While Some Complain About Making A Simple Salad (that Can take an hour or seemingly so), Others Delight in the Learning
Take the Salad Challenge:
Ingredients, Fresh (hand-picked from the garden ideally and any amount you like but for one person who can only eat a small amount daily here are the amounts...)
1/4 c arugula, 1/4 c mixed lettuce greens, 3 in. raddichio (all cut very small by tearing not cutting with a knife)
1/4 hard-boiled egg, 1/8 avocado, 1 garden fresh radish (all diced small and separated and layered on the greens), 2T sprouts (homemade)
1tsp fresh turmeric grated, 1tsp chia, 1 tsp roasted sesame seeds, 1/2 tsp nutritional yeast, minced parsley, basil, chervil, tarragon, cilantro (1 tsp each as desired.)
Use about 2 T of homemade salad dressing (olive oil, fresh squeezed lemon and mustard mixed)
I sit and take some time to get the pieces of lettuce small and then I enjoy chopping things small, pretending I'm a gourmet chef.
The end product is really lovely...maybe I'll post a photo. The energy we put into the food can affect the taste so when made with love and care it's a good experience.
Each person doing only what they can do 'with love and a sense of joy and humor' makes it all much easier...
A few people trying to run the show can be taxing in any caregiving situation.
Simple breaks to walk outside and enjoy the wildlife (herons, flocks of black birds if not a black bear...and other critters) all add up to enjoying life.
Ideally people would not be looking to make a heap of money doing this particular job for a few hours a few times a week.
I have talked to some about having the ingredients in their home and just dropping the salad off or having it picked up.
These kinds of ideas are what more people need to manage at-home care for others (or even themselves...)
Divide the tasks into the simplest steps and find folks to assist by learning, writing down the steps and recipes etc, getting fresh food and ingredients in advance and preparing a lot early on, a day in advance if possible.
Tips such as putting goat cheese on toast (and yes, some people like theirs Well Done since maybe the burnt toast can help someone's digestion...but really I'm not so sure about that..it's like charcoal but I plan to research it a bit.
Most agree that burnt meat is a problem but not sure about bread. Another friend warned about not eating hot bread (especially that could be undercooked) since it could give on some serious belly aches and problems...again do some research...
Let's not overlook the 'outputs' in terms of what it feels like to be friends with someone one is caring for (especially over many years through ups and downs in one another's life and the world in general...)
I actually was going to care for this person on the day Sandy Hook event unfolded. The family was very distressed by that and it was hard to believe...but we were there together and that kind of energy is what people hang onto with Hope and Fortitude that really can move mountains..
I may reach out to let some of the families from that situation know we were thinking of them together that day--and I have heard one Mom speak at a conference for Peace in CT once...and this is a person whose in a wheelchair for two decades, sitting 10 hours a day...(not fun, try it sometime she's shared when we try to understand what's what...)
Isn't it strange how a situation may be faced and give people various challenges and joys, and overall many outcomes.
At least we're making a go of living life fully. I am posting the job and option to stay on for hours between shifts and overnights as well to reduce the need for travelling back and forth.
I stayed with someone for six months who was in a dire situation and am still trying to process what I can do to help the person even though she got confused...and News Flash plenty of people in difficult situations or aging can decline cognitively, become paranoid or have friends and others who basically undermine or abuse the caregiver... and how many would stay in the face of such turmoil and allegations...
Well, not many. Everyone should look closely into having liability insurance and renter's or homeowner's insurance (and car insurance that is up to date since there are scanners which can flag someone for a lapsed insurance policy.
That can lead to an immediate suspension of one's registration and the can being impounded on the spot, even with plates removed by a policeman etc...)
The high cost of getting new insurance (try Progressive) for six months only (then they may issue a new policy so no way to set up automatic payments for more than the six months...and maybe saving some by bundling with homeowners may take a day or two of comparing places which may mean Hours on the phone.
Good to jot down numbers of who one talks to and take notes on pricing and info needed.
Then getting help with having and e-signature on forms to get the insurance cards printed out and get to the DMV for an appointment one schedules in advance with the insurance and funds to pay a fee to have the suspension lifted and the registration reinstated can take another day.
Don't forget to line up drivers to take you places (and maybe Think Twice about insuring all vehicles at once in case you want to change cars and not have to pay the registration fees on a newer car shortly thereafter.
Same goes for investing more money in an old car with high mileage rather than talking to a few folks who know cars and understand options to put good money into a good car with lower mileage and a good track record for not needing costly repairs etc.)
Okay so going from salad talk to car talk... it's different but similar... more than just a few parts and takes patience and a team to review what's what.
When you get a car or truck, check the fluids with a mechanic to understand where the oil stick is and how to secure it in completely (sometimes you need to turn it to get it all the way in...)
Sometimes something else Looks like the oil stick but It's Not!
There may be a tiny logo or OIL on the top but not always...so keep asking questions and take some pointers from online or other real people and look through the handbook that comes with the car.
What a novel idea! Okay back to basics and as the person I care for says many times (and I'll put it on a Tee Shirt that will be a best seller... "Think, People!"
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