The Punta Gorda herald., 1922-08-18

SIuluIHeSS udS CHdHSeu lO weakness
and the efficiency to dependence. Yet
if the grown children are to show
their anxiety for the old folks well
fare before the day comes when it is
too late. they must be on the watch.
Their help must be volunteered, not
given on request. The baby who
needs care will cry for it. The aged
father and mother will not do that
Pride will not let them.
Have you noticed that father does
not read as much as formerly? He
complains that the type is not what
it used to be. When he takes up his
newspaper he holds it a long distance
away. Or it may be held very close,
the venerable head dipping down un-
til almost buried.
II expect / see as well as most
people of my age" he replies to your
inquiries. IF you do as well as l
in your 70's you may be proud of
yourself"
Very well. But don't let it stop
at that. If you haven't first-class
lights in the house, see that you get
them. Then see that fathers chair
is placed so that he will receive the
benefit. Don't let him go to notion
store and buy a pair of dollar spec
tacles. Make ah appointment your
self with a first-class oculist and see
that his eyes are really fitted.
And mother. She is eating very
little. Her teeth are so troublesome.
Il don't want any dentist eXcavating
in my mouth" she objects.
Little Things That Mean So Much
She would rather carry on with
her aching joints, and continue to
starve on a half diet than go to
dentist. But it is your business to ex-
plain to her that nowadays dentists
can do work really painlessly. They
can give local anesthetics, they can
deadeu pain by nerve blocking, they
have many devices to remove from
you will very likely have to make
the appointment and then see that
mother keeps it. Then too, there
are excellent aids to hearing among
the new inventions.
Food is as important to the old as
to the young. The diet of the aged
must not be hearty, but should be
regular. 1t is good thing to have
them begin the day with a glass Of
hot water containing pinch OF salt.
Graham gems are good for breakfast.
Dairy food, milk, eggs and butter,
will be prominent in it. On account
of a deficiency of bile, fats are not
very well borne, and butter is the
most acceptable way to take fat.
Meats are not well digested because
there is often a deficiency of gastric
juice. Coffee and tea should not be
toned part of the diet, unless known
to cause nervousness or increased
blood pressure. Cocoa and matted
milk is especially helpful if given as
A hot drink midway between meals. |
Fruits are good, but old persons
should not take bulky foods like |
cabbage, lettuce and spinach, that |
give lot of digestive work for very |
little nourishment.
Toilet becomes a great burden to
the aged. One who is feeble should
always have help in bathing. The
skin becomes sentitive and is easily |
chafed, so no harsh soaps should be
used Help should always be given |
n getting in and out OF the bath.
An old persons finger and toe nails |
become brittle and crack easily. A
3ood way to take care of these cracks
s to clip the nail evenly and cover
he cracked surface with adhesive
plaster.
Clothing IS even more important
o the aged than to the young. but
hey do not think so. They will
nakeshift from year to year with
lothes that are worn and thin. 1t
s especially important that old per-
ons should have good warm under
lothing for winter. Their bodies
Generate so little heat that it becomes
cry important that none of it shall
'e wasted.
Shoes should be comfortable and
oomy. Warm bed slippers should
'e provided. Rubber heels are help
III to take off the jar of the inelastic
tep. Very often weakfoot or brok-
n arches cause much pain.
Night clothing and a warm bed
10Th are important. While an old
erson should sleep in a well-venti-
ated room it should not be in a cold
ed IL the room is cold the bed
hould always be warmed by artifc-
al heat before use. These old per-
ons do not find sleep such an easy
latter. They have no heat to waste
n warming up mass Of bedding.