Social Work in a nursing home,you're too fat

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There is a book about Social Work in a nursing home that gives you details concerning MDS charting and much more technical information.  While that's nice, those are things you will be trained on while on the job.  What you cannot find in most books is how to really do a good job in a nursing home by having a good attitude about dealing with residents, coworkers and families, all of which you encounter on a daily basis.

Now while I do not fat discriminate, lord knows I too have struggled with weight, I do have a problem with large dietitians who will tell residents and families: "Mary Smith must lose weight and is being placed on a 1500 calorie a day diet."  The dietitian at the last nursing home I worked at, was telling us about a recent seminar she attended and was surprised that most of the dietitians attending were, in fact, very over weight.  The dietitian at our nursing home weighed around 120 pounds.  She asked how can anyone seriously take losing weight advice from fat people?  She has a good point.

Back when I was a nursing assistant, my class was taught by a nurse who was obese.  She told us: "This is how to lose weight.  You need to watch your calories and get your heart rate up enough to burn fat."  She was 250 pounds at the very least.  Seriously?  All of us in the class discussed that topic over lunch that day.

The VA has told my husband he needs to see a nutritionist about a sensible diet.  Many of us have been there.  While waiting for an appointment, we have been more active, eating more sensibly and our tummies are slowly melting away.  

Like many people I knew what and how we should be eating, I simply ignored it for too long.  I was a vegetarian for over 15 years in my younger days and weighed around 113 pounds for most of my adult life.  Once I got older, I decided to enjoy many foods I had denied myself and consequently, put on the pounds.  Most of us do know how we should eat, but do not always go there.  

As a Social Worker, you might encounter an over weight dietitian telling residents how to lose pounds.  It will be difficult when residents and families ask you how they can believe or take such advice from a person who is clearly not eating right.  "Physician heal thyself."  Comes to mind for me. 

A couple living on the line

I have no delusions that in retirement, my husband and I are, as the author John Steinbeck said: "Temporarily embarrassed millionaires."  No, we are not.  There is an entire young generation that likes to think 'all retired people have money.'  They are delusional then, not us, but we pay rent, eat and figure out how to juggle funds on a limited income.

Our food budget for the month is around $250 to $300 per month.  We stock up on basics and we make pretty good meals out of what we can afford.  We have a chest freezer which was worth every dime we spent on it, which was only $152.  We stock it for the month and pick from that, the food we use for meals.

I have been sharing recipes on a budget on Blogger for some time now.  Those aren't just 'look, these are tasty meals' they are the meals on a budget we use each week, each month.  If we can do it, so can you.  We make all meals and snacks at home and we go out to eat for something special, hardly ever, so when we do, it's a treat and fun.

Today we are baking chocolate chip cookies which we will snack on for several days.  I will share the pictures and recipe here.  We think these are the best chocolate chip cookies we have ever made.  
 Recipe for chocolate chip cookies:

1/2 cup softened margerine
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
3/4 cup of granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/4 cup of all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cream butter, shortening, sugars, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy.  Combine flour, and baking soda, add to creamed mixture until well blended.  Stir in chocolate chips and chopped walnuts if you like. Drop by rounded teaspoon onto ungreased cookie sheet.   Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown. 

 Cookie dough

Finished cookies

 

 
 
 

What's for dinner?

Steaks with tomatoes, onions and peppers

Picked up a wonderful old, cookbook at a yard sale not long ago.  I adore old cookbooks because they bring back memories for me, great smells in my Mom's kitchen, making me hungry when I'd come home from a long day of playing or school.

So many dishes that 'just don't taste like Mom's' but now I have grow kids saying the same to me.  That makes me feel good when they call and ask me 'how did you cook that?'

Well this one is one of my Mom's recipes but I plan to do at least one recipe from the yard sale book, per week, maybe more if I can.  I now have more time and I discovered I love cooking from scratch.  Bon Appetit!

Steaks with peppers, onions and tomatoes:

Three to four steaks, either cube steaks or any cut you enjoy

Two medium size cans of tomatoes with garlic and onion, or just plain tomatoes, whichever you like

Course ground pepper to taste

One medium green pepper, chopped

One medium to large onion, chopped

In a skillet cook steaks, peppers and onions until steaks are brown and done

Add the two cans of tomatoes and cover skillet, simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes, adding course ground black pepper to taste

Place on a plate and serve with a baked potato and a fresh green salad.  Delicious.

Cook time about 20 to 30 minutes