Understanding Senior Independence

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By Nurse Diane

From a teacher who asked her third grade to write how they spent their spring break holiday. One child wrote about visiting his Grandparents at their Retirement Home.

"We always used to spend the holidays with Grandma and Grandpa. They used to live here in a big brick house, but Grandpa got retarded and they moved to Arizona. Now they live in a place with a lot of other retarded people.

"They live in a tin box and have rocks painted green to look like grass. They ride around on big tricycles and wear name tags because they don't know who they are anymore.

"They go to a building called a wrecked center, but they must have got it fixed, because it is all right now.

"They play games and do exercises there, but they don't do them very well. There is a swimming pool too, but they just jump up and down in it with their hats on. I guess they don't know how to swim.

"At their gate, there is a doll house with a little old man sitting in it. He watches all day so nobody can escape. Sometimes they sneak out. Then they go cruising in their golf carts.

"My Grandma used to bake cookies and stuff, but I guess she forgot how.

"Nobody there cooks, they just eat out. And they eat the same thing every night: 'Early Birds Dinners'.

"Some of the people can't get past the man in the doll house to go out. So, the ones who do get out bring food back to the wrecked center and call it pot luck.

"My Grandma says Grandpa worked all his life to earn his retardment and says I should work hard so I can be retarded someday too. When I earn my retardment, I want to be the man in the doll house.

"Then I will let people out so they can visit their grandchildren."

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This is National Senior Independence Month.  Senior Adults are living longer, and staying healthier.  Many adult children who have lost a parent have concerns about the remaining parent being alone, and being able to take care of themselves.  However there are many things that can ease their fears about living alone.

1.    They can check on them regularly, or call daily,

2.    Help with grocery shopping or contact Meals on Wheels if necessary.

3.    Keep check on medications, making sure they know when to take them and what they are being prescribed for.  Make sure they are able to open the bottles too.

4.    Make the home safe from falls or fires by removing throw rugs and checking to make sure electrical outlets aren't overloaded.

5.    Make sure there is plenty of space to move around the room freely without bumping into furniture.

6.    Make sure there are proper locks on doors and windows.

7.    Obtain a service to contact emergency assistance at the push of a button.

8.    Install handles in the bathroom

9.    Make sure there is proper lighting and working bulbs.  Have a flash light handy for when electricity goes out.

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Adults want to keep their independence for as long as possible.  My family has been fortunate, they have all been able to stay home during their lives, and have been able to take care of themselves with little assistance.  With a few precautionary measures, the senior adults in your life should be able to function at home without any difficulty, if they have no serious medical conditions that would prevent that.  Senior adults deserve our time, assistance and patience as well as our respect.   If you have any seniors in your life who are living independently, take some time this month to check on them and make sure they have the things they need to make their lives more comfortable.

Pledge of Allegiance

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By Diane Forrest

I was recently reading that the state of Nebraska has a law pending that would require all public school students to recite the pledge of allegiance.  Not just the younger students, but through high school as well.  Personally, I can remember saying the pledge every morning to the flag that hung in my classroom, so I saw nothing amiss with this law, and while I was reading the article I went to the comment section to see what others were saying.  Imagine my surprise when most of the comments were against this proposed law.  How could this be?

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I grew up in a very patriotic family.  The men in my family were members of the armed forces, who all fought for our country and its freedoms.  My father, brother and son were all in the Boy Scouts, and achieved the rank of Eagle Scout.  One of their requirements is to learn everything about the flag, particularly the rules of displaying it and treating it with dignity.

I never knew about the origins of the flag.  I assumed that it was written around the same time we became a country, along with the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the design and making of the flag by Betsy Ross, and the writing of the National Anthem.  Actually the pledge was not written until 1892 by a Baptist minister named Francis Bellamy.  Mr. Bellamy was also a chairman of a committee of state superintendents of education in the National Education Association. As its chairman, he prepared the program for the public schools' quadri-centennial celebration for Columbus Day in 1892. He structured this public school program around a flag raising ceremony and a flag salute - his 'Pledge of Allegiance.'

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His original Pledge read as follows: 'I pledge allegiance to my Flag and (to*) the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.' He considered placing the word, 'equality,' in his Pledge, but knew that the state superintendents of education on his committee were against equality for women and African Americans.  In 1954, Congress after a campaign by the Knights of Columbus, added the words, 'under God,' to the Pledge. The Pledge was now both a patriotic oath and a public prayer.  The addition of the words under God has made it a very controversial subject.  Atheists have argued the separation of church and state, and the violation of their rights.

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In October, 2010, one judge in Mississippi even charged an attorney with contempt for not reciting the pledge in his courtroom.  His ruling was overturned by the Supreme Court, and the judge was later reprimanded publically.  In my opinion there will always be people who have different thoughts and ideas.  As I learned at a very young age, your rights end where another's begin.  I learn to respect other's views, as long as they respect mine.  If I want to believe that my nation is ruled under God that is my right.  If you chose not to believe that, it is your right, but don't try to take my right from me.

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In 1969 famous comedian Red Skelton gave a speech about the Pledge of Allegiance.  In this speech he said that since he was a small boy 2 words had been added to the pledge, "under God".  He stated wouldn't it be a pity if someone said that would make it a prayer, thereby not allowing the pledge to be recited in schools?  Yes, Mr. Skelton, it is a pity!  To hear his speech in its entirety, click here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZBTyTWOZCM

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“I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”