Pets and shelters are under pandemic pressure — but we all can help

Photo: Flickr/Mike Mozart

Adopting a pet during COVID, can be challenging. The isolation felt by those who are on their own each and every day, with no children or no spouse/partner, can impact ones mental/emotional health, elevating anxieties about things that previously were of no real consequence. A pet companion is often just the prescription necessary to restore a sense of balance, a sense of normal to the day-to-day of navigating the COVID life.

I  had to say good-bye to a geriatric dog during the pandemic; I then went on to bring  a new puppy into my home during a pandemic. I must have lost my mind!  The challenge of pet loss during COVID was stressful because I didn’t know if I could be with Mr. Digby, the 17 year old Australian Silky  Terrier who crossed Rainbow Bridge on 5 June 2020. Thankfully, I was able to attend as he drew his last breath.

Mr. Malcolm, the now 8 month old Havanese terrier, took over at Chez Rockwell at 8 weeks. Life as I knew it would change forever. He was introduced to the crate his very first night  and so began his routine of learning the way of things with a geriatric Maltese showing him how it’s to be done. During COVID, he received all required vaccinations, was neutered and had a dewclaw removed. We both survived and thrive.

I’ve always stuck closely to a daily routine so have not been particularly impacted COVID isolation though I do empathize with those who are struggling with a severely curtailed social connection. That has to be frustrating beyond measure. Work at home has become the norm for so many and the adjustment to change of place to do the business required to earn their daily bread demands a commitment to changing course and sticking to it — at least for the foreseeable future. That’s the way of the world in these COVID times.  Many work-at-home men and women, both young and old, have made or are making the decision to adopt a pet. Strict adherence to routine is critical to house training. Mr. Malcolm is 99% reliable.

Sadly, some people who are really struggling with  significant change in circumstance are finding themselves having to make decisions about pets they already have. Diminished financial health alters how one may view status of pets and their own happiness. Many are anxious about ability to properly care for pets with less funds, sometimes believing, often erroneously, that surrendering is what’s best for the dog or cat. Sadly, what that does is increase the burden on animal shelters, many of which will not euthanize healthy animals, given their goal is to  place them in safe, permanent homes. Key concern is food — kibble and canned food that covers all age ranges of cats and dogs, rabbits, and other small, caged pets.

Animal shelters are struggling to meet the demands of costs associated with food, supplies and regular vet care, relying on donations of goods and cash. Their needs don’t suddenly stop because of COVID — animals still need to be fed and kept safe. As we are able, it’s important for us to do our part to ensure that local shelters are kept up and running and those creatures in their care will have their daily needs met. Many who have lost jobs or are living on considerably reduced incomes are burdened on several fronts and it’s  important as part of our compassionate care of community that we contribute what we can, when we can. 

As we learned about COVID and its impact on our daily lives there were reports that dogs could transmit the virus. That finding turned out to be inconclusive but people were afraid, surrendering pets and burdening shelters. Some were simply dumping their pets, left to free roam, posing community risk and increasing costs associated to rounding them up and ‘doing’ something about them. Once animals with loving homes, they were street prey or predator. Sad.

One way people are demonstrating their compassionate care is the number of pet food banks that are  cropping up across the country, often located in supermarkets. Perhaps there is need for one in your area. A group of like minded friends, in consultation with local shelters and vets would do much to alleviate pet care concerns for so many, especially seniors who have relied for years on the companionship of their Fluffy or Scamp. It might be worth a call to your local supermarket to see if you and a group of friends could set up a pet food collections and donation kiosk. 

So, sit. Stay. Call some friends to organize a pet food drive. 

Carla MacInnis Rockwell is a freelance writer and disability rights advocate living outside Fredericton, NB with Miss Lexie, a rambunctious Maltese and Mr. Malcolm, the boisterous Havanese. She can be reached via email at Carla MacInnis Rockwell

Take a stand against COVID skeptics

 

Photo: David Koch/Times Transcript

With each passing day, after months of COVID rules, being told what to do and how to do it, we’re exhausted by all of it. So agitated are some that they ‘act out’ online with outlandish views about the virus. I often wonder if some of the verbose virus deniers are doing it deliberately to see how far they can go with their envelope pushing before they’re kicked off whatever social platform they’re using.

On the other side are those men and women who are functioning in ways that are dangerous, with some taking their vile rhetoric to such extremes that their behaviour has become threatening. Policing authorities are stepping up presence at know targets as COVID deniers threatening hospital workers in on the rise — truly scary. Scarier still is that they’re showing up at hospitals and endangering those who are seeking care and comfort. That must not be tolerated and people need to speak up when they see it. To say nothing is to go along with the behaviour.

We want health care workers to be kept safe and to feel safe so that they can do what they’re trained to do as they protect and serve their communities. It defies logic that there is so much rage when compassion and empathy should be at the forefront of our interactions, both at home, in our circle, our bubble, and also when we’re out and about conducting the business of our daily lives.

Domestic violence is on the rise, child abuse is on the rise and animal abuse cases are increasing. Pet surrender has increased as owners, especially the elderly, are finding they can no longer afford to care for their companions. COVID isolation has triggered behaviours in so many people who are taxed beyond their emotional endurance, driving them to behave in ways that they wouldn’t have previously considered. Are their minds so disturbed that they will, day after day, spew venom  at total strangers, both on and offline? They have to know that what they are doing is potentially criminal in nature. Why can’t that reality be enough to stop them? To me, their own fear is palpable and they’d benefit from seeking help.

Here in Canada, the influence of American television programing and press is pervasive, with many Americans being perceived as arrogant and unbending with no regard for the down trodden. How can that be in times such as these when everyone is in the same proverbial boat? COVID has become the great equalizer; it doesn’t discriminate. Why then, are we so intent on being negative, oppositional, obstructionist. When we don’t act for the public good, we ultimately diminish ourselves. Few people give thought to that byproduct of negative behaviour.

Being a bit selfish for moment — for quite some time, I’ve been the beneficiary of weekly physiotherapy sessions through the New Brunswick Extra-Mural program. I registered with them when my husband died in 2007 and their presence, even on a sporadic basis kept me connected to the world beyond my four walls as they could report my progress to those on my care team who monitor my health and wellness. Though I’ve had only one situation that included one of their nurses, my ongoing need is related to aging with cerebral palsy and maintenance of mobility given I am home alone, without benefit of any other human being at Chez Rockwell. So far, COVID has not interrupted visits. During recent calls, my physiotherapist has worn a gown and shoe covers along with the usual gloves and mask. He and his colleagues are essential workers and the services they provide go well beyond just improving mobility or changing dressings of those house-bound persons who are recovering from any number of health situations that impact wellness. They have opportunity to do fuller assessment via well chosen lifestyle questions given senior isolation is a huge concern across the health care community.

Those who continue to be mask-defiant, dismissive of the rules or combative when someone is trying to enforce the  rules of COVID are being selfish. Whether they realize it or not, their behaviour sends a message to all - that they don’t care about anyone beyond themselves —  even their elderly grandmother who relies in visiting nurses to monitor cardiac function, or their uncle who needs wound care or the young nephew new to a disability that is permanent. Such thoughtlessness keeps all of us locked in the COVID spin cycle while those essentially having an attention-seeking temper tantrum are heard.  To them, I say - “grow up!”. To defeat COVID, communities must care more. About everyone!

Carla MacInnis Rockwell is a freelance writer and disability rights advocate living outside Fredericton, NB with Miss Lexie, a rambunctious Maltese and Mr. Malcolm, the boisterous Havanese. She can be reached via email at Carla MacInnis Rockwell

Stopping this pandemic is up to all of us

 

 

    A few weeks ago, while Mr. Malcolm was having his very first spa day with Miss Lexie, I was wandering hither and yon doing errands. One such stop n shop brought me to Walmart Northside. I was dismayed! Yes, I was! Outside the interior set of doors was a hand sanitizing station. Only one problem. It was a bottle of sanitizer on a pole with a tube that ran down to the base, affixed to a foot pedal. A little foot action was required to dispense the sanitizer. Clearly, Walmart management didn’t think things through.

    

    Folks in wheelchairs or on crutches, or using walkers or canes would  be challenged by such lack of accessibility; the very people who need extra protections against COVID by virtue of their pre-existing challenges to daily living when it’s obvious disability or the implications of aging. Seniors are at particular risk of the impact of COVID.

I asked my friend if I could borrow her foot. Glad she decided not to kick me in the pants, as has been her silent wish for years. I’m a bit of a challenge with my off-the-cuff remarks; a pot stirrer from way back. There was a couple beside me, the woman in a wheelchair. Neither had interest in hand sanitizing. I thought that not only odd but unfortunate.

It saddens me that so many folks don’t seem to take COVID seriously and are actively contributing to the spread of the virus, invariably bringing it into their homes to sicken or kill their most vulnerable family members. People like me, who live with  comorbidities, cannot afford to get complacent. The stress borne by  parents of since birth disabled children is palpable. Their lives are isolated enough by virtue of the demands of caregiving. Extreme caution must be exercised when bringing in outside care help and to have to wonder where that person has been on any given day add to the stress.  Children with conditions such as that with which I live are often prone to issues of the lungs, and in these COVID times, anxiety for parents is off the charts.

What is going to take for people to accept that they are part of the COVID solution in terms of dialing it back and loosening its grip on our daily lives? Are people so callous that they can’t allow themselves to think, feel and do outside themselves and their own little world to look after their neighbour, known or unknown. COVID life has laid bare the disparities amongst rich and not so rich, the poor and the very poor. Economies have taken a hit and many families are struggling in ways that most of us cannot begin to imagine. It’s time we stopped being so selfish and stopped  believing the lie that COVID is not real and that thousands/day are not dying. They are and they’re not coming back. A small piece of fabric covering the nose and mouth could possibly have saved them.

From age 1 to 8, I wore heavy metal, waist high braces, stepping along with crutches. Think FDR. From age 8 to 12, I wore below the knee orthotics, still using crutches. I wore glasses, as I do today. 

Today, there are no orthotics, but I still use crutches and still wear glasses, with increasing power with every eye exam. I also use a wheelchair at the mall, scooter for out and about along the road where I live and a walker for the largest room in my home that requires it for safety due to my balance issues. I’m dumbfounded that so many people are challenged by covering their nose and mouth for a few hours/day when they’re out and about and can’t socially distance. Imagine being a child having to drag around in ‘leg irons’ that weighed more than you did. That was me as a youngster. Today, I see grown men and women moaning about wearing a mask, knowing that the virus is real and that it is not a hoax and that millions across the globe have DIED. Many of those deaths could have been prevented if people hadn’t been so selfish. That’s the reality of things, people. Now, you have decide if you want to be part of the ‘correct course’ or do you want to carry on, ignoring that your behaviour negatively impacts everyone else around you. Decision time.

People in the workplace are to be commended for adjusting to how they conduct their business so that communities may continue to thrive in  spite of the economic impact of  COVID. The  colourful masks on the faces of folks whose eyes still smile is a reminder for us all. We CAN do this. It’s a CHOICE.

Carla MacInnis Rockwell is a freelance writer and disability rights advocate living outside Fredericton, NB with Miss Lexie, a rambunctious Maltese and Mr. Malcolm, the boisterous Havanese. She can be reached via email at  Carla MacInnis Rockwell

It's 2021. Self-care is critical

New Year’s resolutions. Not a fan! It’s not that I am so perfect that I don’t need to make changes to be better, to do better; I work on that daily. Most resolutions tend to revolve around addressing lifestyle and health issues.  Frankly, for one to say s/he’s going to go on a diet, eating healthily every day is a recipe for disaster; a set-up to fail by virtue of putting too much pressure on oneself to make ‘quick changes’ on the spur of the moment — “it’s a New Year, I can do this!”

Sadly,  people frustrate their efforts by not having a well thought out plan in place that contributes to ensuring success large or small. That being so, resolution makers would be better served taking stock of what’s going on in their life that is causing them stress. What’s happening that is uplifting and has contributed to them feeling good about how things are going generally. To that end, journaling may be a tool which would be a great complement to a few daily lifestyle changes. It’s a way to keep track of progress; a record of the ups and downs, hits and misses. Key is not to beat ourselves up if we didn’t quite get there on any given day. There are still lots of days left to do better.

Working around the impact COVID-19 has imposed challenges. Many people find themselves over-eating by virtue of being home alone with the fridge and then get into a panic about their mindless hand to mouth action, which doesn’t help. Take a breath. Relax. Have a glass of water.   Actually, that’s not a bad idea! Most of us don’t drink enough water and that deficiency alone contributes to the body confusing thirst with hunger. So we overeat, but never drink the glass of water. Think! Smoking cessation also benefits from boosting water intake. Coffee and colas do not count; both actually dehydrate. 

As we settle in to the early days and weeks of 2021, there’s one thing we can control. Watering the body boosts performance. Back in the 70s while attending  university, I was able to successfully avoid colds and flu by keeping myself well hydrated;  as well, room humidification was critical to dorm survival amongst all those other young women. My late Dad, the doctor, gave me a tip that  would contribute to reduction of incidence of flu or colds — hosing the nose, as I came to call it; a tip I shared with many of the gals on my floor at STU’s Vanier Hall. Swish a clean cloth in a bowl of lightly salted boiled water. Wring out the cloth and place it over the nose with head tilted back. Once you feel water droplets go to the back of the throat, raise your head and gently blow the nose. Through winter months, repeat a few times daily. Try it. It does work! Those devices advertised on television pose certain risk; they absolutely must be sterilized between uses otherwise the user is drawing up bacteria-laden steam into the sinuses. In some cases, that has proven fatal.

In the age of COVID, keeping the air sufficiently humidified is critical to ensuring that germs can’t attach to nasal passages. Bugs love dry spaces to snuggle into and breed, so make drinking 2 full glasses of water each morning a resolution. Water that resolution again with an investment in a good humidifier to keep the air you breathe healthier. I recently purchased  an easy to maintain  table-top humidifier with remote control. Every time I get up to do a walk about or a spine stretch, I stop at the sink to get a pitcher of water to  top up the humidifier.  Morning and evening, I hose my nose — there is no way I’m going to risk a ‘bug invasion’ when I can do something so simple to prevent it. Flu shots and COVID vaccines are critical adjuncts to appropriate care but what we do day to day is of utmost importance.

Though I never make specific NYs resolutions, I am committed to looking after myself, going a bit OCD with the various protocols I have in place to remain healthy. Living on my own, with no daily help, compels me to be purposeful about self-care. Top notch nutrition, walk abouts, spine stretching and several times daily mug of hot lemon water with clove and honey are staples. The other day, I sliced several lemons, froze them on a baking sheet and then bagged. Two slices in the cup with a few cloves and a few teaspoons of honey is just the ticket. A splash of spirits in the drink at last call is a perfect end to the day to promote restful sleep. 

Bottoms up!

Carla MacInnis Rockwell is a freelance writer and disability rights advocate living outside Fredericton, NB with Miss Lexie, a rambunctious Maltese and Mr. Malcolm, the boisterous Havanese. She can be reached via email at Carla MacInnis Rockwell

A difficult pandemic year for those living with disability

2020 is coming to a close as the entire planet has been punched in the gut, struck in the heart, and beaten over the head with the reality that a pandemic has locked on to the world as we know it and tossed it around like an egg in a laundromat dryer. 

In my world, 2020 saw the passing of Mr. Digby, my faithful canine companion for 13 of his 17 years. Within weeks of his passing, Chez Rockwell welcomed  Mr. Malcolm, a Havanese who’s brought many smiles and chuckles and is a source of consternation for diva Miss Lexie, the geriatric Maltese.  Unconcerned about COVID, they’re only interested in food, snacks, toys and naps.  I, on the other hand, must be concerned about the virus and what it has done and what it can do. Pre-existing conditions compel me to be super proactive. I wish more among us would do the same.

We, like everyone, are adjusting to a new way of being, of doing. It’s been a challenge for so many, particularly those who define themselves within their ‘social butterfly’ network of friends and associates. Those days are not gone, but have undergone many changes to accommodate a daily presence our world. COVID 19 demands that we really take stock of how we will go forward. In doing that, we must respect the needs and rights of others, particularly when we’re out and about in the community’s  public spaces. Free yourself from the ‘it’s all about me’ attitude. 

I leave 2020 having received Ability New Brunswick’s Media Commitment to Community Award and have to say it was quite an honour to be acknowledged for something I’ve been doing for decades; dispensing in newspapers and magazines, words of wisdom based on my life and living as a person with disability. From 1956 to 2011, Ability NB was known as The Canadian Paraplegic Association, NB Division. I worked there in the 70s, learning a great deal about the inner mechanics of an agency that’s been serving persons with disability for decades. Over time, as the nature of their focus changed, so too, the name changed. As CPA began catering to the needs of people beyond those with spinal cord injuries, addressing the needs of young people with a range of challenges to mobility, from the very young to the very old, it reasoned that a more ‘inclusive’ name reflect what the agency does. And so was born Ability New Brunswick. It works.

‘Back in the day’, I was acquainted with several of their vocational rehabilitation counsellors who provided valuable services to clients, from young men and women looking to upgrade skills after an injury that changed their way of living from walking to wheeling to assisting people trying to find architecturally accessible housing while upgrading education to enhance employment potential. Invaluable services to expand growth of community.

COVID restrictions have significantly impacted those who already cope with the isolation that disability poses. Youngsters with disabilities that affect learning and ability to interact easily with peers feel the pain of COVID confinement.   Supports available during the school year are lost to them as they’ve become part of the home schooled with parents who aren’t always up to the challenge. All of these changes affect everyone in different ways. 

The challenge for many parents is that their youngsters simply don’t understand what is happening and why they can’t carry on as always. The same is true for seniors living in care and assisted living facilities who rely on emotional connection with family and friends as a key feature of their day. COVID has taken that away.  Their adult children struggle with how to cope with all that anxiety coming at them from several directions at once. It’s debilitating.

Mental health professionals can do only so much; it’s critical that people get on board with the reality that everyone must do their part, recognizing that just one thing, wearing a mask, will save many lives/day. Just DO it.  Children are carefree. Adults are careless. It’s time to adjust our thinking about COVID. Perhaps using the inauguration date of Joseph Biden as a target date, wear a mask til then the 20th of January 2021, paying attention to numbers of COVID cases in your area. They will go down. Don’t give the virus an opportunity to piggyback on you. Acknowledge that a piece of fabric covering your nose and mouth for a few hours a day is not a political statement designed to control you — it’s a health care initiative meant to save your life and the lives of those around you. Be a change maker so that COVID can change direction. Down, down, down!

Carla MacInnis Rockwell is a freelance writer and disability rights advocate living outside Fredericton, NB with Miss Lexie, a rambunctious Maltese and Mr. Malcolm, the boisterous Havanese. She can be reached via email at Carla MacInnis Rockwell

Don't forget self-care, even in isolation

       “Each morning I wake up …”. Go ahead and sing, I know you want to!

For the record, I don’t put on my make-up. Haven’t done that in decades. That whole process exhausts me in just minutes. Besides, with my flawless Nivea skin, I don’t need it. But I digress.

Many among us, of a certain age, find sleep elusive and getting up in the morning a pain, figuratively and literally. I’m thankful that I do manage to get very good rests; an adjustable bed with massage that I’m able to elevate at the legs assist me in two significant ways — elevating the foot of the bed contributes to better cardiac flow and reduced fluid retention in the ankles and feet. Having the head of the bed raised a bit allows me to turn myself more efficiently. Shifting/turning while lying prone is a challenge for those of us with CP who have moderate/sufficient movement for functions of daily living but lack in other areas that require a greater range of motion. We tend to wear out joints and stress muscles more quickly because we’re over-compensating for deficits. Post-impairment syndrome is a term used to describe aging with cerebral palsy and the impact of growing old on bodies impacted by this particular neurological disorder that affects movement/ambulation.

When I was a child, I was exercised several times a day; legs were massaged morning and evening. My late father, a doctor, based on observing me and my movement disorder decided to forego the usual protocols of medications for spasticity or pain management. Growth spurts were part of all children’s experience. I would be no different. There’d be no need to ‘medicate’ it. Today, I do not medicate to manage CP.

In these times of social isolation many persons with disability are finding it challenging to  keep up with routines of self-care. Purposeful movement has been part of my daily routine my entire life. I’m of the ‘use it or lose it’ school and as I aged, I simply modified how I did things, from meal prep to house cleaning to an exercise regimen in keeping with my physical abilities as they changed with age.

One exercise that I do faithfully is  spine stretching; first thing in the morning. Folks of a certain age should never get out of bed quickly as, without warning, a dizzy spell can  crest over you and a loss of consciousness may result. It happened to my brother-in-law. Good rule of thumb — upon waking, sit on the side of the bed for 5 minutes before standing. Before you actually do get on your feet, take the opportunity while still sitting to bend over, reach hands, palms outstretched, to the floor. Stretch, stretch, stretch! Then, slowly assume the full sitting position. Repeat a few times to loosen up the spine. You may find that you may not need your usual morning dose of pain management medication as the spine isn’t ouchie after the stretching. Then, stand up, get up and GO! You’re ready to start your day. 

Most falls occur during the day, particularly in and around the home, when we might be rushing to get things done. Don’t do that! Slow down. I find myself doing just that; having a sit mid morning or mid afternoon to do another round of spine stretching exercises. It really is amazing how effective that is. What many who have made it part of their regimen will tell you is that it’s reduce dependence on pain medication; if it doesn’t hurt, no need to medicate/sedate. Consult with your physician about any plans reduce daily medications, though most may welcome your proactive decision. After all, stretching/movement is widely viewed as one of the best pain reduction treatments that can be safely done in the seated position. Adjust as mobility allows for more bang for the buck. Stepping up daily movement also contributes to an improved mood/outlook. If people are taking medications for depression/anxiety, they might also find that exercise has improved their status in that regard, as well.

There are lots of televised exercise programs that may be appropriate for the senior who wants to maintain muscle tone; chair yoga has become popular and can be safely done, providing a range of benefits that reduce pain to concurrently reduce reliance on medications. With access to care being impacted by COVID, it’s vital that everyone be mindful of how they move about to ensure safety in and around the home.

Make sitting and stretching at the side of your bed part of your daily start up!

Carla MacInnis Rockwell is a freelance writer and disability rights advocate living outside Fredericton, NB with Miss Lexie, a rambunctious Maltese and Mr. Malcolm, the boisterous Havanese. She can be reached via email at CARLA MACINNIS ROCKWELL

Want to age healthily? Drink your water

During my weekly physiotherapy session, as the therapist was contributing to my continued ambulation, moving my legs this way and that, pushing, bending, stretching,  conversation got around to water; hydration and the importance of monitoring fluid intake in seniors and elderly. Geriatric terrier, Miss Lexie, was supervising the work-out. She loves water!

Each morning, I drink two full glasses to put the my brain in gear; my therapist said he does the same. Morning hydration sets the stage for the first hours of the day when we are engaged in preparing breakfast, feeding pets, getting ready to start our work day inside or outside of the home. Watering the body is just as important as fuelling with solid food within the first hour of waking — break-the-fast. 

Hydration is critical to ensure sufficient joint lubrication. Ever notice when you walk, you  sometimes hear bones creaking/scraping? Or when you move your arms or head, you feel and hear bones grinding? That is a clue to the need for more water; your body sending you messages to ‘top up’ not unlike when you fill your car with gas when it’s almost running on Empty. All very logical. Your body is a machine that requires daily fine tuning with water, food, exercise, mental an d physical stimulation,  and rest. Sometimes, situations present that interfere with the daily routine. For the past number of months, COVID has really messed with our daily routines. Folks working at home have relaxed schedules and may forego regular meal times and totally ignore signals to hydrate.

Symptoms of dehydration in the elderly may sometimes be subtle, but not drinking enough water and fluids can have impact on aging bodies such as mine. Severe dehydration can lead to confusion, weakness, urinary tract infections, pneumonia, bedsores in bedridden patients, and other serious conditions. Aging with cerebral palsy, I don’t move about a lot, but each day, I undertake several routine range of motion exercises that I’ve done for years. 

I educated myself early about the impact of aging on cerebral palsy of the spastic diplegic type and got into the habit decades ago of drinking lots of water, notably hot lemon water with clove and honey, convinced that this particular hot beverage has contributed to my good health. Certainly, by virtue of not being one to go and about much, even pre-COVID, my risk of flu and the like is reduced. That does not mean that I can’t/won’t ‘catch’ something during my city travels. That I protect myself with ‘top-shelf’ nutrition and supplements to enhance bone and muscle integrity ensures that as I approach my 70s and beyond, I”ll be in good shape physically, mentally and emotionally.  I am what I eat. So too, I am what I drink. 

I never gave much thought to becoming dehydrated, as water has been a huge part of my day. I do, however, often think about people in care homes or those at home alone who forget to drink enough water. In the care home setting, I’ve always felt that staff should look to making rounds  with trays of water; even flavoured water might be an alternative for those who claim not to  like water. After meals, offer a glass of water to aid digestion. Offering beforehand tends to create a full feeling and people may not eat enough of their meal.  Sufficient water intake contributes to  a greater level of alertness and concurrent lessening of combativeness which is found in some patients with early, or even fully involved dementia. Drinking up really does improve mood and that makes life more pleasant for everyone.

  From the medical/physical perspective, severe dehydration is a potentially life-threatening emergency; it can cause serious damage to kidneys, heart, and brain; to avoid severe hydration, respond to signs of dehydration by drinking fluids that rehydrate. Through the day, I do what I call my ritual walk-about.  I keep 500ml bottles of tap water in the fridge and grab one before I walk and then have another when I finish. A third bottle is carried back to my desk or to the table by my lounge chair. Sometimes, I’ll bring two. 

As a person with multiple disabilities doing quite well on my own, all things considered, it’s vital that I choose food and liquid that enhance performance of my body so that it doesn’t let me down. Though I’ll never be as graceful as a runway model or figure skater, I do maintain purposeful walking. Given my ‘advanced age’, I’m thankful that I’m still able to put one foot in front of the other so that I may continue independently living, with very few interventions. My life hasn’t changed much in these days and months of COVID. I’ll always choose water.

Carla MacInnis Rockwell is a freelance writer and disability rights advocate living outside Fredericton, NB with Miss Lexie, a rambunctious Maltese and Mr. Malcolm, the boisterous Havanese. She can be reached via email at Carla MacInnis Rockwell