammers, nails, roofing screws, wood screws, and the like.

Why: well we all need to hang something up, that is one reason. Another reason is you have some items to fix basic things around the house that saves time and money. Also in the event of an emergency you can fix the roof, board up a window, etc.

Really all homes should have some sort of these items for the what ever happens in life around your home.

Here are a few links I thought were neat.

http://www.diylife.com/2010/03/04/hammer-tips-and-tricks/

http://www.familyhandyman.com/DIY-Tools---Tips/DIY-Skills/Tool-Skills/hammers-aren-t-just-for-nails--101-ways-to-use-a-rip-hammer/View-All

National Fried Chicken day

Well tomorrow according to the Holiday list of fun things to celebrate, is National Fried Chicken day. So on July 6 it is a great day to have some fried chicken. So on that note I thought I would post a fried chicken recipe and such. Why, well why not. Fried chicken is good and we all can learn the basics and make our own!

Simple and easy Fried Chicken recipe

Recipe Ingredients:

• 2-1/2 to 3 pounds of broiler-fryer chicken cut, cleaned and dried
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• vegetable oil

Cookware and Utensils:

• brown paper or plastic bag
• black iron cast skillet or heavy bottom skillet
• paper towels
• plate

Recipe Instructions:

1. Mix dry ingredients in brown paper or plastic bag. Drop 1 or 2 pieces of chicken into bag at a time and shake until meat is coated. Continue until all chicken is coated with your flour and seasoning mixture. Set chicken aside for cooking.
2. Over high-heat, heat about 1-1/2 inch of vegetable oil in a black cast iron skillet. Skillet is ready to cook when a drop of water added to grease snaps, crack or pops. Add chicken to skillet in a single layer, don't overcrowd. Unless you have a large skillet you'll have to do to batches.
3. Reduce heat to medium and cook uncovered until meat is browned on both sides. Throughout cooking turn meat using tongs to avoid burning. As a general rule, cook chicken for about 15 minutes on each side and wings and legs takes he least amount of time to cook. Before serving allow chicken to drain on paper towels.

 here are a few steps to preparing your whole chicken for frying.

• Select a fresh young broiler-fryer whole chicken
• Have the butcher cut chicken into 8 pieces (2 breast, 2 legs, 2 highs, and 2 wings). Or learn to cut up a chicken, it is really easy to do!
• Rinse chicken under running cold water and remove any visible fat
• Pat chicken dry with paper towels