Post-polio wellness retreats provide an opportunity to renew the mind, body and spirit to have post-polio questions answered by unhurried medical experts to spend custom-designed days enjoying recreational activities to learn more about how to stay strong and healthy Moving several steps beyond re-rehabilitation, retreats offer ongoing wellness approaches that promise to improve overall health and quality of life. Important …
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Post-Polio Wellness Retreat Ideas from Colorado
The first Colorado Post-Polio Wellness Retreat was held Aug. 17-21, 2014 at Rocky Mountain Village (Easter Seals Camp) in Empire, Colorado about 40 miles west of Denver. In attendance were 53 people (Three were faculty and not polio survivors; eight spouses/caregivers; 42 polio survivors). There were two on-site faculty/organizers/polio survivors and a number of faculty members who drove up for …
Spirituality
Spirituality has been variously described as a person’s relationship with God, the holy, or the whole; beliefs about the meaning, purpose, or mission of life; feelings of interconnection with the universe or all living things; commitment to values, ideals, and altruism; and being open to the mystery of existence. Spirituality is not necessarily associated with religious membership, but is related …
Weight
Body weight should be kept within the normal range (18.5-24.9) of a body mass index (BMI) for a person’s gender, age, and body frame. Additional weight from excess fat can exacerbate new muscle weakness. Being overweight,* defined as a BMI of 25 to 29.9, can aggravate almost all mobility problems. Obesity, defined as a BMI of >30, may seriously interfere …
Wellness
Throughout life, people move in one direction or another on the wellness continuum ranging from maximum performance on one end to serious illness or premature death on the other end. Polio survivors do not need to constantly struggle from one health crisis to the next. While some health problems require professional assistance, others can be controlled by the individual. Once …
A Paralyzing Fear
Kathleen A. Navarre My reaction to the film “A Paralyzing Fear” ran the gamut from objective film critic to the very personal reliving of a long repressed event that seemed to happen to someone else, or in another lifetime, but also clearly happened to me. The event, polio at the age of six in 1952, is at once an intimately …
The Miracle of the Singing Bunny
Sunny Roller Her bright blue-eyed pre-kindergarten daughter lie flaccid in a hospital bed, almost completely paralyzed from polio. Now 60 years ago, that horrifying summer polio epidemic had swooped this young family into its vile clutches, never to fully let go during their generation. Devastated, Marj, her husband, Art, and their toddling one-year old son, Scotty somehow got a ride back and …
Aquatic Therapy
Aquatic therapy programs, one of the best forms of exercise for polio survivors due to reduced gravity and buoyancy, may include a combination of the following: range-of-motion, strengthening, or aerobic exercises, stretching, relaxation, and swimming. Before establishing an aquatic therapy program, consult with a medical professional familiar with the late effects of polio to design one based on the individual’s …
Positive Attitudes
A positive attitude about health and wellness is maintained by becoming an active participant in one’s health care, planning an individualized program, accepting the fact that some aspects of life will change with age, and believing one can control one’s health. Attributes relevant in maintaining a positive mental attitude include: Optimism and hope. Believe that things can be better and …
Coping
Indicators of coping were first described by Beatrice Wright (1982). Coping individuals focus on what they can do, rather than on what they cannot do; play an active role in their lives, rather than respond as passive victims; and participate in areas of life seen as worthwhile and meaningful. Problems are perceived to be manageable, rather than overwhelming. Personal problems …