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Hi folks,

I'm almost afraid to say the word "idea" but I had an idea earlier
about a Helpful Hints/Daily Living Solutions Web Site, that I'd like to
present to the group.

This reinventing the wheel stuff to solve each of our problems as they
arise is such a waste of energy, emotion, and spirit...I was thinking
that if anyone/everyone wanted to contribute solutions to problems that
were maybe then listed on a page, we could pool our wisdom, conserve
precious energy, promote sleep, make cooking/bathing/shopping easier,
share dressing solutions, decrease frustration, increase independence,
make driving safer, etc. etc., etc.

Many of these problems have been discussed before and are scattered
throughout our archives but I think it would be valuable to collect them
into one site since we all don't experience the same problems at the
same time and may miss some excellent advice to make our lives easier.

Jeana Bartlett and I have been discussing this. I was delighted to see
her section called "Tips" in her web site.

http://www.mindspring.com/~rbartlett/

Tips for Daily Living

In the Livingroom
In the Bathroom
In the Kitchen
In the Bedroom

I told Jeana that it is EXCELLENT, practical, golden
advice that could fill up pages of collected experience.
(I mean stuff like this is GOLD for someone)

Freezing

1.Step over something to get yourself started again -- having someone
put his/her foot in front of you so you can step over it can be very
helpful

2.Slowly rock from side to side to get moving again

3.Counting to yourself when you walk may help to ease the process


I was thinking of taking the area a step further.

Here I go again...here is the idea...

How about a subject heading labeled 'Helpful Hints' where anybody,
any time can contribute to the list, tried and true ideas for problems
they have tackled and solved.

It would be great for sharing, encouraging positive thinking, getting
others thinking about doing things an "easier way", get some lurkers to
join in, get those creative juices flowing, and make heros out of
tipsters!

"Helpful Hints" could be a regular part of the subject heading on
the listwhenever anyone wanted to share a tip or solution with
others...  since there may be more than one suggestion/need/thread going
on at a time, and not everyone needs the same hints,
we follow these guidelines for posting:

     Helpful hints - bathroom
     Helpful hints - cooking
     Helpful hints - driving
     Helpful hints - writing

Then, folks could pick and choose the ones that they need to read at the
time.

THEN "someone" could collect the ideas on a routine basis either from
the daily or weekly postings or from the archives of the list and add to
the ones posted on the "Helpful Hints: Living with PD" web Page.

Jeana if you wanted that job or if you wanted to ask the list for a
partner to co-own the site and share in the collection of ideas, that
would be great....or what ever you think would work best.

========== example post #1=========================

Subject:Helpful hints - bathroom.

All of my shower supplies are kept in a plastic tote with a handle.
Holes were drilled in the bottom for me for drainage.  It sits on my
transfer bench next to me while I shower.  This way, everything is
always within my reach, and I don't have to gather items before my
shower.

Try Liquid soap, Rope on a Soap and the body puff, easier to handle.

If you have a hard time brushing your teeth, do it in the shower.  For
me, it sure beat walking around with toothpaste in my hair.

============ example post #2 ===================

Subject: Helpful Hints - Getting dressed

I don't have too much problem getting dressed as long as I'm sitting.
I've learned not to bend over to pull on pants, etc. I sit in a chair or
on the bed. My big problem was pantyhose.  I know this is trivial, but I
always like to have on hose! Does anyone have a solution?

========= example post #3 ====================

One way to do it is every Sunday someone could post a new topic
or problem and ask for the group to share solutions.

How do you get dressed? Any tips to share?

What do you do that is helpful to you in keeping as much independence as
possible.  Does someone help you?  What do they do to help you?  Any
special appliances used? This is one I would like to hear from
the care givers on as well. I am looking forward to answers!

The hint I have for this is that my hubby will lay
out the clothes I ask for the day before he goes to work. He lays
them on the bench at the end of the bed.  I try to get as much on
as I can without getting out of bed. It also helps that most
zippers and buttons have been moved to look like they are there,
but I have sewn in lots of velcro.  Then if my hands are not working
right I can just slap the sides together and look dressed.

What other 'dressing tips' might any of you have to share?

============ just examples =====================

Subject: Helpful Hints..Moving items

A shopping bag or anything with a handle you can slip your arm thru
would work as well.

How about a "back pack"...(like a baby pack, carried by mothers)
inverted to the front, in case someone needs both arms free.

I  also have a difficult time managing a cane and my purse over a
shoulder, while trying to do anything outside the house, wearing it
across my body is too uncomfortable,  so I bought a nice, smallish
leather purse from the Vermont Country Store catalogue, that converts to
a back pack...

====================================================================

Subject:Helpful Hints : Shopping in a Mall
===============================================================

Subject:Helpful Hints: Kitchen

Have you tried a rocker knife? I use mine for everything...Otherwise
I wouldn't dare touch a knife!

or

I cook a BIG batch of something about once a week.  Usually on Sat or
Sun when I have more time.  I eat it for a couple of days but put the
rest in the freezer in Rubbermaid containers, usually, cause they stack
nicely.  Pot roast, turkey with all the trimmings, corned beef and it's
stuff (cept the cabbage cause it doesn't freeze well), homemade soup,
chilli, spagetti and lots more.

Then one can haul it out and defrost in the fridge overnight and
microwave.  Usually I add a salad or frozen vegie.  No fuss, no muss
when you are tired or not feeling well or it gets to the end of the
month and the budget is tight.  Buy what you like that is on sale and
cook ahead.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Subject: Re: Helpful Hints: Washing your hair-tips to make it easier

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Someone could also check out the archives to draw on other problems and
their solutions.

Any way...that's the gist of it...what do you all think?

Would this sound like something 2 or 3 of you would like to do?

Your cyber sis,

Gail Vass

* If you ain't makin' waves, you ain't kickin' hard enough!.