Structure do we need it?

In the time of the Pandemic, we self-isolated or quarantined ourselves, which we needed to do. My question is how did you spend your day. I found that my routine did not change that much, and in some ways, I found that comforting. 

I wake up at 8:17 to the alarm, which is set at 8:17 because about a year ago I had to get up early to go somewhere and I set the time. I have not changed the time so I now get up at 8:17. If I get around to changing the time I will lose my membership in the procrastinators club but one day. 

Just before we went off to Australia in December I started a routine of isometric exercises that I do twice a day, first thing in the morning and last thing at night. I have found these help me keep my energy and I enjoy all of them except for the planks. The morning routine takes me about 15 minutes and the evening routine takes about 17 minutes. (I do one more repetition at night.

I then have a shower, shave and then go down about 9:00 for coffee and breakfast. During breakfast, I and my wife talk about the news and what we think of the situation in the US.

I then check my email and answer any emails that I need to respond to as well as looking around for ideas for this blog. 

Between 11 and 12:30 I take a walk. I have various routes that I travel and all of them are about 2.5 Kilometers long.

After my walk, I usually eat lunch and then start on any project that I have set up for myself. Because I am a member of the procrastinators club, some of these projects are only in the planning stage, while others are almost ready to go.  One day.

If I have the time I find a good book to read and think about. Soon it is time for supper, about once every two weeks I will attempt to cook and usually don't make too much of a mess. My wife and I have not yet had any food poisoning as a result of my cooking.

Once a week I mow the lawn and tend to the garden and also go out to get groceries and other things that we need. 

In the early evening after the evening news, we watch the local Community (PBS channels or one of the streaming channels to which we subscribe.

Then it is a coffee and exercise and I am ready to face the next day. 

Reading it over, it looks like the routine is starting to get in the way of creativity, but I find that when there is routine, you can find time to bring out your creativity. 
What are you looking forward to once this time of self-isolation and routine is over?

Engagement by Seniors in nursing homes is important

In BC the province where I live seniors in homes do not have the minimum care required by law and our provincial government is in no hurry to fix this problem. However, in other parts of the world, there is much being done. For example, in a survey of staff from 172 Swedish nursing homes, most residents had been outside the nursing home during the previous week, but only one-fifth had been on an outing or excursion.

Very few residents visited a restaurant, engaged in an education program, went to the cinema, or even engaged in activities such as hobbies and parlour games.

The findings can inform staff and managers to promote increased engagement in everyday activities for nursing home residents to support their wellbeing.

"The study demonstrates that activities are an important approach to increasing thriving, and that everyday activities can be conceptualised and implemented as nursing interventions to facilitate resident thriving as opposed to resident surviving in nursing home care", said Sabine Björk, lead author of the Journal of Advanced Nursing study.

The most commonly occurring everyday activities were receiving hugs and physical touch, talking to relatives/friends and receiving visitors, having conversation with staff not related to care and grooming. The least commonly occurring everyday activities were going to the cinema, participating in an educational program, visiting a restaurant and doing everyday chores. Positive associations were found between activity engagement and thriving, where engagement in an activity program, dressing nicely and spending time with someone the resident likes had the strongest positive association with resident thriving.

Engagement in everyday activities can support personhood and thriving and can be conceptualized and implemented as nursing interventions to enable residents to thrive in nursing homes.