Play Ball – Seniors catch the motion

Who says you can’t enjoy a good game of catch from a chair.  During Tuesday’s class at Bentley Assisted living I incorporated a session of coordination and balance movements with various size balls.  The seniors were a bit leery when I first brought them out of the bag.  You could see the thoughts of “what is he doing to us now” as I started to hand them out.

We used them for various exercises,  including some footwork. As part of the class,  the  handwork and eye-hand-concentration movement involved some individual toss and catch to test reflex and coordination,  sensitivity and motor skills and just plain fun.  The seniors were smiling, laughing and yes, a bit frustrated at the missed catches and dropped balls.

All in all it was a good class with the seniors finding they could do more than they thought.  We talked about them using apples, oranges, or even spools of thread to practice the exercise we did with balls on their own.

Talking with my seniors today after exercise class

Today was a small class.  Those who did come worked hard.  We did 30 minutes of standing leg strength and balance movements.  Then 25 minutes of seated flexibility work.

We discussed after class the reasons that we are all there.  I explained that my job is to help them reduce falls, build strength, endurance and increase their flexibility which all help them do their daily activities easier.

Their reason for coming is to help maintain their independence,  and keep active.  They also enjoy the camaraderie,  and class is fun. The last two are a bonus.

How do you deal with injuries as you age?

I used to heal quickly.  As a cross country runner through fields, farmers roads, over and around obstacles, I would injure myself on a regular basis.  A strain here, an ankle twist there.  Within a day or two I would be back on the road.

Eventually,  after twenty plus years of abuse my body said enough of this running stuff and turned my ankles and knees against me.  So I moved on to other things.  Hiking, yard-work, walking and just about anything to stay active.  A few years in a hard external martial art, and eventually to Tai Chi.

Wondering how my body will react to the work spring brings

Each year come springtime I have the same feeling.  This years work will be more overwhelming than the year before.  For no other reason than being a year older.  I remember when we first moved to the property next to my in-laws, my 80 year old father-in-law told me, why do you move so fast all the time.

I told him, because I can and I have a lot to do.  He laughed and told me, you always will have a lot to do, but you won’t always have the energy. Save some for when you are my age.  

Sometimes you just don’t care

Everybody has these days.  You wake up, feel a bit out of sorts, and no matter how bright the sun shines,  you feel like hell.  The worst part is, you just woke up in a bad mood.  Seems like you didn’t have a choice about this being a good day or a bad day.

You think COFFEE,  that is what I need.  So you make a cup, gulp it down and now you are wide awake and really able to focus on the fact that you are still in a bad mood.  And,  you just don’t care about anything.