So I have decided to start recording wise things I learn from my seniors. There are about 25 regular attending seniors at my center, but on top of that I probably see around 200 seniors at other centers when I come for their monthly wellness visits. I only wish I would have starting recording their thoughts and pieces of advice from the start.
Each month I attend 12 different centers to educate on various wellness topics specifically related to seniors. Last month we talked about goals for the new year. Even though resolutions and goals are pretty much the same thing, I like to call them goals, because to me that sounds more attainable. So I Had the seniors write down five goals for the new year, their plan of action to achieve each goal and why their goal is important to them. The only fair way for me to have them do this is if I do it with them. So each time I sat down with them and wrote them out. Here are my goals:
1. Overcome my irrational fears.
2. Cook dinner more.
3. Spend more time with my girl friends.
4. Volunteer more of my time to meaningful projects.
5. Spend more time with God and reading my bible.
When I was at Concord Neighborhood center going over goals, I could not get them to settle down and stop talking. I felt like I was pretty much talking to a wall the whole time. But my piece of advice for the day came from one of my favorite seniors… (yes I definitely have favorites.. you would too) She told me I had to learn about the beauty of a crock pot. I can honestly say I have never used our crock pot, ever! I have only seen Glenn use it for Italian beef or chili. I will take her advice though. I have to get better at this!
Although Glenn loves to cook, it’s almost like I have completely given up on it and I just put my dinner order in to him every night. Last night I tried. I put a salad together using just stuff we had on hand:
Lettuce
Tomato
Almonds
Broccoli
I sauteed portabello mushroom caps with onions and garlic, olive oil, Italian seasoning and black pepper. (no clue what I was doing, just throwing things in the skillet)
I boiled some water and made some noodles.
My idea was to put it all together… you know how scotty’s does that bowtie salad with pasta in it? I thought it could work. The only thing my dinner was missing was a good amount protein. So Glenn gets home from the gym, sees that I am cooking and most likely gets scared. In my head I am thinking get out of the kitchen until I am done.. I know you are just going to critique everything I am doing, if not aloud at least in your head! He doesn’t say anything, but he is looking at the pasta and the salad and I know he wants to know what my plan is. I tell him and he says he wants everything separate. BOO! I still ate mine all together and I thought it was delicious. I think I’ll let him cook tonight. One night out of seven, I am doing better than I was..
Wasn’t my point of this blog wise advice from my seniors? Mention crock pot and this is what you get. I will have to Google some vegetarian crock pot recipes though, because one of my fears is cooking meat. It is scary.
The second piece of advice came from Flo at Crooked Creek. We were discussing depression and natural ways to feel better. When I mentioned that it is healthy and refreshing to keep live plants in the house, she told me I needed to talk to my plants and they will thrive and grow. When I got back to my center, I asked my seniors about it, and most said talk to their plants everyday. Shirley named her plants faith and mercy.
We have one live plant in our house, that sits on the dining room table. I named him Murphy when I brought him home last year, but have never really talked to him. It makes sense though…. you know the whole oxygen thing. Now I plan to say hello to Murphy everyday. Thanks Flo.
For now, I will work on the Crock pot thing and start talking to Murphy more.
More pieces of advice from real seniors coming up.