I recently visited an elderly woman who has had increasing difficulty getting out of bed and walking in the past month. Her caregivers were hoping that she would soon be able to enjoy meals while sitting at the dinner table with the rest of her family.

I spent time instructing the family and home health aide how to assist her implement a simple exercise program that designed to increase her strength and  flexibility. Afterward, I taught them how to help her to sit up in bed, which builds endurance and decreases her risk of developing a breakdown of the skin. Based on the…

Has spring really sprung? Are April showers going to bring us great May flowers? And will this cold weather ever stop? Maybe, and then again maybe not. As we prepare for another summer, let’s recall last summer. It was hot, and there was a pretty severe drought in certain parts of the country. We also had some very unusual weather patterns that became catastrophic — I mean the hurricanes, tornados, hail storms and other weird weather patterns.

What does it all mean and what do your kids think of it? I…

Be honest does the fact that your child can maneuver on the computer with ease worry you or are you proud of their ability? Let’s face it children today do not know what it was like pre-computers and technology and never will. They need them for school and to get information that we typically would have received from the encyclopedia (yes, they still make encyclopedias).

While there are certain great things about computers and kids, there are other aspects that are worth worrying about. Mainly the Internet — where they are…

qthomasbower's Flickr photostream

Whether be-ribboned with silk or cut out of red construction paper, you can’t help notice the prevalence of hearts this month. Just like all shades of pink have been used to brand breast cancer awareness, “Go Red!” is the mantra of February, American Heart Month.

And with good reason. Heart disease is the number-one cause of death of women 20 and older. In fact, 82 million Americans have at least one or more types of cardiovascular disease. There are certainly many reasons to maintain a healthy heart and many…

As I look back at the past year, I can only say that the word “grateful” best describes how I feel.

Each time a person thanks me for visiting his or her home, I’m reminded that I am grateful to be able to help the elderly improve the quality of their lives. I am also grateful for my co-workers, who through their compassion, work ethic and teamwork, serve as excellent role models from whom all can learn. And lastly, I am grateful for my family and friends, who provide me with the encouragement to continue making my daily visits to the elderly,…

Shopping is definitely a significant part of the holiday season. Searching for the perfect gift takes time, and a lot of energy! But when it comes to toys, always remember to check for a pre-printed age guideline (i.e., “For ages blank and up”)  before making the purchase. Those ages are there for a reason.

For instance, a toy that has lots of little pieces can be a choking hazard for small children. In fact, toys are number two on the list of choking hazards for small children. (Hot dogs are number one.) Also, think twice about that toy that talks. Why? Because the parents, siblings and visiting relatives…

Ok, here’s the truth. I noticed this week I have approximately six to thirteen gray hairs on my head. I’m leaning towards six. There are a few spider veins on my leg below my left knee. A sunspot covers an area beneath my left eye which darkens in the summer. It wasn’t there a year ago. Wrinkles. Sure, I have some. I also wonder more about my future. I worry about how I’ll ever retire at the age of sixty-five, or seventy, or seventy-five, or whatever number the government decides to raise the retirement age to…

This past weekend, I was privileged to join some like-minded folks, who along with me, volunteered to plant trees in Marine Park, Brooklyn. It was part of MillionTreesNYC, a program that aims to have one million trees planted and cared for in the five boroughs of New York City,within the next decade. Not only do trees provide shade, a place to relax and a source of natural beauty, but trees also help to filter groundwater— which can prevent runoff— and convert carbon dioxide to oxygen. It was a rich experience to work with others to improve…

This is Caramel. She’s a 16 year old female Calico cat that has been in my life since 1995. I brought her home from the Animal Protective League in Cleveland while I was in my second to last year of nursing school. She was 7 months old and feisty.

Caramel has lived with me in a total of five different apartments since I graduated college. She consoled me through the end of a relationship, encouraged me with her approving meows into a new one, and she moved to New York with…

(Photo by Yo La Gringo)

I recently visited with my mother in Ohio for a few days. One of our favorite mother-daughter activities has always included an afternoon of browsing through a bookstore followed by dessert and coffee in the bookstore cafe.

As we sat to share a slice of pumpkin cheesecake and sip our hot cinnamon coffees, my mom told me that she paged through a book by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist monk, about being mindful.

My mom said the excerpt she read was specifically about being mindful while eating. It was interesting…