ELDERLY/PWD HOME EXERCISES PROGRAM(COVID 19): DAY THIRTY THREE – COGNITIVE STIMULATION
It is finally raining in my part of town. The heat being close to summer is adding up to the stress and boredom for a lot of people locked down inside their homes because of this virus. It is usually a time for rest and recreation especially for kids who are on school breaks. Beach resorts and malls are usually packed and everybody is out and about doing whatever it is people do in the summer. All of a sudden this, nothing to do at home but eat, sleep, and of course with 99% accuracy rate, Netflix and chilling. As for me, ever since this happened, promoting a healthy lifestyle through home exercises program has been my first priority especially for the elderlies who are at high risk for acquiring other conditions (obesity, cardiopulmonary problems, mental stress, etc.) just from being stagnant at home. Physical well being is just part of the entirety that we need to take care of, mental health is another. As much as the genres for great movies on Netflix is unlimited, we can only have as much before our brains fry. As for me, a rainy day is best paired with coffee and a good book. Reading especially loud reading for elderlies stimulates cognition and speech and is a must try. I am not a fast reader, not at all. I read like Morgan Freeman narrating ‘Shawshank Redemption’, I try to do the accent as well even when I am reading quietly. Here is a list of some of my favorite books recently and on repeat. Come up with your list and hit me up with the books that you recommend. Keep safe!
1. The Emperor of All Maladies x The Gene – Same author. Science written like a novel. The documentary under the same title ‘Emperor of All Maladies’, about cancer then and now having friends and families who succumbed to it is heart breaking.
2. Kitchen Confidential x Get Jiro series – Big fan of Anthony Bourdain. When he took his life on 2018, I was devastated. ‘Though I have all his books and all his shows from ‘A cook’s tour’ until ‘Parts Unknown’, I still go back to ‘Kitchen Confidential’ to feel good.
3. The Power Broker x Lyndon Johnson biography series – Robert Caro is something else. Biography that is not boring at all.
4. I Know This Much is True x The shadow of the Wind x Earth X series x 300 x Get Jiro series x Memoirs of a Geisha x Philippine Speculative Fiction series x After Eden x Flinch series – I am not big into fiction but so far, I love this collection.
5. Far from the Tree x Noonday Demon – Same author. The first book really inspired me as a therapist to better understand and care for the special individuals I am catering to. The second book allows me to be more aware and deal with my depression. The documentary under the same title also is a must watch.
6. In our Image – I had to read this book when I stayed in the USA for so long to remind me of my roots and to better understand USA-Philippines relationship then and now.
7. Genesis of Justice x The Best Defense – Renowned lawyer and academic puts his smart take on the bible and some of his monumental cases in the past into 2 good books.
8. The Muscle and Strength Pyramid (nutrition and training) x Renaissance Diet x Starting Strength x A life Without Limits x Good to Go x Anatomy and Physiology(Tortora) x Clinical Kinesiology x Occupational Therapy(Pedretti) x Overcoming Gravity – Some of my go-to books when it comes to health and fitness as well as in my practice as a therapist.
9. A Day at El bulli x Momofuku x Milk x The Perfectionist x The Sweet Life in Paris x Appetites – I am not a cook but I really appreciate food like these authors do with theirs.
10. I cannot come up with descriptions on some of the books here but I love them all.
