Dr. Mauk\'s Boomer Blog

Each week, Dr. Mauk shares thoughts relevant to Baby Boomers that are aimed to educate and amuse.

Guest Blog Self-Care Tips For Caregivers

Self-care is defined as caring for ourselves physically, psychologically, spiritually, and socially. Because when we are focused on those things outside of ourselves it is so easy to overlook our own needs, self-care is a concept that applies to everyone.

For example, imagine that your boss lays a new project in your lap with an impending – and almost impossible – deadline. You put everything aside because the project requires all of your energy. So, you don’t do those stretches that keep your low back pain at bay. You don’t return non-professional emails, texts, or messages. You reschedule every appointment that doesn’t apply to this project.

In the end, the project does get done, but you find yourself completely exhausted, and in serious need of a break. The truth is, any of us can find ourselves in this situation at any time, but especially when we undertake the care of a dependent other.

People who rely on us for their daily living cannot be put on the back burner. Maybe they need help getting dressed, making meals, taking a bath, or just getting out of bed. (In some cases, the care may mean just being turned in bed to avoid developing bedsores.)

For caregivers, the work never ends. Every single day they are a requirement to another person and it is simply not possible to call in sick when someone else depends on you more than you need a day off.

The result is that caregivers are often the worst at self-care. When this happens, they can end up feeling exhausted, irritable, resentful, and hopeless. And the quality of care they can provide suffers. For caregivers, quality care starts and ends with consistent self-care.

Remember The Why

Tony Robbins is famous for always asking for the WHY. The reason for this is because when we have a why, we can find a how. This becomes monumentally more important when what we are doing is hard, long-lasting, and with little gain.

It is these times when it makes the most sense to give up because the energy we put out can seem out of proportion to what we get back. But this is also when it is so important to stop and ask ourselves why we got into this work in the first place. What was it about caring for others who depend on us that attracted us? Why did we choose this profession over others? And why do we keep at it despite the long, exhausting hours?

Answering questions like this will bring us back to the fundamental reasons for our decision to go into caregiving. It will also bring us back to a fundamental human need – which is to have a purpose.

To be content with our lives, we must feel that what we do has meaning. We must feel like we matter in one way or another, and that what we do makes a difference. Whatever our why is, it carries us forward when times get challenging. It reinforces us, stabilizes us, gives us solid ground on which to stand.

Find Something To Be Grateful For

Gratitude is such a powerful emotion that even just keeping a daily gratitude list has been shown to have a dramatic effect on many measures of our lives – from happiness and wellbeing to creativity and productivity.

While gratitude can be described as a “top end” emotion that is most effective when everything else in our life is going well, in many cases, it is just the opposite. It is through being grateful that we find a way to get through things that confound us, challenge us, overwhelm us, and make us want to quit.

For caregivers, gratitude is especially effective because not only is caring for another person inherently hard, when they are dependent, it is without end. It is at these times that our psychological systems most need bolstering, and on a daily basis.

What gratitude effectively does is bring us out of the dreariness of our daily lives and into a new perspective where things look different. And when we begin to see differently, those things we see begin to change. The sunrise looks brighter, the trees greener, the flowers brighter, and the people more kind.

Make Humor A Part Of Your Daily Life

Humor is a wonderful resource that has been associated with feelings of wellbeing, happiness, vitality, creativity, and even cognitive functioning. Humor is something that has also been demonstrated in a variety of species and seems to play a central role in bonding. But perhaps most importantly, humor acts like a tonic for the brain.

Humor allows us to temporarily escape our reality, to transform our situation is a way that brings us levity and lightness. When we can stop to laugh, we can, for the moment, suspend any negative emotions we might otherwise be feeling. We can, momentarily, make our situation and ourselves feel different.

For caregivers, humor is an essential resource because it acts like a reset button. Performed regularly, humor doesn’t just make every day better, it makes the tough ones survivable.

Caring for another person may be one of the most challenging jobs we can choose. But it is also one that is essential. By remembering why we choose to become caregivers, finding things to be grateful for and incorporating humor into our daily lives, we can keep ourselves at our best for ourselves and those who depend on us every day.

By Jim|2026-10-29T10:32:57-05:00November 4th, 2026|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off

Guest Blog:Tips For Moving Senior Citizens

Moving from one home to another is seldom easy — in fact, it’s considered one of the most stressful life events people experience. However, the process can be especially tough for senior citizens. Whether you’re an older adult about to leave your long-term home or you’re the child of a senior getting ready to help a parent leave his/her home, here are some important tips to keep in mind:

Acknowledge Emotions. Anytime you’re talking about leaving a long-term home, you’re talking about more than changing addresses. Saying goodbye is hard. Instead of ignoring the sadness that accompanies such a move, process it. Remember, it’s normal to feel some sadness, whether you’re moving into an assisted-living facility, in with relatives or simply to a smaller place.
Pare Down Possessions. When it comes down to the physical moving process, the less you have to move, the easier the transition. Rather than packing every worldly possession and forcing yourself to organize later, take the time now to downsize. Go through all your furniture, knick-knacks, mementos, gadgets and so on, and determine whether you’ll truly need those items in the new place. Separate everything into “keep,” “give away” and “trash” piles. If you don’t want to hand down or donate certain items, plan a garage sale to get a little extra cash in the process.

Hire Professional Movers. Don’t endure unnecessary stress by managing the moving process alone — hire movers. Find a company that specializes in assisting with smooth transitions, and enlist its help to transport furniture and boxes to their intended destinations. If some things are going to a new home and others are going to friends and family, communicate to your moving company which items go where.

Pack an Overnight Bag. Set aside a few changes of clothes, important toiletries, towels and sheets to have with you for that first night or few nights in your new home. Instead of rifling through boxes and feeling overwhelmed with all there is to unpack, there will be a little normalcy — even when you’re still getting settled. Other good items to bring are a first-aid kit and flashlight.

Moving as a senior citizen isn’t easy, but it can be a smoother, more pleasant experience with a little planning. Use the tips above to aid your upcoming move.

Chris Crompton is a marketing manager for TSI, a leader in the shipping and freight industry since 1989. TSI offers low rates and professional service on long distance small moves and shipments.

By Dan Easton|2026-10-29T10:32:38-05:00November 1st, 2026|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off

Guest Blog: 6 Best Practices to Avoid Back Injury For the Elderly

Back injuries are more prevalent among seniors. Although old-age contributes to some back injuries, most injuries result from handling daily activities inappropriately. Lifestyle changes that require heavy sitting and standing could also cause back injuries. As a senior, you should watch out for the following practices to avoid back injury.

Maintain Good Sleeping Posture

Seniors sleep longer, but their sleeping patterns are pretty short. A senior can sleep for two hours, wake up, stay awake for an hour, and go back to bed. Such sleeping patterns increase the chances of wrong sleep postures.

And as you know, the wrong sleep posture can cause back injury and sciatica. Keep your position reclined and fetal when sleeping on an adjustable. Sleep on the side while keeping the pillow between your knees.

Maintain a Safe Posture

Maintaining a good posture when sitting or sleeping can help seniors prevent back injuries. Avoid slouching over your telephone or computer as that stresses the back, causing injuries and pains.

Stick to the ergonomically recommended sitting position at home and in the office. Do not sit a whole day in front of a computer. Take breaks and perform some stretches to keep your back curves streamlined and strong.

When you stand, maintain a straight posture keeping the feet shoulder-width apart and the head aligned with the body. As you sit, keep the feet resting flat on the front and never cross the legs. Keep the knees behind the ankles and the neck and upper back straight.

Keep Spine-Supporting Muscles Strong

The ligaments and muscles supporting the spine get weaker as you age or when exposed to injury-triggering risks. Keeping the core strong is one way to stabilize the spine and prevent back injury and pains. Engage in exercises that promise to strengthen your core muscle groups.

Remember, an injured back can make it impossible to lift things, bend and stretch. You can engage in several exercises to keep your spine-supporting muscles strong. Low-impact aerobics activities with emphasis on walking for seniors does a great job of preventing back injury. Gentle exercises such as yoga can also do a great job of helping seniors avoid back injury.

Avoid Stress

As old age knocks, you will likely feel more stressed and unsatisfied. It won’t be a surprise if small things leave you with high anxiety and stress levels. However, do not forget that stress is a strong catalyst for back injuries. Stress changes your breathing patterns, ultimately straining your mid-back. The shoulders may also hunch up, ultimately causing pain in your middle and upper back.

Stop Smoking

Many studies have linked cigarette smoking to back injuries and pains. Smoking doubles the risk of heart disease and makes your body prone to colon and lung cancers. Smoking has been linked with worsening back pain issues and affecting your overall health. Smoking also increases the risk of back injuries.

It does so by damaging the arteries in your joints and discs. When the back joint and disc arteries are damaged, you’re more likely to experience back injury. In addition, smoking can cause osteoporosis, a bone-thinning disorder that causes back injury.

Do Not Over Exercise

Seniors have a range of issues they want to address through exercising. They want to minimize the risk of heart disease, stay fit, avoid obesity, and keep stronger. Such huge goals can make some seniors overdo some physical activities. However, never overdo any physical activity as that can leave you with more health issues.

First, excess physical activities are known to overstretch or tear up your lower back ligaments and muscles. Overstretched muscles and ligaments often cause muscle spasms, pain, and stiffness. These all can lead to back injury and unending pains. Although back sprains and strains are treatable at home, they are better avoided.

Wrapping Up

The last thing a senior wants is to have back aches and injuries. Exercises and physical activities are the leading causes of back pains and aches. Understanding how to perform exercises is the first step to avoiding back injury. You should understand that sitting and sleeping postures can also make you prone to back injury. Know the basics of maintaining the proper posture when sleeping and sitting, and bid goodbye to common back injuries and pains.

By Jim|2026-10-29T10:32:21-05:00October 29th, 2026|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off

Guest Blog: How Seniors Can Reduce Financial Stress

Anxiety and worrying about financial problems is a common issue that seniors often face. Obviously, finding a reliable stream of income after retirement is not easy.

Well, one way to reduce mental stress is to visit retirement locations. Another method to alleviate financial problems is to invest in gold bullions at a young age by getting them from Gold Bullion Australia.

Let’s discuss some other techniques to cope with financial stress and live with a mind free from any worries.

Think Positive
Positivity is the key to bringing a healthy change in your life. If you are surrounded with negativity, either in the shape of people or in the form of thoughts, you cannot work on anything without stressing out.

Although it can be difficult to ignore or put your financial problems aside, you can adopt an optimistic approach every time you think about your economic condition.

Define a Budget
Emphasizing on a budget might look like adding more worries to your list, but it is an effective way to get a control on your financial stress. Defining a fixed amount will help you to decide how and when to spend cash.

A budget maintains a balance between savings and spending. When the amount you spend significantly limits the amount you save, you can cut down your budget.

Initially, it will be difficult to make a budget plan because it is not easy to determine how much to save and how much to spend. Once you get a grip of your financial plan, you can easily allocate your budget.

Start by saving on a small scale, and then each month cut down your spending. When you find a right balance, define a budget plan and follow that every month.

An Emergency Fund Can Come in Handy
The money that you set aside for emergency situations and unexpected accidents or incidents is an emergency fund. Allocate a fixed amount to put in the emergency fund box and don’t open that box to take out money until you really have a financial emergency.

This is an effective method to cope with financial stress since you know that you have some spare cash for an unexpected moment.

Although it is not easy to set money aside for an emergency fund, you should really adopt this technique to get out of any trouble in future without asking for monetary help for others or taking bank loans.

Getting Financial Help from Others
In case you are not able to handle your financial problems in spite of having an emergency fund, you might need help from others.

A bank loan or borrowing some money from your friends and family can work in this situation. Keep in mind that a bank loan has to be paid back with interest, while you might not need to pay extra money to your loved ones. So, choose wisely to avoid any financial stress in future.

By Jim|2026-08-03T09:21:01-05:00September 27th, 2026|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off

The Role of the Rehabilitation Nurse

You may have heard of rehabilitation nursing, but are you familiar with what rehabilitation nurses do and their essential role in health care? According to the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses (ARN), there are four major domains within the new competency model for professional rehabilitation nursing (ARN, 2016) that can help us understand what rehabilitation nurses do. In this blog, we will look at the ARN model from a layperson’s viewpoint to help explain the role of the rehabilitation nurse. Rehabilitation nurses:

Promote successful living

Rehabilitation nurses do not only care for people, but they promote health and prevent disability. This means that rehab nurses engage in activities that help patients, families and communities stay healthy. Proactively, you might see rehab nurses helping with bike safety (such as promoting the wearing of helmets), car seat fairs (to keep children safe from injury), or stroke prevention through community screenings and teaching about managing risk factors. As rehab nurses, we also help patients towards self-management of existing chronic illness or disability, teaching them how to be co-managers with their health providers so they can maintain independence and have a good quality of life. Another key activity is facilitating safe care transitions. This means that rehabilitation nurses have a special skill set to know which setting of care is best for the patient to move to next and how to make this happen smoothly. For example, if Mrs. Smith has had a stroke and finished her time in acute rehabilitation in the hospital, but she lives alone and is not quite ready to go home, what is the best care setting or services for her to receive the help she needs? Many errors, such as those with medications, happen when patients go from one place to another in the health system. Rehabilitation nurses can help persons successfully navigate these complexities and be sure that clients get the continuity of care they need and deserve.

Give quality care

The interventions or care that rehabilitation nurses provide to patients and families is based on the best scientific evidence available. Part of being a rehab nurse is staying current on the latest technology, strategies for care, and best practices. This is to ensure that all patients receive the highest standard of care possible. We stay current in many ways, including reading journal articles, attending conferences, obtaining continuing education, and maintaining certification in rehabilitation. Research shows that having more certified rehabilitation nurses on a unit decreases length of stay in the hospital. In addition, all of rehab care focuses on the patient and family as the center of the interdisciplinary team. To this end, rehabilitation nurses teach patients and families about their chronic illness or disability across many different areas including: how to take medications; managing bowel and bladder issues; preventing skin breakdown; dealing with behavioral issues that might be present with problems such as brain injury or dementia; coping with changes from a disabling condition; sexuality; working with equipment at home; and ways to manage pain.

Collaborate with a team of experts

Rehabilitation nurses are part of an interprofessional team of physicians, therapists, psychologists, nutritionists, and many others who work together for the best patient outcomes. For persons who have experienced a catastrophic injury or illness, the work of this team of experts sharing common goals will provide the best care, and rehab nurses are the ones who are with the patient 24/7 to coordinate this process. Through effective collaboration, excellent assessment skills, and communication with the rest of the team members, rehab nurses ensure that patient and families are getting well-coordinated care throughout the rehabilitation process. Remember that rehabilitation takes place in many settings, whether on the acute rehab unit, in skilled care, long-term care, or the home. The nurse’s role is to be sure that the holistic plan of care is followed by all staff and that the physicians overseeing medical care are continually informed of patient progress for the best decision-making possible.

Act as leaders in rehabilitation

Not only do rehabilitation nurses provide direct patient care, they are also leaders in the rehabilitation arena. You might be surprised to learn that rehabilitation nurses advocate at the highest level for legislation surrounding funding and policy for those with disabilities and chronic illness, talking with Senators and Congressmen about key issues. ARN has professional lobbyists that continually watch health policy movement in Washington and keep rehab nurses informed. Rehab nurses help patients to advocate for themselves in holding government and communities accountable for needed care services. Lastly, rehab nurses share their knowledge with others. This is done in a variety of ways through conducting and publishing research, presenting at conferences, serving on local and national committees, and serving in public office. All of the leadership activities done by nurses in rehabilitation are to promote the best quality of care for patients with chronic illness and disability.

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By Jim|2026-08-03T09:20:46-05:00August 24th, 2026|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off

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