Senior Activities and Hobbies - Enjoy Outdoor Scenery, Take Up Photography or Videography

When you carry a camera or a camcorder you see more as you drive around. Need a hobby? Take up digital photography or camcorder videography. Operating the cameras can be done by using the "Easy Mode" or automatic settings, so you just point and shoot. With digital cameras of course you can save the photos on the internet and avoid expensive film developing. It's cost effective this way! So, let's cross the "digital divide" and start some exciting projects.

Here's a video I made last week on a trip to another Oregon coast village with a beautiful bridge and bay. So, join me and enjoy these vistas of water, nature and a sunset.

My Storm Watch Video on Oregon Coast - Weather Watching - An Activity for Seniors - A New Way to Look at a Classic Subject

Recently several seniors mentioned to me that one of their hobbies is weather watching on the internet. Sites like http://wunderground.com give interesting facts about the science of weather and long term future forecasts.

Watching the weather on the internet can also involve looking at live webcams. In the search box put the city, state and the words "live webcam" and look at real time live shots of weather anywhere from Alaska to Florida to Hawaii.

I did my own weather watching here in Florence, Oregon recently, and the video on Storm Watching is the result. Enjoy these camcorder shots of a storm coming in across the Pacific to the Oregon coast.

Caregiver's Day Off - Video - Benefit Concert for More Hope for Haiti

We are all praying for our brothers and sisters in Haiti, and doing all we can to help, including many types of fundraisers. I went to a Benefit Concert for "More Hope for Haiti" in Eugene, Oregon, and made the video below of Kelly Thibodeaux and Etouffee. It's rhythm and blues, southern rock, and fiddle music all blended together for an incredible sound they call "Swamp Rock." Caregivers and friends, sit back, put your feet up, and take a break with some great music.

Managing Life With Chronic Pain - Strategies and Coping from WebMD.com

Those of us with arthritis pain or other chronic conditions can always use a review of some of the techniques for managing pain. Here's a brief summary from WebMD.com. I will mention a few of the tips here and you can click on the link to see their whole list.

Lifestyle changes can making living with ongoing pain more bearable and hopefully provide a lot of relief. The list starts with "Deep Breathing and Other Meditation" because relaxation eases pain. I would like to add that relaxation, meditating, using a mantra, or using breathing meditation, can be enhanced by using certain types of music in the background. I often go on the internet and search for meditation music, or any soft, beautiful music.

Music therapy for pain reducation can be part of one's daily lifestyle. Spiritual music, inspirational music, soft instrumentals, easy listening, all can be part of a holistic program, a daily lifestyle, to reduce pain levels.

2. Reduce stress because stress intensifies pain. WebMD recommends getting CD's with soothing music and guided imagery to help get relief from ongoing pain. Stress and anger can increase the body's sensitivity to pain.

3. Giving the body's endorphins, natural pain relievers, a boost by exercising is one of my favorite approaches. WebMD reminds us that exercise also strengthen muscles and prevents injuries, and helps keep weight down and blood sugar levels stable. My favorite exercise is swimming and any exercise in the pool. The buoyancy takes the weight off of sore joints and floating simply just feels good.

Eat a healthy diet and find ways to distract yourself from pain are a few more of my favorite tips from their list. To see the whole list click and visit their site at WebMD.com.