The aging homesteader

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...  :-/

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.

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

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.

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!

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.

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.

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!

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.  

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.

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....

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.

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...

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!

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.