ACTIVE LIVING

INDUSTRY EXPERTS

LEGAL

The uncertainties of death

This is the fifth in our series of articles of the uncertainties of death.

Myth – a person without capacity is no longer able to update their affairs.

Wrong !

It is not widely known that a court can make a Will for a person who has lost capacity. A ‘court-made’ Will might be required where: (a) a person has dementia and their current Will is no longer appropriate; or (b) they have no Will and their estate would pass to unintended beneficiaries. Before making any Will, the court must be satisfied: (a) the person applying is the appropriate person to do so; and (b) of the intentions of the incapacitated person.

The court requires information including details of the size and nature of the person’s estate and a draft of the proposed Will.

As the Order of the court must be made prior to the incapacitated person passing away, an application may need to be made urgently.

A court-made Will can be very useful to ensure an incapacitated person’s estate planning is appropriate.

TRENT WAKERLEY

PARTNER, KRUGER LAW LEVEL 3, OCEAN CENTRAL, OCEAN STREET, MAROOCHYDORE 5443 9600, KRUGERLAW.COM.AU

DR DAEVYD RODDA

SUNSHINE COAST ORTHOPAEDIC GROUP SUNSHINE COAST UNIVERSITY PRIVATE HOSPITAL SUITE 12, 3 DOHERTY STREET, BIRTINYA 5493 8038, SCORTHOGROUP.COM.AU

ORTHOPAEDIC

Non-operative ways to treat pain

Before recommending surgery to someone suffering with hip or knee osteoarthritis, I recommend exhausting all non-operative methods of treatment first. These include physiotherapy, weight management, lifestyle modification, medication and, potentially, injection therapy.

Visit a physiotherapist for range-ofmotion and strengthening exercises for managing the symptoms of joint pain.

Maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle is vitally important. Ask your GP to check your BMI and suggest effective methods of weight loss if necessary.

It is important to modify the activities you perform if you suffer from joint pain. Choose low-impact activities such as walking, swimming, and cycling.

A good medication for joint pain is Panadol Osteo (or equivalent), but always check with your GP before commencing, particularly if you have liver disease. There are also injections available to help treat joint osteoarthritis. These can be discussed at the Sunshine Coast Injection Clinic.

Being educated about your condition is important. Consult an orthopaedic surgeon about the best course of treatment for you or attend one of our knee patient education seminars. We say, “put your shoulder to the wheel”, “shoulder the burden” and “stand shoulder to shoulder” but that’s a lot to carry on your shoulders. TRISTAN HALL suggests some moves to help relieve the pressure.

Psychologically our shoulders symbolise strength and fortitude, but physically, they can hold stress that leads to reduced blood flow and restricted movement.

Each shoulder is supported by 10 muscles. It is the most mobile joint in the body but its flexibility means it can become unstable and prone to injury.

Take care of your shoulders with some feel good stretches: 1. Shoulder Rolls: This warm-up frees up your muscles, increases blood flow and gets you ready for what’s ahead. For one minute, roll your shoulders forward and backwards. Take deep relaxing breaths and enjoy the release of tension. 2. T Motions: Hold your arms in front of you then spread them wide so they form a T with your body. Stretch as far back as is comfortable. Repeat for around a minute. 3. Arm circles: While your arms are in the T formation, make circles with your hands. Increase the size of the circles as you go. Go forwards and backwards. Only do what is comfortable for your shoulders. 4. The Doorway Stretch: This feels great for tight shoulders. It improves blood flow and mobility. It will open your chest and “unhunch” your back. Stand in an open doorway. Raise one arm up to the side at 90-degree angles with your palm forward. Rest your palm on the door frame. Slowly step forward with one foot. Feel the stretch in your shoulders and chest. Hold for 20 seconds. Rest then repeat. Switch to the other arm. 5. Scapular Squeezes: Stand tall. Have

I LIKE this message that a friend posted on social media:

“Your diet is not only what you eat … It’s what you watch, listen to, read and the people you spend time with. Pay attention to what you feed your soul.”

I don’t know who wrote it but, in my opinion, it is very true. In effect it means to be careful, thoughtful and sensible in how you live your life.

That last sentence about what you feed your soul struck me as relevant in the current environment.

Times are tough and some people find it hard depending on individual and family situations.

Some may be less enthusiastic than they have been in the past, others may suffer depression in some form.

In good times, being disciplined and keeping in shape physical and mentally is a lot easier than when we are faced with mental challenges. Without your arms by your side with your forearms bent at 90 degrees and facing forward. Breathe in and pull your elbows back as if you could make them meet in the middle of your back. This stretch engages your back muscles that sit around your scapula bone. It also gives a pleasant stretch to the front of your shoulders. 6. Freestyle and Backstroke Rotations: With one arm at a time, lift your arm over your head as if you are swimming the Aussie Crawl. Do around 10 rotations, slowly. Then switch to the other arm. Finish with backstroke rotations. Do not push your arms and shoulders beyond what is comfortable. 7. Arm Raises: Finish this series of stretches by raising your arms to the side and joining the palms above your head. Lower the arms and repeat this five times. You don’t need to reach above your head every day so this movement can become rusty. This exercise will help maintain mobility for when you need it. Tristan Hall is an exercise physiologist with Full Circle Wellness. Call 0431 192 284 or visit fullcirclewellness.com.au

FIT HAPPENS With Tom Law

knowing it, we may be more affected than we think.

It is really important to find the goodness in life, and yes, although it is easier to say than do, we must continue to find good things every day.

There is fun to be had, good times to come and great things happening all around the world.

Concentrate on watching positive stuff, listen to uplifting music, read inspirational true or just pleasant stories, and try and spend time with people who make you feel good.

So, without a doubt, it is important to watch what we eat and make sure we fill our bodies with goodness but it’s also important to pay attention to what we feed our souls.

Let’s hope for a brighter outlook in 2022 Tom Law is the author of Tom’s Law Fit Happens. Visit tomslaw.com.au