Let me give you a little background about me!

My name is Roger Douglas. I am a COTA working for Life Care Center. I am fairly "new" to the "Therapy World". You see, I am 55 now and started my Occupational Therapy Education late in life around 45. I finished school and worked one year in a SNF. My wife came down with "Lou Gehrig's Disease"(ALS) so I stopped working to take care of her full time. (My OT schooling came in very helpful.) We sold our home and spent a couple of years travelling ... the whole USA and ocean cruises. When she died I continued to attend support group meetings for ALS. I met a pretty lady named Kathy who was terminal with ALS. I started helping her out and taking her places. After a brief courtship with her, I asked her if she would marry me. She said "yes", so we had a beautiful marriage in a Mormon Church (she was a LDS). I asked Kathy what she wanted to do before she died, and she replied, " I want to go camping on the ocean". I took her from the coast of California all the way to Canada in a TENT! She was nearly totally paralyzed by this time but enjoyed every minute of the "adventure". Kathy died shortly after our trip. If you would like to see pictures of our trip you can email me at rogerdouglas444@hotmail.com or through this site.

I would like to add that Life Care Center of Paradise Valley is a great place to work. Here people are sincere, honest, hardworking and compassionate. We do "whatever it takes" to be the very best for resident care!

Hats off to all of you!

From: Roger, OT

Gardening 1-2-3

Yesterday, March 20, I bought a book entitled, " Gardening 1-2-3 " by The Home Depot. I did not know that "keeping a garden record" is an important element in gardening. The book suggested the following: Keeping receipts helps one on garden spending. Also, in case of returns (plants, tools, etc.) garden centers would normally ask for them.Bloom Times: Keep a list of your plants and their bloom times. Plant Labels: Keeping plant labels will jog your memory. The labels in the plants you buy can stay in it, or you may do your own labelling. Gardening Reminders: Keep the professional garden plan handy and keep track of your garden record. Magazine Articles and Notes: Organize clippings coming from magazines, journals, and newspapers related to gardening. Fun Stuff: Garden record-keeping can be enjoyable. Have fun tucking in photos of your most beautiful results.

Having Fun?

Last Sunday, March 16,2008, I chose to work. I worked with several of my patients prepare and build the soil. A healthy soil is the cornerstone of organic farming and gardening. Healthy soil supports good plants. I was lucky enough to receive several bags of premium soil from one of the resident's son. Thank you very much!

The ladies started to transfer the soil to its beds. Afterwards, they planted their choice of plants. They now own the plants, so they will have to take care of them individually.

I am so excited to see my tomato plant bear fruits

Hello everyone:

I am very excited about my tomato plant. Thanks to Roger, he is giving us opportunities to do what we love to do. I have loved gardening since I was a young woman. Now, that I am in my post golden years, I would want to experience it once again: feel the wind outdoors while tending the plant, touch the loving earth where my plant lies, smell the aroma of the young leaves, and hopefully feel and see the fruits it produces.

I am very pleased this gardening is giving me a better outlook about my post-golden years. Just like the tomato plant, I have to continue living.

From: Linda, Life Center of Paradise Valley
Las Vegas, NV

OVERVIEW

This blog was created to journal the day-to-day activities of my elderly patients at the Life Center of Paradise Valley in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.

I started my latest program for these patients to help them enhance their lives. The program aims to engage each one in an activity that will make them feel worthwhile inspite of their physical, mental. emotional, spiritual shortcomings and disabilities. I pray and hope that by engaging in gardening activites their lives will become more cheerful, gay, joyous, contented, and meaningful.

The next few days will bring you their pictures while at work in the garden, and what they have to say about themselves while engaging in those tasks.

Roger