Know someone who's a UofL Football Fan? Want to help PSCKY? We're blessed to be hosting a private reception with University of Louisville's new head football coach Charlie Strong on Thursday, June 17th from 6-7:30pm. All proceeds benefit PSCKY. Drinks and delicious hors d'oeuvres will be served. Live music by Bobby J, too! This is a chance to get up close and personal with Coach Strong.  Tickets are $125. Call Jinn at 502-426-0888 to reserve a place, or tell a friend!

Last week, I came across an interesting fact sheet from the Center for Neurologic Study. It outlines some of the exercises capable of maintaining muscle power and tone and preventing deformities of the limbs and spine.

Here are 10 basic exercises the site suggests for someone with PD:

1. Bring the toes up with every step you take. In PD, you should never "make a move" without lifting the toes.
2. Spread the legs (10 inches) when walking or turning to provide a wide base, a better stance and to prevent falling. It may not look beautiful, but neither does falling!
3. For greater safety in turning, use small steps with feet widely separated. Never cross one leg over the other when turning. Practice walking a few yards and then turn. Walk in the opposite direction and turn. Do so for fifteen minutes a day.
4. Practice walking into tight corners of a room to overcome fear of close spaces.
5. To insure good body balance, practice rapid excursions of the body. Backward, forward and to the right and left, five minutes, several times a day. Don't look for a wall when you think you are falling. It may not be there. Your body will always be there to protect you if you will practice balance daily.
6. When legs feel frozen or glued to the floor, a lift of the toes may eliminate muscle spasm and the fear of falling, leaving you free to walk again.
7. Swing the arms freely when walking. It helps to take body weight off the legs, lessens fatigue, and loosens the arms and shoulders.
8. If getting out of a chair is difficult, rise with "lightening speed" to overcome the "pull of gravity." Sitting down should be done slowly, with body bent sharply forward, until one touches the seat. Practice this at least a dozen times a day.
9. If the body lists to one side, carry a shopping bag with books or other weight in the opposite hand to decrease bend.
10. Any task that is difficult--such as buttoning a shirt or getting out of bed--if practiced 20 times a day becomes easier on the 21st time.
    

For more tips about...

• tight muscles & poor posture
• sitting
• better balance
• walking
• turning
• getting in and out of chairs
• getting out of bed
• using your arms and hands
• greater safety in the bathroom
• and speech, face and chewing difficulties...

visit the Center for Neurologic Study's info page here!

While technology has provided us with a variety of ways to communicate, accomplish daily tasks, and keep ourselves safe, there are still those who don't feel comfortable using computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices. This can cause for a rift in communication and can make it harder for the technologically impaired to accomplish their daily tasks.

If you know someone who is technologically impaired that is on a number of medications, you know they probably have some sort of strange and cumbersome ritual to make sure they take all the right medications everyday. They might have one of those medication organizers with the compartments for every day of the week. They might have a post-it note that tells them they have taken their medicine for the day. Some people even flip their prescription bottle upside down to tell them they have taken their medicine for the day.

There are easier ways for people to remember to take their medications. If you are handy with technology, and you know someone who could use a little bit of help, you could show them the ropes of an online medication schedule. If you're willing to guide them through all of the steps to making a medication schedule, they might be willing to listen. Also, it might be a good idea to try and get their doctor on board to encourage them that this is a great way to remember to take the right medicine.

A medication schedule isn't just about what medicines to take on what day. The more medicines you take the more complex your schedule becomes. You need to know how many pills to take at what time of day, and medication schedules will also tell you what each pill looks like and when you should get it refilled. Medication schedules make it easy for you whether you take generic brand medications or have a name brand prescription. Online medication schedules have many benefits that cannot compare to a pill organizer with compartments.

Even if you just print out a scheduled for your loved one, you can still help them to get the full benefits of using an online medication schedule without having to "give in" to technology. People who are technology impaired are usually that way by choice. They don't want to change their lifestyle to incorporate complex electronic devices. So, if you simply print out their weekly or monthly schedule for them, you'll be doing them a great favor.

While not everyone has the time and the skills to use an online medication schedule, their benefits really outweigh any setbacks. You can get medication reminders sent to your e-mail, cell phone, or sign on everyday to make sure all of your medications are in order and none of them need to be refilled. You can also talk to your doctor about creating and maintaining a medication schedule that works for you. Even if you're technologically impaired, maybe your doctor can print out a schedule for you.

For great online, easy-to-use tools, visit MyMedSchedule.com.

Our popular "Let's Dance" support group will resume with new sessions from Tuesday, June 8th-Tuesday, July 27th. The group will meet on Tuesdays from 9:30-10:30am at Dance Louisville. Please call 502-426-0888 to register or email us!

If you've reached the doughnut hole in Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage, or are going to reach it this year, you will be receiving a rebate of $250 as a result of the new health reform bill. This is a one-time only rebate. The first set of checks will be sent out in mid-June to people who've already entered the coverage gap. After that, HHS will send out checks approximately once a month as more people enter the coverage gap. You should receive your check automatically, and there are no forms to fill out. If someone contacts you saying they need your personal information (such as Medicare number to "process" your rebate, do NOT give out the information as this will be scam, but DO report it to 1-800-MEDICARE. If you don't receive a check, and believe you should have, you should also call 1-800-MEDICARE. If you receive Extra Help to pay for your Medicare drug costs, you will NOT get a rebate check.

You will only receive this rebate if you enter the coverage gap in 2010. Over the next ten years, the coverage gap will be phased out through yearly increases in discounts until your costs are reduced to 25% or less for both brand-name and generic drugs.

PSCKY is now on Facebook! Please "become a fan" or, in the new terminology, "like" us. Thanks to everyone who's joined up so far!We now have over 340 "fans"...and we welcome your pictures, posts and conversations on our Facebook site.

June is National Men's Health Month. This site offers resources to encourage men to seek regular medical advice and early treatment for disease and injury.

Jefferson County Public Schools Adult and Continuing Education is offering leisure-learning and career-enhancing classes in the Summer Lifelong Learning Session. Classes begin the week of July 12th (unless otherwise noted). Call 502-485-3400 for more info.

June 15th is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. This is a call-to-action for individuals, organizations and communities to raise awareness about elder abuse, neglect and exploitation. The National Center on Elder Abuse website has great information, including numbers to call if you are someone you know may be being exploited, neglected or abused.

The Farmers' Market and Multicultural Bazaar at Jewish Family and Career Services began yesterday and will continue each Sunday through October from 12:30-4:30pm. Different immigrant cultures will be featured each week. For more info, call 502-452-6341.

The Heuser Clinic will offer a Heart Makeover Event on Tuesday, June 15, from 7-8:30pm. The free, interactive experience will help you jump start your personal heart makeover. For more information, call 502-893-7833.

The Alzheimer's Association will present "Empowering Caregivers and Individuals with Making Informed Decisions about Long Term Care Options" on Tuesday, June 15, from 6-7pm at Clark Memorial Hospital in the Kathryn Raines Conference Center (Jeffersonville, IN). RSVP to 502-451-4266 or 800-272-3900.

Choosing to Live with Parents--How Close is Too Close? is the topic of the Parenting the Parent class sponsored by the Norton Women's Pavilion on Tuesday, June 15, from 6-8pm at Norton Suburban Hospital. Call 502-629-1234 to register and for more info.

The Southeast Alzheimer's Caregiver Support Group will welcome Benjamin Mast, PhD, a professor of psychological and brain sciences to speak about Alzheimer's disease and take your questions and specific concerns. The group meets at Southeast Christian Church in FH 111 at 1pm on Thursday, June 17th.

Gain insight into new trends and practices emerging in sleep medicine at the 2010 Sleep Summit on Friday, June 18th from 7:30am-3:15pm at the Fern Valley Hotel and Conference Center. Call 502-629-1234 to register or for more information. There is a $30 seminar fee for this class.

Congressman John Yarmuth will host a "Build Your Skills: A Job Hunter's Guide to Success" workshop on June 21st. Click here to learn more about this free workshop!

The Pressure Cooker--a special event focused on reducing high blood pressure--will be held on Saturday, June 26, from 9:30am-2pm at the Ken Ellis Center in Jeffersonville, Indiana. Free gifts, screenings, cooking demonstrations and more! Call 502-629-1234 for more information.