Air Companions

10 Reasons to Use Air Companions

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 15:27:00 +0000

1. Your disabled elderly parent needs to fly across country and you are too busy with the husband, kids, job and other commitments to do it. Air Companions with treat your parent as if he or she was their parents.

2. You are divorced and your developmentally disabled grown child visits his/her other parent out of state. You and your ex need someone you can trust to accompany your special needs child throughout the trip.

3. You live alone and are struggling with a chronic illness and need to travel back and forth to a hospital for regular treatments. The treatments are exhausting and you are unable to drive yourself back and forth.

4. You or a loved one winters in the south each year. You need someone to accompany you/your loved one to your destination, drive the car, help get settled and fly home. That is one of Air Companions specialties!

5. You have always wanted to take a train across country but feel very vulnerable doing it alone. You would prefer to have someone with some medical training accompany you. Air Companions loves trains.

6. You have always wanted to go overseas but you are physically disabled in some way and your are afraid of flying and navigating the airports alone. Air Companions would love to accompany you.

7. You are getting married next year and are planning a huge wedding. Many people will need to fly to the island in Maine where your wedding is being held. It's the breath taking setting that you have been dreaming of your whole life. You so want your dear grandmother to be there. But she is wheelchair bound and suffers from mild dementia. She needs someone to help her get dressed every day and to make sure she takes her medications. She hasn't flown in years. But, it just wont be the same if Grammy isn't at your wedding. Air Companions to the rescue!

8. You would love to send your aging parents on a 2 week cruise somewhere warm in January after the holidays. But, they need someone to go along to help them out to make things easier and more fun. Air Companions has been on cruises and seen that many elderly people would have a better time if they had a travel companion with some limited medical skills.

9. You or a loved one struggles with mental illness and find that you need to travel for whatever reason. You have difficulty navigating your way through airports and feel afraid in big crowds of people. Air Companions can cut your stress level in half!

10. You have an elderly disabled loved on in a nursing home in another state and you want to bring that loved one to your state to live in a nursing home closer to you. Air Companions has done this sort of trip several times and it has always been a success. So the next time one of these scenarios comes up I hope you will think of Air Companions. Remember we are not just "your guardian angels in the air" We are "your guardian angels everywhere!"

We Are Cruising Out of Miami

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 20:36:00 +0000

This week we are enjoying tropical weather to beat mid-Winter blues with a cruise around the Caribbean. The photo above was taken as we departed from Miami Beach. What a breath-taking place.

How To Stay Healthy When Traveling?

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 20:30:00 +0000

So it seems like EVERYONE around you is sick this winter. How do you survive when traveling? Especially when all the usual suspects for sickness are present: stress, lapses in good eating habits, lack of time to exercise, lack of sleep and a veritable pantheon of sick people around you. Here are some common sense tips to help you stay healthy.

Practice impeccable hygiene. Wash your hands frequently with warm water and soap and use a hand sanitizer. Check out this amazing DIY natural hand sanitizer recipe!

5-10 drops lavender oil

30 drops tea tree essential oil

1 tablespoon witch hazel

8 ounces 100% pure aloe vera gel

several drops of vitamin E oil (this is a natural preservative which will extend the shelf life of this sanitizer plus make your hands soft!)

Add the essential oils and vitamin E oil to a small glass bowl or container (mason jar works great) and swirl to mix. Add witch hazel and swirl again. Add this mixture to the aloe vera gel and mix well. Remember to shake well each time. If you’re not a fan of lavender you can use another antibacterial oil such as rosemary, sage, sandalwood or peppermint. You can put this in clean 3-4 ounce pump bottles that had commercial hand sanitizer in it. You can get all these ingredients through: www.mountainroseherbs.com

Back to impeccable hygiene – that doorknob you touched may have been visited by someone who just hocked up half a lung into their hand! The primary gateway to disease is the holes in your head; stay away from them. Do not let your hands near your eyes or mouth. Do not inhale after someone has coughed in your face.

2. Get your rest. Sleep is extremely important especially during times of stress. Rest allows your body to renew itself and the circadian rhythm to do it’s thing in healing and restoration.

3. Eat well. At least the best you can. Your body was designed to be a microbe killing machine. It manufactures antimicrobial agents daily given adequate raw materials. Where do they materials come from? Mostly fruits and veggies. If you don’t think your eating well enough, consider supplementation.

4. Move your body. There is no doubt that our immune system responds positively to exercise. There are more than 800 studies that support this. I’m not talking about going crazy at the gym, which itself can be a breeding ground for germs. Try light workouts at home like a stationary bike, treadmill, Pilates, yoga, exercise ball, medicine balls mixing in some free weights.

5. Tip the scale in your favor with evidence-based supplements. Bridge the nutritional gaps with a good multivitamin and extra vitamin C. I make it my practice to take1,000 mg of vitamin C three times a day. Also take vitamin D. There are thousands of studies already and more are emerging in vitamin D’s effect on the immune system. A recent Japanese study showed a 40% lower rate of children catching the flu when given 1200 iu of D daily. Scientists at the University of Copenhagen have discovered that vitamin D is crucial to activating our immune defenses and that without sufficient intake of it, the killer cells of the immune system (T cells) will not be able to fight off infections in the body.

This blog is an abbreviated version originally posted by Nutrionist and Blogger Christine Wokowsky at My Complete Nutritionist.

Our Trip to England & Ireland

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:59:00 +0000

This time last year my husband and I left for a 2 week trip to Great Britain. It was my dream come true since I was a little girl. I have always been fascinated with England especially. We flew out of the airport in Owls Head, Maine as it is close to where we live and we didn't want to deal with long term parking in a bigger airport. We left in the afternoon of a very rainy day. In fact, the plane almost didn't fly. Thankfully, though, the plane did fly and we made it to the Logan Airport in Boston in the nick of time. We then boarded a jumbo jet that flew us overnight to Heathrow Airport in London, England. It was not a fun trip. I highly recommend flying first class if your plane is in the air for 4 or more hours. It is very uncomfortable trying to rest in, what I would call, a sardine can.

Heathrow Airport

By the time we arrived in England we were exhausted and grumpy. But, we had to forge ahead and find transportation to South Hampton where our 4 day cruise to Ireland was leaving from on that very day. After much ado we figured out we could take a bus right out of the airport to South Hampton. What a beautiful trip! We road from London all the way down to South Hampton where the Titanic sailed out of. We were very excited.

View of South Hampton from our balcony on the ship.

Once in South Hampton we hailed a taxi that took us directly to the ship and we boarded. Our room was awesome and we had a balcony. In fact, the entire ship was so beautiful and all encompassing; like a small city unto itself. Shortly after the ship was underway we grabbed something to eat and took a nap. We wanted to rest up for the big show the ship's crew was going to put on that evening. We weren't disappointed.

I think I will end part one right here and pick up part two when we arrive in Cork, Ireland. See you soon......

Air Companions makes the Bangor Daily News!

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 15:42:00 +0000

http://bangordailynews.com/2012/04/04/health/warren-woman-works-as-guardian-angel-of-the-air/

Click on the link above to read the article printed in the April 5, 2012 edition of the Bangor Daily News. Air Companions made the front page! Thank you Bangor Daily News.

Disaster Trip!

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 16:22:00 +0000

Have you ever been on a trip that turned into a disaster? I've been on a few like that. For instance, years ago when my children were young we went to Ohio to visit my husband's family. We had a great visit and when we were leaving for home we came to a traffic light at a 4 way intersection in a small Ohio city. All four lights turned green at the same time and, consequently, we got into an accident. We had to rent a car to get home and we sold our totalled car then and there to a local mechanic. What an ordeal! But, somehow we made it through.

Last weekend we experienced another disastrous trip. My daughter and her family now live in the Baltimore area of Maryland. My sister, Stacey, also lives in Maryland nearby. I planned a 4 to 5 day trip to Maryland to visit my family and to throw a baby shower for my daughter as she is pregnant and due in June with my third grandson! My sister was going to host the shower at her house. We were going with the Red Neck theme. It was going to be hilarious! Stacey and I had all kinds of funny red neck things to do. We had a great time planning this funky little shower. Rachael has a weird sense of humor like the rest of her family and we knew she would get a kick out of it.

My husband and I decided to drive down. It's about a 12 hour drive according to traffic and weather. On top of building my business, Air Companions, I also take care of people in my home. I have done this for years. Presently, I have been certified to be a VA Medical Foster Home and I care for a disabled veteran. He suffers with frontal lobe dementia; also called PICS disease. I have been caring for "DC" for almost 4 months. Overall I find him to be relatively easy to care for. So, I decided to take him along with us. I thought he might enjoy the trip. DC's son told me that his father did not like to travel. But, I thought that since he was with me he would do okay. Bad decision!

DC did well on the trip down to Maryland. He likes to ride in the car. However, once it was time to go to bed things went downhill very fast. Due to his dementia DC is almost nonverbal. But, when he realized he was not going to sleep in his own bed he started demanding to go home. He tried to run away and he kept us awake all night long. Still, I wanted to try to stay through Sunday as that was when we were doing Rachael's shower. So, we stumbled through Saturday with no sleep since Thursday night. Things went okay during the day but, sure enough, when it came time for bed DC would have none of it. He was even more insistent than the night before and he was making himself physically ill from all the stress. We made the agonizing decision to drive home through the night.

Once in the car DC calmed right down and fell asleep almost immediately. My husband and I on the other hand, had to drive home on no sleep for almost 2 days. And to make things really challenging it was raining all the way home! Without going into all the details I will just say we did make it home in 12 hours. It took my husband and 2 days to recover. DC slept like a baby all the way home and once he was home he was fine.

The baby shower did go on without me. My sister saved the day and went on with the show. Every one had a good time at the red neck shower. Johnny, Stacey's husband, is in the picture holding a shot gun and greeting everyone when they arrived at the shower. Everybody got a big kick out of it. I really feel bad that I missed the shower. I was so looking forward to it.

Lesson learned: Sometimes you don't take your work with you!

Transportation Security Administration

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 17:07:00 +0000

I went on the Transportation Security Administration Website and copied and pasted the information below. I think you will find it interesting. You can find out more by visiting the website at www.tsa.gov

Travelers with Disabilities and Medical Conditions

Air Travel

TSA Cares Help Line

TSA Cares is a helpline to assist travelers with disabilities and medical conditions. TSA recommends that passengers call 72 hours ahead of travel to for information about what to expect during screening.

Travelers may call TSA Cares toll free at 1-855-787-2227 prior to traveling with questions about screening policies, procedures and what to expect at the security checkpoint. TSA Cares will serve as an additional, dedicated resource specifically for passengers with disabilities, medical conditions or other circumstances or their loved ones who want to prepare for the screening process prior to flying.

The hours of operation for the TSA Cares helpline are Monday through Friday 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. EST, excluding federal holidays. Travelers who are deaf or hard of hearing can use a relay service to contact TSA Cares or can e-mail TSA-ContactCenter@dhs.gov.

When a passenger with a disability or medical condition calls TSA Cares, a representative will provide assistance, either with information about screening that is relevant to the passenger’s specific disability or medical condition, or the passenger may be referred to disability experts at TSA.

TSA recommends that passengers call approximately 72 hours ahead of travel so that TSA Cares has the opportunity to coordinate checkpoint support with a TSA Customer Service Manager located at the airport when necessary.

For more information visit: TSA Cares Information

One of the primary goals of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is to provide the highest level of security and customer service to all who pass through our screening checkpoints. Our current policies and procedures focus on ensuring that all passengers, regardless of their personal situations and needs, are treated equally and with the dignity, respect, and courtesy they deserve. Although every person and item must be screened before entering each secure boarding area. All disability-related equipment, aids, and devices are allowed through security checkpoints once cleared through screening.

Please click on the links below for specific information about screening of disabilities and medical conditions.
Introduction
Before You Go
Tips For The Screening Process
Mobility Disabilities
Hearing Disabilities
Visual Disabilities
Hidden Disabilities
Breast Prosthetics
Sexual Trauma Victims
Pacemakers, Defibrillators, Other Implanted Medical Devices, & Metal Implants
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Machine
Medical Oxygen and Respiratory-Related Equipment
Diabetes
Medications
Assistive Devices and Mobility Aids
Prosthetic Devices, Casts, and Body Braces
Walkers, Crutches, and Canes
Augmentation Devices
Orthopedic Shoes, Support Appliances, and Exterior Medical Devices
Dressings
Service Animals
Children with Disabilities
Medical Conditions and Special Situations
Military Severely Injured Program

March is Women's History Month

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 19:54:00 +0000

In honor of Women's History Month I went on the web and found an interesting article on Women's History web site telling of the inventions of women. I have posted it here. I think you will find it interesting and uplifting.

10 things invented by women

1. Clothes wringer/mangle In 1880, an African-American woman named Ellen Elgin invented the clothes wringer. Sadly, she never made a fortune, selling her patent rights for a pittance because she believed if white women knew the wringer was invented by a black woman they wouldn’t want it.

2. Suspension bridge supports. Invented in 1811 by Sarah Guppy, 41, from Birmingham, UK.

3. Windscreen Wipers Invented in 1903 by 37-year-old Mary Anderson, 37, from Alabama, USA.

4. Hydrometer This instrument, which calculates the relative density of liquids, was invented in around 400AD by Hypatia of Alexandria, Egypt and is still in use today.

5. Solar powered fridge Invented in 2006 by Emily Cummins, 19, from Leeds, UK.

6. Paper bags Invented in 1871 by Margaret E Night, 32, from Maine, USA.

7. Computer programming In 1843 aged 32, Ada Lovelace from London, UK, wrote the world’s first computer programmes for the Analytical Engine – an early mechanical computer invented by Charles Babbage.

8. Feeding device for amputees Bessie Blount, 37, an African-American physiotherapist who worked with soldiers injured in World War II, invented an electrical device that allowed amputees to feed themselves in 1951.

9. Disposable nappy Invented in 1950 by Marion Donovan, 33, from Indiana, USA.

10. Dipped headlights Invented in 1908 by Emily Canham from London, UK after being dazzled by the headlights of the newly invented automobile.

Follow us on facebook
Women's History Month is on facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Womens-History-Month/1229864677690561

Since I am a Maine girl I was very impressed to see that Margaret E. Knight, the inventor of the paper bag was born in York, Maine. I have posted a link to her biography beow:

Biography of Margaret E. Knight

The World's First Licensed African American

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 16:32:00 +0000

In honor of Black History Month I thought it would be interesting to see who the first black American pilot was. After Googling it I discovered a couple of, what I considered, amazing facts. The first black American pilot was licensed in 1920. I was thinking it would be later than that. Very cool. But, the most amazing fact I discovered was that the world's first licensed African American was a woman! Her name was Bessie Coleman. Below I have cut and pasted the short biography I found on Bessie Coleman at the website http://infoplease.com/

Bessie Coleman, Aviator
Born: 26 January 1892
Died: 30 April 1926 (internal injuries)
Birthplace: Atlanta, Texas
Best known as: The world's first licensed African-American pilot

Bessie Coleman was an early aviation pioneer for both African-Americans and women. Bessie Coleman grew up in Texas, moved to Chicago, and got interested in flying after her brothers returned from World War I. Failing to find anyone in Chicago who would teach flying to a black woman, Coleman determined to go abroad to get training -- a daring idea for that era. She moved to Paris, was accepted to aviation school, and on 15 June 1921 she received her pilot's license from the Federation Aeronautique Internationale. The certificate made her the world's first licensed black aviator. Coleman returned to the United States and began a barnstorming career, appearing at airshows across the country. She died in 1926 while flight-testing an open-cockpit plane; her co-pilot lost control of the aircraft and in the ensuing dive Coleman was tossed from the plane and plunged to her death.
Extra credit:
The U.S. Postal Service issued a stamp honoring Bessie Coleman in 1995... Bessie Coleman's family line included some American Indian blood: her father George was part African-American and part Cherokee.
Copyright © 1998-2006 by Who2?, LLC. All rights reserved.Read more: Bessie Coleman Biography (Aviator) — Infoplease.com http://www.infoplease.com/biography/var/bessiecoleman.html#ixzz1nDw5pkaP

Bessie Coleman Biography (Aviator) — Infoplease.com

Sit back and relax: Learn to fly witout fear

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:10:00 +0000

I read a great little article in this past weekend's edition of USA Weekend. It was about how to deal with fear of flying. If you want to know more just go to http://www.usaweekend.com/ and click on the Life & Style tab. The February 9th article is called "Sit back and relax: Learn to fly with out fear. It's just a short article but worth reading.

My son, Vinny, pictured here, was afraid of flying but his job required him to fly frequently and, somehow, he overcame it.

Baby Girl, The Astromoner

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 19:41:00 +0000

My granddaughter, Teagan, visited with me today. Teagan is 5 years old. She will be 6 on the first day of spring, my favorite day of the year. Teagan is my oldest grandchild and my only granddaughter. I always tell her she's my favorite granddaughter. And she is!

I recently had my kitchen redone and one of the walls is painted with black chalk board paint and set up as a message center. But, it has really turned out to be my grandchildren's art center. I like it better than a message center. Whenever my grandchildren visit they always draw some amazing picture or write their name or doodle something that I find amazing and admire it long after they have gone home.

Teagan has a wonderful imagination. I just love to see what she will come up with next. One time she drew directions from her house to my house on the chalk board. I didn't erase it for a long time. Teagan also likes to sing and dance and tell stories. She has give me untold pleasure since the day she was born. My nick name for her is "Baby Girl". Sometimes she gets mad when I call her Baby Girl and will demand that I call her Teagan. Lately she seems to have grown used to it.

Good thing, because I think it's a nick name that is going to stick.

Today, as usual, Teagan drew a very large picture on the chalk board. She told me it was the Earth. It looked like the Earth! She had even drawn several continents on the earth. The biggest continent she drew was North America and she explained to me that she lived there. I was blown away! Mind you, Teagan is only 5 years old. Teagan also drew the moon and a pink planet that she called the Pink Bunny planet. She told me that the pink bunnies ate pink grass on the Pink Planet. I found that extremely imaginative and amazing all at once. (Can you tell she's my favorite granddaughter? :)

Finally, Teagan said she wanted to draw stars but she told me she had trouble doing it. So, of course, Grammie came to the rescue. I drew a 5 point star and showed her how to do it. She was intrigued and ran to get the step stool so she could practice drawing stars above the Earth. She caught on very quickly and was very pleased with herself. She drew lots of stars in the universe.

To date this is my favorite drawing on the chalk board. I will not erase it for a while. I think someday Baby Girl will make a perfect Air Companion. Don't you?

November is National Diabetes Month

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 14:43:00 +0000

Did you know that November is National Diabetes Month? The slogan for this year is "Stop Diabetes". To find out how you can help click on the link below.

Also, November is National Family Caregivers Month. To find out more about family caregivers or if you are a family caregiver and want to know more click on the link below.

The pretty lady in the photo on your right was the caregiver to the gentleman in the picture. Both are gone now. Both were ear friends.

http://www.diabetes.org/

http://www.nfcacares.org/

"Do You Know The Way To San Jose?"

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 16:46:00 +0000

The title of this blog is kind of corny but when I last flew to San Jose, California several people on the plane were singing that old tune. I'm sure that song put San Jose on the map for a lot of people. Now, I believe it's called "Silicon Valley". What a beautiful valley it is! When you are flying into San Jose, California you see a city with huge gorgeous mountains surrounding it. I never grow tired of seeing it from the air. Unfortunately I've never taken a picture of it. I must try to remember to do that on my trip out there next week.

On your right is a photo of a random airport. After a while all the big airports start to look the same.

I have flown into San Jose, California several times. The first time was when my husband and I flew out to see my late son graduate from language school in Monterrey. Vinny was in the Army then and attended the school in Monterrey for a couple of years. I took a whole slew of pictures of his graduation but my luggage was forever lost on the flight home and the undeveloped films were in my checked bag. I've always been very bummed out by that. Especially now that Vinny is no longer with us. I have posted a photo of Vinny sitting on a bench in one of Saddam Husein's palaces in Iraq. That's where he went after he graduated from language school. He learned Arabic and went to work for a company called SOSi.

Back to my story..... the second time I flew to San Jose, California was last August. Air Companions was hired to accompany a developmentally disabled woman from San Jose to Virginia to visit her brother for a week. When the week was over Air Companions accompanied her back home. It was great fun and she was a wonderful to travel with. I feel like I made some new friends. Her family was wonderful, too.

Next week I will travel back to San Jose, California to once again accompany the developmentally disabled woman to Virginia to spend Thanksgiving with her brother and his family. I will be able to be home for Thanksgiving with my family and will fly back to Virginia on Saturday, November 26 in order to accompany my new friend home to San Jose on Sunday. I'm really looking forward to it.

More to come after my trip. Meantime I hope you all have a very wonderful Thanksgiving.

Day of Wellness Fair

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 22:53:00 +0000

On a beautiful fall morning, the last Saturday of October, Spectrum Generations hosted the 2nd annual "Day of Wellness" fair. The theme of this year's fair was "Learning and Making Connections". The fair was held in the Rockland High School gymnasium from 9am to 12 noon. All the exhibitors represented, in some way, a business or service that encouraged good health and promoted increased independence for the elderly and disabled. One of the big draws this year was the offer of a free flu shot to the first 200 hundred people who showed up on a first come first serve basis.

Some of the vendors represented were ASK for Home Care, Kno-Wa-Lin, The Knox County Triad, Maine Division for the Blind, New Hope For Women, Sentegration, Inc., Rockland Library, Coastal Medical Clinic, and the Knox County Health Clinic. As you can see it was quite a diverse group and I have only named about have of the vendors.

There were also several work shops offered throughout the event. In fact, there were 5 in all. The subjects ranged from helping seniors stay in their homes to fall prevention to scam artists. And, it was all free! What a wonderful community service the Wellness Fair has turned out to be for the community and for the businesses represented to network with each other.

Air Companions has been pleased to be a vendor for the past 2 years. Air Companions held a drawing for an overnight bag filled with goodies. Many people stopped by the table to sign up for the drawing which took place. At the end of the fair one of the neighboring vendors drew off a winner. And the winner was Gloria Whitehouse of Rockland! She is pictured here on the right holding her prize. When I delivered the overnight bag to her I asked if I could snap a photo of her and she agreed.

All in all it was a great day for Air Companions and I suspect for Gloria Whitehouse!

Speaking of Turkeys.......

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 20:29:00 +0000

Even though Halloween is in a few days I've been thinking a lot about Thanksgiving and turkeys. I live in Maine and the turkey population has certainly grown over the past 10 years. I see turkeys everywhere! In fact, the picture on the right is a snapshot of a flock of turkey's walking down my driveway. They don't usually hang out around my house but one afternoon I looked out the kitchen window and happened to see these turkeys taking a stroll down the lane that leads to my house. It was a very interesting sight.

I like turkeys. I wonder if the turkey population has spread throughout the US like it has in Maine. If anyone out there knows the answer please let me know.

About a year and a half ago I attended a baby shower a few towns over from the town I live in. Most of us arrived early as it was a surprize shower. While waiting for the guest of honor to arrive we stood around outside and visited with each other. Apparently, this tom turkey who lived next door became curious about what was going on and mosied on over to check things out.

His owner discovered he was missing and came over to the grange hall where the shower was held to retrieve her pet. But, the turkey did not want to go home. He was enjoying all the attention. Finally, Jenna, the expectant mother, showed up. She was surprised about the shower and she wondered who invited the turkey. We all got a good laugh out of it.

Finally, we all went inside the grange hall to celebrate Noah's upcoming arrival. I'm sure he will get a kick out of hearing about how a turkey came to his baby shower!

My sister, Stacey, lives in Maryland. She has a farm and is raising turkeys for other people's Thanksgiving dinners. Dday for these turkeys is coming right up. Stacey has a blog called Fresh MacKenzie if you want to check out what's going on at her place.

As I said at the beginning of this blog, Maine has a huge population of turkeys now. My husband and I have a running joke about this. One of us will say to other one, "I saw some of your family today. They were walking through a field." :) Tune in next time for a story called "Do You Know The Way To San Jose?" It's a story about Thanksgiving. Happy Halloween everyone. Be safe.

Air Companions Travels Downeast

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 21:14:00 +0000

A little over a week ago Air Companions was asked to transport a lady from Midcoast Maine to Downeast Maine; almost a 2 hour drive one way. Air Companions was very happy to do this job as the company wants to branch out to ground transportation as well as accompanying people in air travel.

So, late morning on a rainy early autumn day we set out for Penobscot Nursing Home in Penobscot, Maine. Despite the weather the ride was quite enjoyable as we drove along the coast and the Penobscot River. I had not been over the new bridge to Verona Island since it was built. It is quite a bridge to see! Also the leaves were just beginning to change color and the countryside was beautiful!

The lady I transported suffers from a rare and very disabling disease. She becomes car sick fairly easily so I kept a keen eye on her and tried hard to make the ride smooth as possible. One mile from the nursing home she started to complain of feeling ill. Fortunately we made it with no incidents.

The nursing home is large and somewhat run down but the front of the building over looks the ocean which is a stone's throw away. The staff working there were friendly, welcoming and helpful. We arrived at lunch time and the staff immediately set my passenger up with a light lunch. The nurse's aides were eager to find out about their new patient and the charge nurse took time to show me around, gather information and answer my questions. I felt like I was leaving this lady in good hands.

On the way back home I called the family to let them know I had delivered their loved one to the Penobscot Nursing Home. They were very grateful. I wished them well and asked them to keep in touch. I then took my time driving back to the Midcoast taking in all the beauty Maine has to offer.

It's Been Too Long!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 17:00:00 +0000

What can I say?! I know I should be good at this and I am for a while then something happens and before I know it its been weeks or even months before I write another blog. I simply have to get better at this!

I love poetry and Shel Silverstein is one of my favorite poets. Before I started this new blog I flipped through a book of Mr. Silverstein's poems to see if I could find a poem befitting what I want to say. The name of the book is "A Light in the Attic". Well, I found several. Here goes......

Something Missing

I remember I put on my socks,

I remember I put on my shoes.

I remember I put on my tie

That was painted

In beautiful purples and blues.

I remember I put on my coat,

To look perfectly grand at the dance.
Yet I feel there is something

I may have forgot---

What is it? What is it?....

Of course he was talking about his pants but that's how I feel about my poor little blog! Here's another Shel Silverstein poem.....

Overdues

What do I do?

This library book is 42

Years overdue.

I admit that its mine

But I can't pay the fine---

Should I turn it in

Or hide it again?

What do I do?

Haven't we all been there? Sometimes you just want to hide but eventually we all have to face the music.

Finally, I came across the next poem. It doesn't have anything to do with getting things done in a timely matter but its message is very timely indeed. See what you think.....

The Little Boy And The Old Man

Said the little boy, "Sometimes I drop my spoon."

Said the little old man, "I do that too."

The little boy whispered, "I wet my pants."

"I do that too," laughed the little old man.

Said the little boy, "I often cry,"

The old man nodded, "So do I."

"But worst of all," said the boy, "it seems

Grown-ups don't pay attention to me."

And he felt the warmth of a wrinkled old hand.

"I know what you mean," said the little old man.

If you would like to know more about Shel Silverstein I have put a link to his web site. It's worth looking at. http://shelsilverstein.com/indexSitehtml

This photo is a picture of my dad and my grandson. They certainly are not the types to be ignored and they both are happy people. I love this picture. I think it's a classic of an old man and a little boy.

Thanks for reading my blog. I promise to see you soon! :)

Older Americans Connecting the Community

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Sun, 01 May 2011 20:58:00 +0000

The title of this blog is the theme for this year's Older Americans Month. Check out the web site www.agingcarefl.org/whatsnew/olderamericans.

It has a great article about Older Americans Month.

Air Companions loves to connect the community with older Americans. In fact, it's a very large part of Air Companions business! People are living longer and healthier lives. Older Americans remain very active well into their 70's and 80s.

My father is an excellent example of this. He will be 75 years old this month. Dad connects with his community better than anyone I know. He is very politically minded. He worked hard volunteering on Governor LePage's campaign and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. Each week Dad volunteers at the VA in Togus as a shuttle bus driver. He is also very involved with his church. The picture above is of Dad a few years ago. He is surrounded by 3 of his 5 grandsons of whom he derives much joy.

My sister, Molly, owns a transportation business and Dad works for her. He drives a school bus every weekday in the afternoon. He also helps out at the garage and runs errands for Molly as she needs him.

Dad has retired but he doesn't let that slow him down. I'm very proud to call him my father.

For more information on the Older Americans Act enacted in 1965 go to www.elderguru.com/what-is-the-older-americans-act-oaa-and-what-does-it-do/.

When I Am An Old Woman

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 22:17:00 +0000

Not only is April National Humor month it is also National Poetry month. I thought it fitting to post one of my favorite poems in honor of National Poetry month. I have loved this poem since I was in my early 20s and now I'm getting close to being the old woman in the poem. :)

When I Am An Old Woman

I shall wear purple

With a red hat which doesn't suit me.

And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves

And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.

I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired

And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells

And run my stick along the public railings

And make up for the sobriety of my youth.

I shall go out in my slippers in the rain

And pick the flowers in other people's gardens

And learn to spit.

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat

And eat three pounds of sausages at a go

Or only bread and a pickle for a week,

And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry

And pay our rent and not swear in the street

And set a good example for the children.

We will have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practise a little now?

So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised

When suddenly I am old and start to wear purple.

My great grandmother Annie Pease is pictured on the right. She has been gone many years but I remember her well and loved her much.

April is National Humor Month

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 20:32:00 +0000

Even though this picture isn't hilariously funny I bet it will bring a smile to your face. And there is a lot of truth to the caption. Think about it

What a Great Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 23:01:00 +0000

The Penobscot Bay Business Expo was a very fun and successful day. My good friend, Carol Pettee, and I were very busy talking to the many wonderful people who stopped by the Air Companions booth to find out what we were all about. As you can see I snapped a picture of Carol talking with someone.

If you own your own business I highly recommend you join the Chamber of Commerce in your area. The networking possibilities are endless and it's a good way to get to know the business community. I've never regretted joining the Penobscot Bay Chamber of Commerce. I just wish I had done it sooner!

As I said, we had a great time and got a lot of good contacts. I also got to see lots of my business friends that I hadn't met up with for ages. That's always uplifting. Beth McKinney of Coastal Creative won the overnight bag filled with goodies that Air Companions gave away. I was pleasantly surprised when I won a gift certificate to the Rockland Cafe given away by Philbrook and Associates Book Keeping. Beth McKinney is pictured on the right holding her prize. Air Companions also gave away lots of candy; chocolate of course!

I just want to say thank you to everyone that stopped by the Air Companions booth. We loved meeting you and you helped make our day extra special. Please don't hesitate to contact Air Companions if you would like to know more about the services we offer. We would love to talk with you.

Penobscot Bay Business Expo

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 17:25:00 +0000

Air Companions will be at the Penobscot Bay Business Expo on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 at the beautiful Samoset Resort in Rockport, Maine from 3pm to 7pm. We would love to meet you and tell you all about our services.

Tell us you read this blog and you will receive a 15% discount when you use Air Companion's services. Give us a referral that turns into a customer and Air Companions will pay you 10% of the profits from that customer.

The Penobscot Bay Business Expo is a very fun and informative event. There is not charge to get in. So come on by, you'll be glad you did. Don't forget to stop by Air Companions and say hello!

On your left is a photo of Camden Harbor taken last summer at my friend's daughter's wedding. Camden Harbor is, of course, part of Penobscot Bay. What a beautiful place!

A Few Helpful Sites

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:21:00 +0000

I wanted to take the time to share some of my recent finds in helping folks help their folks or anyone who is taking care of the elderly.

Here is a site with many resources for aging parents and elder care.

Here is another blog on eldercare.

Here are some tips on travel for the disabled.

We hope this helps makes a smoother life for you whether you are caring for your mom in your home, managing an elderly aunts care in assisted living or traveling yourself.

Happy Spring!

Five Simple Tips When Caring For The Elderly or Disabled

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 19:47:00 +0000

If you are caring for an elderly parent or a chronically ill loved one following are some simple tips to help you keep them more healthy.

1. Our skin is our biggest organ and the first line of defense for the body. Keeping the skin healthy and intact goes a long way in keeping a person healthy. When you are assisting a disabled person with personal care remember to keep skin clean and smooth. An open sore on someone's skin can lead to an infection or worse.

2. As a rule people generally do not take in enough fluids. When you are caring for a disabled loved one remember to push fluids unless otherwise indicated by the doctor. One should try to drink at least 2 quarts a day. I know, I know, that sounds like a lot! When you take in enough fluids you have better skin integrity, less pain, better digestion, and overall better functioning of the body. Remember, our bodies are made up of 2/3 water.

3. Keep moving as much as you are able even if you don't feel like it. It is not good to allow a loved one to sit or lay in one position for long periods of time. If this happens one can develope pressure sores. Also, the old saying, "if you don't use it you lose it" is very true. If you are taking care of a disabled loved gently persuade them to get up and walk every hour or so. If they are wheelchair bound at least assist them in changing their position often. Pictured above is an elderly gentleman I have cared for. He walks with the assistance of a walker. He loves to go to church with me.

4. People are social creatures. When they are left alone for long periods of time their health usually declines. This is especially true in the elderly and physically disabled. If you are caring for a chronically ill loved one remember they need to engage in some socialization. Everyone is different but I believe that if someone socializes for just 15 to 30 minutes a day you will see a difference in them. There are lots of ways to socialize. A few examples are: Visiting one on one, taking a ride in the community, going to church, family functions, adult day programs and volunteering or getting a pet.

5. Often times when one is chronically ill they do not want to get dressed. They would rather stay in their p.j.s as it takes such an effort to clean up and get dressed for the day. Believe it or not when one cleans up and puts on fresh "street" clothes they usually feel better. Staying in the same clothes and not taking care of yourself daily can lead to depression and greater physical illness. If you are caring for a disabled loved one encourage them to start the day by getting cleaned up an dressed. Pictured on the right is an elderly gentleman I cared for several years ago. He got up every morning and dressed in a jacket and tie.

I have taken care of people for over 35 years and have followed these tips throughout my career. These tips have proven themselves over and over again. Of course there are many other variables that go into caring for people with disabilities but the above 5 simple tips are a sound starting point.

A Few Tips on Caring for the Elderly

noreply@blogger.com (Air Companions) — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 00:09:00 +0000

I am Sonja Burns, LPN, founder of Air Companions. I have also taken care of people, mostly the elderly, since I was a teenager. Over the years I've picked up picked up a few tricks of the trade and thought I would pass a few along. I know there are many people out there caring for their loved ones and perhaps will benefit from some of the things I have learned working as a caregiver for over 30 years. Since this is a blog for Air Companions I thought it would be appropriate to start off with tips on traveling with the elderly.

By the way, the photo below is a picture of my husband's grandmother, Beatrice. She was 100 years old at the time. She lived with my husband and I for a couple of years at the end of her life. She passed away in September 2009 at the age of 101. She was quite a character!

1. Make absolutely sure your loved one has a picture ID. I have discovered that older people who no longer drive and need care often do not have a picture ID. If you do not have one when you enter the airport you will not be able to fly.

2. If a person is wheelchair bound and cannot walk through the metal detectors at the airport they will be required to be patted down. So, if you are flying with a loved one who cannot walk please give them a heads up about going through security. They will be patted down.

3. Airports offer escort services in the airport. I have discovered that airports often contract with a company that provides those services within the airport. I have also found the escorts to be very helpful and courteous. They can help you get checked in, take you to your gate, and assist a wheelchair bound person on and off the plane. I honestly don't know what I would of done without their help when I have been accompanying very disabled people from one destination to another. Another good tip is to remember these people enjoy a good tip, money that is. :)

4. I always carry a small package of wet wipes in my purse. When you are traveling with someone who needs assistance with their care wet wipes are invaluable for numerous reasons!

5. Always bring along extra supplies for your loved one. If they are incontinent bring extra incontinent pads/underwear. If they have an ostomy bring extra ostomy supplies. And so on ans so forth......

6. Make sure your loved one dresses comfortably. I would suggest a fleece outfit as it is warm and roomy.

7. When purchasing a ticket the best solution is to go first class. But, not everyone can afford that. If you have to fly in coach ask for seats by the bulkhead. There is more leg room by the bulkhead. Tell the agent you are flying with someone disabled. The ticket agents really do try to help you out.

8. If your loved one hasn't flown in a long time it might be a good idea to tell their doctor about the upcoming flight. If you think the flight might stressful to your loved one perhaps you could ask the M.D. for a mild sedative to help them get through the trip.

9. Make sure your luggage has wheels! When you are pushing a wheelchair it is very difficult to carry bags on your shoulders. A small carry on bag on wheels is a very good investment!

10. If all this sounds like too much work contact Air Companions! We would love to accompany your loved one in air travel! Or, any kind of travel for that matter. We would love to hear from you.

I hope these tips have been helpful. Next time I will give some tips on general care of the elderly.