Viki’s article in “In Your Corner Magazine” – Rock Steady Boxing – Parkinson’s Boxing Classes
January 3, 2019 by Viki Kind
Filed under For Healthcare Professionals, For Patients & Families
I am so honored that an excerpt from my Resource Workbook and Visual Conversation Toolkit, The Four-Step Process: Asking For and Accepting Help, was included in Rock Steady Boxing’s – In Your Corner Magazine.
Viki Kind’s article – In Your Corner Magazine – Rock Steady Boxing
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Rock Steady Boxing, is an amazing organization that gives people with Parkinson’s disease hope by improving their quality of life through a non-contact boxing based fitness curriculum.
THE CHALLENGE
Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative movement disorder which can cause deterioration of motor skills, balance, speech and sensory function.
The Parkinson’s Disease Foundation estimates there are more than 1 million people in the United States diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, and more than 60,000 people are diagnosed each year. Rock Steady Boxing is the first gym in the country dedicated to the fight against Parkinson’s.
In our gym, exercises are largely adapted from boxing drills. Boxers condition for optimal agility, speed, muscular endurance, accuracy, hand-eye coordination, footwork and overall strength to defend against and overcome opponents. At RSB, Parkinson’s disease is the opponent. Exercises vary in purpose and form but share one common trait: they are rigorous and intended to extend the perceived capabilities of the participant.
THE ROCK STEADY BOXING SOLUTION
Various studies in the 1980s and 1990s supported the notion that rigorous exercise, emphasizing gross motor movement, balance, core strength, and rhythm, could favorably impact range of motion, flexibility, posture, gait, and activities of daily living. More recent studies, most notably at Cleveland Clinic, focus on the concept of intense “forced” exercise, and have begun to suggest that certain kinds of exercise may be neuro-protective, i.e., actually slowing disease progression.
Our clients attest, and academic institutions, such as University of Indianapolis and Butler University, are reporting and documenting the improved quality of life among our boxers. Discovery of a cure may be many years away but in the last seven years, there is evidence that progress is made in all stages of the disease by those participating in the RSB program.
Call today to schedule an appointment to visit the gym, speak privately with a Coach, or watch a class in action. Please consult your physician before starting any exercise program.
Have a kind and respectful day.
4th Edition Available – Resource Workbook, Visual Tools and Conversation Guide
November 22, 2014 by Viki Kind
Filed under Featured, For Healthcare Professionals, For Patients & Families
WORKBOOK AVAILABLE ONLY BY CONTACTING VIKI DIRECTLY
I am excited to let you know the 4th edition which has 12 new pages of uniquely designed visual conversation tools is now available. It includes articles, worksheets and templates you can copy and share to help with issues such as evaluating danger, making challenging medical decisions, managing caregiver burnout, and communicating your end-of-life wishes. – Order here or email Viki directly. Resource Workbook, Conversation Guide and Visual Toolkit 135 pages (8½ x 11)
Usually $40 – SPECIAL: $34.95 plus sales tax and shipping
Table of Contents
- Section 1: Medical Decision Making Tools
- Crisis Planning Worksheet for Urgent Decision Making
- Quick Tips for Crisis Decision Making
- Drawing an Outcome Roadmap Article and Diagram
- Recovery is Not a Straight Line – Managing Expectations
- Weighing the Options – Risks, Benefits and Burdens
- Weighing the Options Exercise
- Is the Patient Willing to Endure the Burdens to Get the Benefits?
- Double Weighing the Options Exercise
- Combining an Option Roadmap with the Risks, Benefits and Burdens When Discussing the Alternatives Article and Diagram
- Two-Hand Test for Medical Decision Making
- Two-Hand Test for Medical Decisions Making Diagram
- Evaluating Medical Options Through Three Lenses
- Evaluating Medical Options Through Three Lenses Diagram
- Sliding Scale for Acceptability: Where are the Patient’s Boundaries?
- Sliding Scale for Acceptability Exercise
- Evaluating Treatment Options When You Know the Patient’s Long Term Goals Article
- Evaluating Treatment Options When You Know the Patient’s Long Term Goals Algorithm
- Four Boxes Motivation Article and Exercise – Exploring Why thePa tient Isn’t Following Your Treatment Plan
- 5-Step Process to Help the Person Get Out of Denial
- Questions to Ask When Making Medical Decisions
- 6 Tips to Improve Communication with Your Doctor
- Getting Ready for Your Doctor’s Appointment
- Section 2: Evaluating Danger and Risk Tools
- Can the Person Connect the Dots?
- Evaluating Danger and Risk When Making Decisions
- Evaluating Risk for Those Without Capacity Diagram
- Evaluating the Dangers Worksheet
- Solutions to Creating a Restraint-Free Life
- Section 3: Caregiver Conversation and Support Tools
- Are You Care-grieving?
- The Ladder Diagram – The Caregivers Needs Count Too!
- Using the Ladder Diagram
- How is Your Relationship Now That Illness is a Part of Your Lives?
- Viki Kind’s 4-Step Process for Asking For and Accepting Help
- 4-Step Process for Asking For and Accepting Help Worksheet
- Caregivers and Guilt
- How to Say “No” Handout
- Section 4: End-of-Life Conversation Tools
- Insider’s Guide to Filling Out Your Advance Healthcare Directive
- Quick Tips for Filling Out Your Advance Directive
- Quality of Life Statement Template
- Viki’s Quality of Life Statement
- Guidance for My Decision(s) Maker
- What I Want My Doctor to Know About My Faith and/or Culture
- Having My Doctor Review My Advance Directive
- 5 Quick Tips for Making the CPR vs. DNR Decision
- Avoiding the Pitfalls in CPR vs. DNR Decision Making
- Recommended Books and Additional Resources
- Acknowledgements
“What to look for during your annual visit to elderly relatives” by Mary Twomey MSW. Thanks, Mary and the Center of Excellence in Elder Abuse and Neglect
November 5, 2012 by Viki Kind
Filed under Uncategorized
Special thanks to Mary Twomey, MSW, Co-Director, Center of Excellence in Elder Abuse & Neglect for this wonderful article.
For many of us, the holidays offer a once-a-year time to visit with elderly relatives who live at a distance. These holiday visits are a good time to assess what assistance parents or other elderly loved ones might need. There are many things to consider. Does an elderly loved one require help with chores or housekeeping, personal care, shopping and meal preparation, money management, transportation, medical checkups, or medications? Are they isolated or, do they live with others? If living with another, are they dependent on that person for care? Is that person an appropriate caregiver? During your visit, keep an eye out for warning signs of self-neglect, or abuse or neglect by others. If, before you make your trip, you suspect that your loved one needs extra assistance, plan a longer stay so that you can visit local aging service organizations during regular work hours. Allow enough time during your visit to accomplish necessary tasks.
Make the most of your visits by taking some private time with the elder to discuss future planning. Allow time for them to express anxieties. You can decide together what needs to be done and who can help. Be observant while you are visiting. Realize that you may need to arrange a visit to a doctor for a full evaluation.
Remember that 75-90% of elder abuse is committed by family members. Don’t let denial become an obstacle to planning that could prevent future emergencies. This is not the time to hide your head in the sand, setting the stage for future regrets. Some warning signs of elder abuse are:
Self-Neglect – If the senior lives alone and does not have anyone providing assistance, self-neglect may become an issue. Some things to look for include:
• Senior appears confused
• Senior is no longer able to handle meal preparation, house cleaning, laundry, bathing, or timely bill payment
• Senior seems depressed
• Senior is drinking too much or is overusing drugs
• Senior is falling frequently
• Senior appears undernourished, dehydrated, under-medicated, or is getting care for problems with eyesight, hearing, dental problems, continence, etc.
Neglect or Abuse by others – If the senior lives with others or ostensibly has people helping with care, neglect or abuse may become an issue. Some things to look for include:
• Presence of “new best friend” who is willing to care for the senior for little or no cost
• Recent change in banking or spending patterns
• Caregiver isolates older person from friends and family
• Caregiver has problems with drugs, alcohol, anger management, and emotional instability
• Caregiver is financially dependent on the older person
• Family pet seems neglected or abused
• You find an abundance of mail and/or phone solicitations for money (“You’re our lucky winner!”)
• Senior seems afraid of the caregiver
• Senior has unexplained bruises, cuts, etc.
• Senior has “bed sores” (pressure sores from lying in one place for too long)
• Senior appears dirty, undernourished, dehydrated, over- or under-medicated, or is not receiving needed care for problems with eyesight, hearing, dental issues, continence.
What should you do?
• If you suspect your older loved one is at risk, call your local Adult Protective Services or Office on Aging or go to www.centeronelderabuse.org for more information.
• Seniors may not be aware of a gradual decline and may be reluctant or unable to plan for needed care. Support and guidance from family members can help prevent serious accidents and/or future health complications. Noticing and correcting problems can help keep seniors safely in their homes.
• Learn more about common geriatric conditions, medications and markers of abuse. Refer to Geriatric Pocket Doc, a compact guide book for non-physicians. For info, visit www.centeronelderabuse.org and click Geriatric Pocket Doc in the bottom right corner.
• Introduce yourself to responsible neighbors and friends. Give them your address and phone numbers in case of an emergency.
• Ask your elderly loved ones directly if they are afraid of anyone, if anyone is taking things without their permission; if anyone is asking them to do things they are not comfortable with, or if anyone is putting them down.
RESOURCES:
Center of Excellence in Elder Abuse and Neglect: www.centeronelderabuse.org. A program of the University of California Irvine, the CoE conducts research, training, advocacy, and direct services on the issue of elder abuse and neglect.
Eldercare Locator: Since 1991, the Eldercare Locator, a nationwide toll-free service provided by U.S. Administration on Aging, has helped older adults and their caregivers find local services for seniors. You may visit the website at www.eldercare.gov or speak to an Information Specialist who has access to a database of more than 4,800 entries. The toll-free Eldercare Locator service operates Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Eastern time) and can be reached at 1-800-677-1116.
AARP: AARP provides caregiving worksheets and tips on “Long-Distance Issues” http://assets.aarp.org/external_sites/caregiving/planAhead/long_distance_issues.html
Center of Excellence in Elder Abuse and Neglect
University of California, Irvine Program in Geriatrics
www.centeronelderabuse.org 714-456-5530
David McGuffey Interviews Viki, WBLJ Newstalk
March 31, 2012 by Viki Kind
Filed under Uncategorized
Viki will be the guest on WBLJ NEWSTALK 1230 AM in Dalton, GA with host, Certified Elder Law Attorney, David McGuffey. April 4th, 9AM EDT, 6AM PDT
