If you’re concerned about your elderly parents, physically challenged parents, or those who may be targets for attacks, robberies, and physical abuse, check out the possibility of them taking a cane-fu fighting class.  (You may want to take it along with them!)

This is physical defense using a cane.  The cane-fu classes also are good sources of exercise and many senior centers are offering them.

Check out the post about cane-fun fighting at Elder Guru for more information (click on link above).  There’s also a video to give you “live” action information.

Derrick mentions that even the Wall Street Journal recently published an article about this popular self-defense/exercise activity and links to it.

In Derrick’s post, he relates the incidents where an older citizen protected himself with his cane.  Of course, you have to use common sense when defending yourself, but a cane-fu class would appraise you of these matters.

Post from: Blisstree

“Cane-Fu Fighting” for Parents’ Safety

This is a developing story, but one that will have many people watching with interest. It brings up the question of security in nursing homes, which is often nonexistent. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and residents of the Pinelake Health and Rehabilitation Center as police try to make sense of what happened there today.

Image: sxc.hu.

Post from: Blisstree

Shooting at Nursing Home

Researchers found that 16 percent of these patients reported refusing one or more medical or surgical interventions recommended by their physician. The most frequently refused interventions were cardiac catheterization and surgery, with refusal rates of over 10 percent. Other interventions refused included chemotherapy, radiation, intubation, dialysis, and transplantation. Hospitalization was rarely refused.

I can not count the amount of times I sent a very elderly, frail, compromised, extremely sick and helpless patient off to open heart surgery, let alone stress tests and catheterizations. And what I really wanted to do was say, “You are the boss of yourself. You make the final decisions and can say no to anything you want to. If you were my Grandfather, I would say don’t do it”. But I don’t, at least not for the most part.

What do you think about the quality versus quantity? And what do you think about getting second opinions and saying no to physicians? Would you feel comfortable questioning a clinician? I am always amazed at how patients hold them up high and feel like they have no say in the situation. When it should be them who are being held way up high. Be your own advocate. Don’t you think?

via Science Daily

Post from: Blisstree

Quality versus Quantity? What do you think?