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3 Things To Remember
When Taking Coumadin
Take the medicine exactly as prescribed. Keep a pencil and paper near the phone so you can write down any changes in dosage that your doctor recommends.
Keep your intake of vitamin K foods consistent; limit cranberry and grapefruit juice, green tea and alcohol.
Use dietary supplements, herbs and vitamins with caution.
Adapted from
Nutrition News for Home-Delivered and Congregate Meal Clients
Janice Waterman, RD, CDE
VT Dept of Aging &
Independent Living
Understanding High Blood Pressure
Nearly one in three American adults have high blood pressure. Once it develops, it rarely goes away. The good news is that it can be controlled with treatment. High blood pressure is called "the silent killer" because it usually has no symptoms. Left untreated, high blood pressure can cause damage to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and other organs. While many older people develop high blood pressure, it is not a part of healthy aging. There are things that people can do to maintain a normal blood pressure.
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What is an Ethical Will?
Ethical wills are a way to share your values, blessings, life's lessons, hopes and dreams for the future, love and forgiveness with your family, friends, and community.
Ethical wills are not new. The Bible first described ethical wills 3,000 years ago (Genesis Ch. 49). References to this tradition are also found in the New Testament (John Ch. 15-18) and in other cultures. Initially, ethical wills were transmitted orally. Over time, they evolved into written documents. "Ethical wills" are not considered legal documents, as compared to "living wills" and your "last will and testament" which are.
Today, ethical wills are being written by people at turning points in their lives: facing challenging life situations and at transitional life stages. They are usually shared with family and community while the writer is still alive.
Ethical wills may be one of the most cherished and meaningful gifts you can leave to your family and community.
Why Write an Ethical Will?
There are many personal reasons for writing an ethical will. Here are some of them:
We all want to be remembered, and we all will leave something behind.
If we don't tell our stories and the stories from whom we come, no one else will and they will be lost forever.
It helps you identify what you value most and what you stand for.
By articulating what we value now, we can take steps to insure the continuation of those values for future generations.
You learn a lot about yourself in the process of writing an ethical will.
It helps us come to terms with our mortality by creating something of meaning that will live on after we are gone.
It provides a sense of completion in our lives.
When Might You Write an Ethical Will?
There are many times when you might consider writing an Ethical Will. At middle age and beyond, it is an opportunity to harvest our life experiences, convert these experiences into wisdom, and allow for the fulfillment of the responsibility of passing this wisdom on to future generations. Near the end of life, if energy and time permits, writing an ethical will adds a transcendent dimension to our lives by providing a link to future generations. In essence, you are providing your legacy of values and beliefs for a time when you are gone.
For more information about ethical wills and the process of writing them, contact Bev Bishop, personal historian, by email at 1bbishop@verizon.net or call 802-253-4353.
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