Vital Care PT's online newsletter for October 2017
MONTHLY
OCTOBER 2017
As far back as I can remember, I have always celebrated Halloween. When I was young, my family would put costumes together and we would trick-or-treat in our neighborhood. We never got into Halloween much more than that, but my husband and I decided to take Halloween seriously when we got married. HOWTHE MCWHORTERS TAKE ONHALLOWEEN WWW.VITALCAREREHAB.COM T raditions N ew and O ld (623) 544-0300
At the clinic, we love to celebrate Halloween with our patients. The whole team comes to work with their costumes on. Our patients don’t usually dress up with us, but they love coming in to see what we’ve put together. Last year we all dressed up as Wizard of Oz characters and had a great time. At Vital Care, we are family friendly and we want our team to be able to spend quality time with their loved ones. For that reason we close early on Halloween. I can remember back in the day being a working mom and feeling pressure to run home from work, feed the kids dinner, and get them ready before the trick-or-treaters showed up at our house. I almost never beat the trick-or-treaters, and it was frustrating to feel like I was in a rush when I was supposed to be spending quality time with my kids. So, to avoid that whole commotion, we let our team go home early so they can enjoy a nice dinner and have time to dress up their kids before going out for the night. In other office news, we are very sorry to announce that Kacey will not be coming back to Vital Care Physical Therapy. Kacey’s passion has always been with pediatrics, and she was offered a job where she could pursue the career of her dreams. We will miss her very much and we wish her the best of luck.
After we had kids, we continued our Halloween tradition for a few years, but then we started to get busier, and then we moved houses, so the parties took a backseat to our hectic schedule. We haven’t thrown a Halloween party in years, but our friends and old neighbors always ask
Before we had kids, my husband and I loved to throw adult Halloween parties. We would get dressed up, decorate our house, and prepare yummy food and drinks. All of our friends and neighbors were invited to celebrate with us. We would go all-out for Halloween! After everyone had enough to eat and drink, we would hold a costume contest for the best dressed. It was fun to see everyone get decked out for the contest. At the end of the night, some of our friends would stay at our house and we would have a delicious breakfast in the morning. Vital Care Patients ENTER TO WIN Find the misspelled word in this newsletter and call (623) 544-0300 for your chance to win a $10 gift card! CALL 623-544-0300
“OUR PATIENTS DON’T USUALLY DRESS UP
when we are going to bring it back. Now that we are starting to settle into our new house, we might have to think about hosting a party next year. It would be great to bring back that tradition, and I think it would be a fun way to get to know our new neighbors a little better. This year, the kids are planning to dress up in one of our many costumes. When we moved, it reminded me of how many costumes we actually own; we have multiple giant plastic bins full of costumes! A good chunk of our garage is dedicated to Halloween, which is nice since we don’t have to buy new outfits every year. It’s easy to recycle and mix and match what we own, and it isn’t a big deal if we need to buy a new accessory. After the kids get dressed, we will go trick-or-treating in our old neighborhood with our former neighbors and their friends. WITH US, BUT THEY LOVE COMING IN TO SEEWHAT WE’VE PUT TOGETHER.”
Contest for past and present Vital Care PT patients only.
See you soon!
Andrea McWhorter
www.VitalCareRehab.com | 1
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4 WAYSYOUMAYBE AB PREVENTDEMENTIABEFORE
From the moment you wake up in the morning, it feels like a dense fog fills your head. When you drag yourself out of bed and go to make yourself a plate of eggs and toast, it suddenly seems like a much more complicated task than before. You lose track of time, and the smell of smoke enters your nostrils. Frantically turning the burner off, it occurs to you that you can’t remember the day of the week.
According to Time Magazine, 47 million people around the world live with some type of dementia. Typically, as we age, we’re told that all we can do is hope for the best and bide our time until there’s a cure, but recent research by the Alzheimer’s Research Center paints a different picture. A set of simple lifestyle changes may be the key to staving off cognitive decline as we get older. Regular exercise has been shown by the to reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s by up to 50 percent, according to Help Guide, and it can even slow the onset of already-present cognitive decline. Walk or swim for about 150 minutes each week, along with two to three sessions of moderate resistance training, as well as balance and coordination exercises. Check out eldergym.com for more info on staying active as you age. Heart-healthy eating may also protect the brain. Limit your intake of sugar and saterated fats and eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Replace butter and margarine with olive or canola oil. Two diets that have been linked to heart health are the DASH diet (dashdiet.org) and the Mediterranean diet.
S udoku
W ord on the S treet MARC’S PT STORY
“When I came in the first time I knew my pain and mobility was bad, but didn’t know how bad. I quickly found out, but now I feel 20 years younger. From the first day to the last was a wonderful experience and they have far exceeded my expectations. This is the nicest group of people. I haven’t seen anyone in here be other than the best every time I walk in.” -Marc C.
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E TO TSTARTS
ENSURE A SUCCESSFUL RECOVERYWITH PHYSICAL THERAPY T otal H ip R eplacements Total hip replacements are common surgical interventions performed for severe arthritis or hip fracture. The goal of a total hip replacement surgery is to relieve pain, improve joint mobility, and restore or improve the ability to safely perform activities, like walking, standing, stair climbing, and running. After surgery, patients experience stiffness in the hip and leg, and muscle weakness. It may be difficult to put weight on your leg after surgery. Your physical therapist will teach you how to correctly put weight on the affected leg and may recommend a walker or cane as you work to restore your physical function. Physical therapy is a great tool for patients to use before surgery as well as after surgery. In preparation for surgery, your physical therapist might teach you flexibility and strengthening exercises for the lower extremities, how to use a walker or cane for navigating steps, and any precautions to take after surgery. On the first or second day after surgery, your physical therapist will begin bedside post-operative treatment by reviewing any precautions you should take to prevent injury and restore function. You will also be taught to turn in bed and get up into a sitting position, get out of bed and stand, walk with an assistive device for short distances, and perform gentle range-of-motion and strengthening exercises in bed. As you progress in your recovery, you will work on walking without an assistive device, stair climbing; balance; full movement of your leg and hip; and specific muscle-strengthening exercises to improve your ability to stand and walk safely and independently. Outpatient physical therapy sessions will help you work on range of motion and flexibility. In addition, weight-bearing activities will help restore your function to optimal levels. If you are considering a total hip replacement, call Vital Care Physical Therapy at (623) 544-0300 . We will make sure your body is in optimal condition for a successful surgery and recovery.
Frequent social engagement may help keep your brain sharp. Make efforts to speak face to face with someone you’re close to as often as you can. Try to make new friends, volunteer, join a club or social group, get to know your neighbors, or connect with people over social media.
Mental stimulation may also be important to brain health as we age. Study something new to you, such as a foreign language or a musical instrument. Make reading books and newspapers part of your regular routine.
Try doing crossword or sudoku puzzles. It’s not difficult to find an activity you enjoy that will also help keep your brain active.
S ausage and B arley S oup
It’s a great time of year to warm up with a cup of soup, and this comforting, guilt-free dish comes together in a flash.
INGREDIENTS
• 1 (141/2-ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained and chopped • 1/4 cup uncooked quick- cooking barley • 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh baby spinach
• Cooking spray • 6 ounces turkey breakfast sausage • 21/2 cups frozen bell pepper stir-fry • 2 cups water
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sausage; cook 3 minutes or until browned. Remove from heat. 2. While sausage cooks, place stir-fry and 2 cups water in a blender; process until smooth. 3. Add stir-fry puree, tomatoes, and barley to sausage in pan. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat; cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in spinach; cook 1 minute or until spinach wilts.
Recipe courtesy of CookingLight.com.
www.VitalCareRehab.com | 3
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
(623) 544-0300 Fax: (623) 544-0239 www.vitalcarerehab.com
14545 W. Grand Ave. #108 Surprise, AZ 85374
THIS ISSUE I nside Halloween Traditions New and Old PAGE 1
Can You Prevent Dementia Before It Starts? PAGE 2
Physical Therapy for Total Hip Replacements Recipe of the Month PAGE 3
The Acropolis of Athens: Tips for Your Trip Back in Time PAGE 4
TIPS FOR YOUR TRIP BACK IN TIME he A cropolis of A thens :
When people think of a vacation to Greece, the first images that come to mind are often the picturesque beaches of Mykonos Island or plates of delicately layered moussaka. But no trip to the cradle of Western civilization would be complete without a visit to one of the most incredible historical sites in the world: the ancient Acropolis of Athens. Around 468 B.C., while Athens was enjoying its status as the greatest cultural hub of the era, Pericles initiated a robust reconstruction of the Acropolis. Almost half of the population was on the public payroll during the project, generating what would become many of the most memorable structures in history, including the famous Parthenon. Today, the ruins of the Acropolis still stand, a testament to the ingenuity of one of the most advanced civilizations of the classical age. If you plan on exploring the breathtaking ruins and the Acropolis Museum, which houses over 4,000 artifacts from the site, it’s a good idea to avoid the Mediterranean cruise hordes and get there early, as close to 8 a.m. as possible. A four-day pass to peruse the Parthenon, the temples of Athena and Zeus, and many other world-famous sites costs around 12 euros,
but keep in mind you can visit each site only once per pass. Due to the scorching heat that hits the area in the summer, you may want to visit during late winter or early spring. To absorb the incredible history of this ancient monument, it’s a good idea to either pay for the audio guide as you enter or go to the “Watch, Read, Listen” section of ricksteves.com and download his audio guide for free. You can also get a full tour from a local guide. Head to toursbylocals.com/ Athens-Tours to find the perfect guide for your trip.
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