HP Authors

A WELLNESS TRANSFUSION!
Help write THE book on Wellness
In The Workplace.

Sandra Larkin

HP Authors News - December, 2008

I'm Not Going to Fall
Nicole Pfeffer Crombie
MOT Occupational Therapist

January is here along with cold winds, rain, snow, or even ice, depending on where we live and what Mother Nature has in store for us. It’s also a time of year when falls occur. My grandmother fell last winter while it was icy outside and broke her wrist. While the elderly are typically more at risk for falling, it’s something that we’re all at risk for, especially with unpredictable weather approaching. Here are some fall prevention tips that will help you become more aware of the risk factors and to reduce the likelihood of falling.

Wear appropriate shoes that fit well and are flat. Don’t wear those high heels in the snow or rain. Make sure you have nonslip soles.

Watch for curbs or other uneven surfaces inside and outside.

Don’t try to talk on the cell phone, write a list, text message, etc. while you’re walking.

Be careful of how much you’re carrying while you walk.

Make sure there is appropriate lighting. Turn on the
outdoor lights and open the blinds where you are walking.

Don’t overestimate your abilities and try to reach for something that is beyond your limit. Ask for help or use a foot stool.

Watch for clutter on the floor like cords and litter on the ground outside.

Regular exercise, such as walking, will help to reduce falls because you’re
improving your balance and coordination.

We are not immune to falls. The good news is that we can become aware of those things that may contribute to them and reduce the risk. Winter is not the only time we should be aware of falling. It can occur at any time of year and in any
environment. Prevent falling by increasing your awareness.

Nicole Pfeffer Crombie, MOT. Nicole Pfeffer Crombie is a practicing occupational therapist receiving bachelors degree from Allegheny College in Meadville, PA and her masters degree in occupational therapy from Chatham University in Pittsburgh, PA. She has worked in outpatient pediatric rehab, the school systems, and early
intervention/home care. She currently resides in Charlottesville, VA with her family and works in the school system of Virginia. Her email address is ncrombie@comcast.net

Winter: A Time for Silence and
Deep Reflection
- Patrice Rancour, MS, RN, CS
Ohio State University

For many of us, January marks the end of the holiday treadmill, when activity creates its own momentum and we engage in a seemingly endless round of pursuits which may leave us feeling exhausted and frayed around the edges.

Enter January, when the coldness and darkness of the winter tend to encourage a going inward, a re-evaluation of where we have been, where we are now, and where we are going. This can be a richly soul-satisfying time when we seek to ask ourselves the questions that feel too deep to explore when we are too much on the go. Remembering that we are now just the acorns of the old oak trees we are growing into, from that time-traveled place in the future, we can look backward and ask ourselves, “What will I regret having done – or not done – by the time I reach the end of my life? Am I truly co-creating the kind of life that aligns with my life
purpose? Do I even know what my life purpose is? Even if I do, is it now evolving into something new?”

How does one create the structure needed to answer such questions? In times past, people would break and take spiritual retreats to examine such issues with a trusted advisor or teacher. Perhaps it is time to consider doing so in these times during which monumental shifts are taking place on a global scale and we seek
discernment in clarifying our place in the larger scheme of things.

Decide now that you will take a weekend workshop, make a meaningful pilgrimage, develop a time-limited “wisdom group” of like-minded individuals, learn a new skill, or read something entirely new that will likely help you hold yourself larger than you are accustomed to. Winter makes the ideal time for clarifying new life directions. Take one.

Patrice Rancour, MS,RN,CS. MS,RN,CS, when not serving as
Prospective Health Care Program Manager for Ohio State University’s award-winning Faculty/Staff Wellness Program, is involved in her private practice working with people facing life-threatening illnesses, teaching and writing. Think these two areas of interest are incompatible? For 35 years as a mental health clinical nurse specialist, Patrice has been interested in helping people reach their highest level of wellness, no matter where they are in life. rancour.1@osu.edu

Tips to relax & unwind body, mind and
soul during the holidays and thereafter
By
DR. Arien van der Merwe
Medical Doctor, Specialist Corporate
Health & Wellness

Why do we often feel tired, pressured and even exhausted after a wonderful holiday? You simply don’t have the energy to go back to work and you don’t even want to start thinking about the next 12 months! A lot of people feel like you do – it is the holiday blues, a general and well-known phenomenon. You can do something to prevent this!

In my experience there are more requests for stress management workshops between January and March than any other months of the year. Stress induced symptoms such as high blood pressure, eczema, asthma, chronic fatigue syndrome and insomnia also increase during January and February. There are various stress factors that can contribute to these symptoms: the holiday that you’ve been looking forward to for so long didn’t meet your expectations, all your accounts still need to be paid, old family problems reared its ugly heads again, and at work all your administrative duties including hundreds of e-mails greet you at the office, and your freedom gets restricted again while
denied issues.

Holidays and a new year mean change! Any change – good or bad – creates or causes, distress. The last week before your holiday is always a big blur trying to do and organize everything.

People automatically decide by November (consciously or unconsciously) to shut down, feeling exhausted mentally, physically and emotionally, but still feel the pressure of the deadlines that they need to meet. Christmas holidays are expected to be idyllic. These expectations are rarely met and leave us feeling empty and despondent.

Wellness tips during and after the holidays

Empty your inner thoughts and feelings in your journal – dreams, emotions, joys and sadness

Envision and feel your dreams and daydreams – it is the symbols from within your soul. Spend time thinking about 2009. Set your goals: short, medium and long term.

Enjoy ‘me’ time every day – we are human-beings and not human-doings

Enjoy eating healthy foods, exercise regularly, use the right herbs and supplements

Create special time for stress management and relaxation therapies

This will ensure a happy time of connecting with yourself, close and extended family, and friends. Be realistic: use the holidays to be yourself. Enjoy everyday as it comes without expectations. Relax.

DR. Arien van der Merwe MBChB FRIPH MISMA, is a medical doctor, author and specialist corporate health & wellness service provider. She presents talks, workshops, seminars and open short courses at the University of Pretoria & at many workplaces in South Africa and abroad. Fields of specialization include workplace wellness, peer/wellness educator training, stress management and natural, integrative medicine.

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Sandra Larkin • Mr. Rooney • HP Authors