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The aging homesteader

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posted 4 months ago

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Carla Burke wrote: .....Even John isn't usually surprised if I disappear for 3 - 5hrs, because I'll go out, working on livestock needs, farm maintenance, or even just foraging/ walking our land. I *usually* try to remember to tell him where I'm going, what I'm doing, if I'm definitely going to be outside for more than 15 - 20 minutes. But, not always - particularly if there is something on my mind or needing time alone (or if I'm pissed off at him) .
....

Same with my wife.....right down to the fine print! ;-) Even though neither of us are cell-phone huggers, I've tried to impress upon her to keep her phone on her when out feeding several large animals, none of which are behind fencing. Someone brought up the idea of a whistle during an emergency, which actually might be better if like a referee's whistle....she might be more willing to have that around her neck than a cell phone in her pocket.

Earlier this year on a cross-country ski, I fell in a rather deep pocket of snow about a mile from the house and could not get up...never had that problem before, but since the stroke, strength, balance, and coordination all impaired and it's like learning to walk all over again. That brief flash of becoming coyote food crossed my mind before methodically removing skis and clearing snow to stand back up. Now today dealing with large LGD who came up lame at end of last week....won't put rear foot down. Getting dogs into cars for vet visits never easy with these breeds, but we're at the 'creative ramp' phase of animal shuttling and hope we can get her to walk up the ramp into the back of the SUV. Seriously considering a used, low-cost mini-van as a replacement for such purposes. As they say, aging ain't for the faint of heart... :-/

“The most important decision we make is whether we believe we live in a friendly or hostile universe.”― Albert Einstein

Jay Angler

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posted 4 months ago

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John Weiland wrote:...we're at the 'creative ramp' phase of animal shuttling and hope we can get her to walk up the ramp into the back of the SUV. Seriously considering a used, low-cost mini-van as a replacement for such purposes. As they say, aging ain't for the faint of heart... :-/

A friend bought a second hand wheelchair lift designed to fit on a hitch socket. It might be cheaper than running a second vehicle.

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Kim Wills

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posted 3 months ago

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Dorothy, Sorry about your hip! I wish you a speedy recovery!

I realize that this video will not help if someone has broken a bone, but if anyone has trouble getting up off the floor and is not injured, check it out! This doctor gives 4 methods of getting up, and suggests practicing them (along with some related exercises at the end of the video) every day, in order to prevent not being able to get up.
Do your sit-ups and squats, everyone!

https://youtu.be/J1JfWe1YL-U?si=aBrBd96Zkx1nQ2Qe

And here's me doing a hip exercise that I would teach my tai chi class if I had one. (haven't taught much since the pandemic)
It's slow & can be done at any level. It's good for flexibility, strength (if you put your feet farther apart as you get better), moving lymphatic fluids (the opening & closing part I talk about), and coordination (many things are going on at once).

https://youtu.be/Y3BZDP2h8NQ?si=RXKX3FZQrcq7LA_U

My current interest is to observe & get to know my new land, and plan on how it can support me for the rest of my life!

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John F Dean

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posted 3 months ago

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I finally used a measuring tape and realized a new sidewalk would not be needed for a ramp….at least not a major one. Allowing for a 1:12 ramp rise, the ramp itself would cover around 30+ feet. Then there is the issue of someone working their way up such a ramp. I figure it will need 1 or 2 landings …level areas…where a person could take a rest. Now I am trying to figure out if it needs to be covered. I can see where keeping at least some ice and snow off of it could be an advantage.

You can only be young once … but you can be immature forever!

John Weiland

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posted 3 months ago

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John F Dean wrote:...........Now I am trying to figure out if it needs to be covered. I can see where keeping at least some ice and snow off of it could be an advantage.

We battle the snow-on-ramp issue poorly, but in a way that may work out for your situation, depending on the length of ramp needed. Carpet stores that have remnants often will have strips of durable, exterior use carpet for relatively cheap. We try to buy 2'-wide sections of variable length, then cut down accordingly. The key....which we can't keep up with during bad winters....is to roll them up before a storm. Then after snow is mostly removed from the ramp after a storm, just unroll the carpet piece over the frozen ramp for use again. Our house pig, Wilbur, will not go out to pee if the carpet is too full of ice! (eyeroll..). If I forget to roll it up ahead of time, the ice and snow-encrusted carpet piece is dragged into the basement where it slow melts and drains into the sump-pump hole....dry extra pieces in the garage are substituted until the original piece is ready again for use. Most of these remnant pieces will last 5+ years and remain on the ramp through the summer. Maybe even a short term fix before you can build ramp covers on them.....? Good luck!

“The most important decision we make is whether we believe we live in a friendly or hostile universe.”― Albert Einstein

Carla Burke

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posted 3 months ago

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I would imagine pushing oneself up any ramp that long, in the rain would be incredibly uncomfortable and difficult. I've had to use a wheelchair on carpet - even on a level surface, it can be incredibly difficult, depending on the type of carpet, of course. My experience was with the Atlanta airport's carpet. It gave too much resistance. I think a cover/roof, if you can manage it, over the ramp would be a wonderful feature, for both safety and comfort.

"The only thing...more expensive than education is ignorance."~Ben Franklin. "We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light." ~ Plato

John F Dean

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posted 2 months ago

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I am examining how I built my back deck and stairs. I overbuilt at critical points so that if a board rotted without being noticed it would not end in disaster. I am envisioning a person going up the ramp by themselves and having a board fail. It is clear I will build it myself. Past experiences have told be that if I hire someone, they will take shortcuts I don’t want to take.

You can only be young once … but you can be immature forever!

Jay Angler

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posted 2 months ago

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I think someone mentioned flat "rest" areas and that is critical.
Make them big enough that if someone gets a bit out of control, the flat area will help them stop?

Whatever slope has been recommended, try to find a ramp and a wheelchair you can borrow, and see how it feels. Shallower is definitely better. A 10% slope seems like not much until you're elderly and in a wheechair!

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John F Dean

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posted 2 months ago

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Hi Jay,

Nice point. The most common recommended ratio is 12 feet of length for every 1 ft of rise. I love it that here in the states people who have never read the Americans with Disabilities Act will quickly attribute various measures to the Act. All the ADA says is “ reasonable accommodation”. ( Because others will be reading this well into the future, in some instances a 1:8 ratio is used. My feeling is that the person in the chair might appreciate the more gentle slope.)

Good point on the landings. My current plan is to place them where the ramp takes a 90 degree turn. I may have a third one added one. One key issue is to allow enough space for the person and a helper to turn around at the landings. I originally thought 4x 4 feet. I am now thinking 6x6 might be more to the point.

Yes, I /we have a WC. Of course, there needs to be a realization that another WC might have different dimensions.

You can only be young once … but you can be immature forever!

John F Dean

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posted 1 month ago

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I find planning is everything. I have been putting off moving some heavy stuff around. Things that I could move by myself 20 years ago are more of a challenge. The problem is I can still move them, but the risk of injury is much higher. Anyway, it’s time to bring in a helper to put in a few hours work. So far my wife and I have come up with list of 6 items that need to be moved up steps or from outside to inside. Of course to do that, I need to open up the areas when they need to go. That involves finishing a couple of projects. In the end, it is not simply a matter of making a phone call to have someone come over. Rather there is a need to schedule the day a few weeks in advance.

You can only be young once … but you can be immature forever!

Tereza Okava

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posted 1 month ago

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John F Dean wrote:moving some heavy stuff around.....bring in a helper to put in a few hours work. ..... That involves finishing a couple of projects. ....

The planning is a pain, but I think wise.

A couple of years ago we had 4 people in our close circle die from falls during the same year (one lingered a bit, the others were immediate. Only one was "aging".).
We are both over 50, but active. Still, my husband and I made a pact that neither would go up a ladder, for whatever reason, without the other one at the bottom.
This means that we need to plan ladder-based activities ahead of time, like you mention. He wants to patch the roof at his business, he has to wait for me to be available. This inevitably leads us to identify other two-person projects to sort out while I'm there in order to not waste the trip.
It's more planning but I think ultimately useful. Still, another list on the fridge to catch those ideas....

Becky Davis

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posted 1 month ago

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I found that breaking jobs into tiny chunks helped me more than anything. I used to push through a whole garden row in one go, and then I'd be wiped out for days. Now I set a timer, do a bit, rest, and come back later. I also swapped a lot of bending work for rolling seats and long-handled tools. It feels slower, but I get more done in the long run without feeling wrecked.

Carla Burke

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posted 1 month ago

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Agreed! John and I also have an agreement about ladders. Anything more than the little, purple, folding stepstool, we keep in the kitchen is a 'team-lift' activity. We have other similar ones, too. I no longer mess with fencing, unless he's home, and knows what I'm doing. Neither of us uses the chainsaw, without the other nearby. Heavy things to move are leveraged onto/ into a cart, dolly, wagon, or sled, rather than lifted and carried...

Jay Angler

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posted 1 month ago

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Decreased balance as part of aging is well documented and common. Adding some balance exercises to your daily or several times/week routine is well worth it and can help maintain/improve balance up to a point.

It may not be symmetrical either. I can balance better with my eyes closed on my left foot than my right? I wouldn't have guessed that there would be a difference!

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John F Dean

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posted 1 month ago

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Hi Tereza,

Yes, a person I knew a few years back fell off a ladder while cleaning gutters. He was on blood thinners. He bled out.

You can only be young once … but you can be immature forever!

John F Dean

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posted 3 weeks ago

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I have my hired helper coming over July 1 to help me with a number of tasks … mostly moving heavy stuff. My wife and I are making a list. One goal is especially important; we are trying to put in a second laundry room. This one to be upstairs. Those basement stairs will be challenging in another decade. Another one is to move a wood heating stove to the fireplace. I do love the open fire, but heat is pretty important too. Anyway, I have finally gained enough sense to realize I can do serious damage to myself by trying to lift stuff I shouldn’t.

You can only be young once … but you can be immature forever!

Thekla McDaniels

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Location: Western Slope Colorado.

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posted 3 weeks ago

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Ain’t it the truth, John!

I drove to a city near here.. It’s almost a 2 hour drive. I got in and out of my low to the ground prius several times, these are not a big deal, except that I have right sided pain through my lower back, through the hip joint itself, down the outside of my thigh and calf, extending to my ankle. It eases when I am lying down, and if I am up too long, first I feel a dull ache, then it gets closer to sharper muscle spasm pain.

I probably need to get a different car because the closest town is half an hour, and that’s the accelerator and brake foot.

Probably the worry/stress of construction on my house for the last month, the beloved puppy killing the chickens and the background stresses contributed.

It’s just one adjustment after another, isn’t it?

And good news and improvements happen! The other dog, the not chicken killer, who has what I was told was autoimmune and incurable…. I got a new vet who did tissue analysis, changed her drugs, and she is getting better! More energetic and playful.

The improvements and good news look different than they used to, and I think that making adjustments and accepting limitations like not carrying heavy things, that’s where I feel I have improved over “past me”.
😊

Best luck: satisfaction

Greatest curse, greed

John F Dean

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posted 3 weeks ago

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My daily mantra is “ Don’t do dumb things.”

You can only be young once … but you can be immature forever!

Thekla McDaniels

gardener

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posted 3 weeks ago

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I like it!

Best luck: satisfaction

Greatest curse, greed

Dorothy Pohorelow

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posted 3 weeks ago

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It has been 15 weeks since my fall. The hip is healing nicely and PT is going well with another 4 weeks still ahead of me. I am lucky that as a disabled vet the VA or Tricare has covered everything. But some of the amounts are staggering. The ambulance ride was over $2,000. The home health nurse visits were $120 per visit and the home therapy visits were $150 a visit and I started with 3 visits a week then went down to 2 a week before I was discharged from Home Health and moved to the VA for my PT. The surgery and hospital stay was over $5,000. And there have been follow up visits with Ortho to monitor how the hip is healing. That single fall could have sent us into bankruptcy!

The weeks of limited mobility have affected my stamina so I need to add walking to my regular exercises for PT. For other vets that may end up in a similar situation. You can get the docs to order mobility aids from the VA such as walkers or canes and can get shower seats and toilet chairs if needed. You can also ask for a fall detection watch or pendent if you feel the need for one.

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John F Dean

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posted 3 weeks ago

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From speaking with others, I get the feeling TriCare is pretty good…though I have heard some negatives. For people with other coverage in the USA, the Devil is in the details. Do ask questions about coverage…lots of questions. Do not stop with …is xxx covered. Ask about % and actual dollars. Ask about uncovered extras. I have encounter situations where a person was told that xxx was covered. Then they got the bill. Yes, xxx was covered….for 10%. Of course, the base price was so high, that 10% went from having little impact to having a negative impact.

About a year ago, our well meaning MD wrote my wife an Rx for shoes. He told us the shoes were covered by our insurance. By the time the sales place finished, those were going to be the most expensive pair of shoes on earth. Thankfully, I insisted on the details first.

You can only be young once … but you can be immature forever!

John F Dean

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posted 2 weeks ago

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My helper came over July 1. We knocked out all the heavy lifting in less than an hour. He is a Hulk Hogan clone. Although having some years on him, he was still well up on his game. I paid him for the full hour plus and extra $5. He was well worth it.

You can only be young once … but you can be immature forever!

Dylan Simpson

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posted 6 days ago

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Jumping in on this older post, has anyone tried using raised garden beds for easier management? As I've gotten older, they make gardening much less physically demanding and a real joy. Also, has anyone found practical solutions for other tasks that have gotten trickier with age? Interested to hear more ideas and learn what's worked for others!

John Weiland

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posted 6 days ago

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Dylan Simpson wrote:.............has anyone found practical solutions for other tasks that have gotten trickier with age? Interested to hear more ideas and learn what's worked for others!

Likely mentioned already in numerous threads, but I'm ever grateful for the transition over the past few decades to battery-powered tools, from drill/drivers to riding mowers. A main impediment overcome with these is the need to pull-start gasoline-based machines like chainsaws, tillers, etc. Installing or replacing a lithium battery pack is far easier and in recent years no longer so deficient in power or run-time. As the offerings diversify, more items like car jacks and tree pruners are coming out to assist as our strength declines with age.

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