When Sharon Levine picked up, the person on the other end was sobbing. It was the nurse practitioner at her mothers nursing home outside of New York. She had to be calling with some sort of news, but she was too overwhelmed: Covid-19 had entered the facility and residents were dying and staff members were getting infected and they were out of coronavirus tests and they didnt seem to have enough protective gear and everyone was just so sick and for a moment, the roles were reversed, and it wasnt clear who was caring for whom.

I know this is really hard, Levine said. You must be seeing so much of this. Im really glad you called me.

Then, when the nurse practitioner finished crying, Levine gently tried to find out what was going on with her mom. She was 91. Levine knew she hadnt been eating or drinking much for a while, and was losing weight. Her lungs were already in bad shape. Now, it turned out, her oxygen saturation was low and refusing to rise, even with air delivered through a mask. Though there werent the tests to confirm it, she likely had Covid. Yet the real reason for the call was a large sore spreading at the base of her back a dark breakdown of skin that doctors call a Kennedy ulcer.

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Levine knew that meant her mother was dying. Before she became the head of geriatrics at Massachusetts General Hospital, in 2019, Levine had spent three decades making house calls to frail, homebound elders a job in which about a quarter of her patients died every year. She knew about Kennedy ulcers, how they appear, omen-like, in the last hours or days of a persons life. She wished she could be at her mothers bedside, but it was April 14, and the nursing home had barred visitors weeks ago, to try to contain the outbreak that was now in full swing.

Levine had hoped she could at least talk to her mom, but even that possibility was gone. Her mother couldnt understand why her daughters were no longer visiting her in person, and what she felt most keenly was their absence. She had trouble with her phone, and when a social worker maneuvered a screen in front of her, so she could see their faces, she was so upset she refused to even look.

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The times weve tried to talk to her, shes said, Go away. Leave me alone. Go away. Leave me alone. I dont want to talk to you, Levine said, later that week. It is hard. It is very hard to see her this way.

Every day, Levine was seeing a full roster of patients by video call, peering into the screen to ask how they were dealing with the new world of social isolation. How were they getting food? Were they getting the help they needed? With all the talk of intensive care in the news, she knew, people were mulling over what might happen if they themselves got sick, so she was checking in about everyones end-of-life wishes, confirming their files were up to date, making sure that, with the pandemic, what they wanted for their last moments hadnt changed. She couldnt help but think of her own mom.

She is now actively dying, and its like a double helix, my professional and my personal life, Levine said. Ive had to be very involved in doing with her what I do with my patients.

The conversations are never predictable. Levine has treated nonagenarians who were still working and octogenarians who couldnt move much, patients who were losing their words to dementia and patients who were busy writing books. Some were spry but wary of the suffering that might come if they needed mechanical help breathing; some knew firsthand the myriad diminishments of old age and wanted every last possible treatment.

People can live alone at home, their life has become dancing on the head of a pin, she said. Theyve given up everything that they loved and they make their lives work.

Her job encompasses all facets of seniors well-being, from daily routines to chronic ailments to follow-ups after major surgeries. Discussion about end-of-life choices is just one part of a continuum. As a young physician, shed watched her own father die painfully of colon cancer, at 62, on the very day hed been moved from hospital to hospice, and shed vowed she wouldnt let her own patients suffer as he did.

That means asking about whats most important to them, what they hope for and worry about, what their goal is in seeking care. If something bad happens to them whether by coronavirus or car accident, fall or massive stroke and they cant speak for themselves, then what? Should EMTs attempt resuscitation? If a husband has Alzheimers and is cared for by his wife, who will get groceries and help with ablutions if the caregiver dies first?

She asks her patients who should make decisions for them if they can no longer make those decisions themselves. It doesnt have to be your spouse, she says. It doesnt have to be your kid. It just has to be someone who will actually do what you want.

That isnt as easy as it might sound. Sometimes, family members struggle to put a dying persons wishes above their own. You might know what mom or dad wants, but it can be hard to stomach and harder still to enact when confronted with such enormous, imminent loss. She remembers one patient from years ago, who was in his late 90s and sick, his heart and lungs starting to give out. He was going to die soon, and he was clear how he wanted to go. He told Levine he didnt want to be resuscitated; he told her he didnt even want to be taken to the hospital.

I knew the daughters they were health care professionals themselves and I said, OK, were all going to talk about this together, because you need to hear what your father has to say, Levine recalled. I said, Tell them what you told me.

And he said, I dont want this, I dont want that. I want to die in my home.

They said, But Daddy! They kept trying to convince him to reverse what he was thinking.

And, finally, he said to them, What is it about no that you dont understand?

Even now, when she is no longer making house calls, some of her appointments still include both patients and their families. It was one of the things shed loved about having appointments in the home: Fitting her work into the everyday quirks of a persons life, seeing the layout of each patients space, meeting the cousins and kids and grandkids. She could make sure they were able to move around safely, make sure they could bathe. She was a physician for the aged first but that also meant being part mediator, part chaplain, part collector of family lore.

When children argued with their mothers end-of-life wishes, say, Levine would tell them, What a blessing you have, even though you want your mom to not die and to live forever. What a blessing, that she gave you the direction so this is not your decision. This is her decision. You are the luckiest kid in the world to be able to honor that wish.

It was a blessing she had received herself. Her mother was nothing if not decisive. When her mind grabbed onto something, it didnt let go like a dog with a rag, Levine said. The U.S. Constitution was her Bible, and she always kept a copy in her pocketbook. She was so adamant about the separation of church and state that shed make a ruckus at the post office if they put up a Christmas tree or menorah.

Her name was Anna Levine. Her father owned a kosher delicatessen, which served corned beef and pastrami and knishes and pickles to the good people of Franklin Square, N.Y., at the base of Long Island, just beyond the furthest reaches of Queens. When I was graduated at the age of 16, girls werent encouraged to go to college, she said in 2008 at Queensborough Community College, where she was invited to give a talk for students about perseverance. I was told, Well, you wont need it.

So she found a job as a bookkeeper, married her sweetheart just back from the war, had two daughters. After 18 years of marriage, she got divorced and decided she wanted a degree. She kept working full-time, and studied philosophy and comparative religion in her off hours, two courses here, three courses there, a long hiatus for breast cancer treatment, another scattering of courses. It took her 14 years.

Then, she went to law school. In 1991, I literally dragged my three grandchildren on stage to get my juris doctor degree, she said and that sparked a new career spent mediating between parents caught in custody battles and advising those whose applications for unemployment benefits had been denied. She was 62.

She was just as tenacious at the nursing home, frail and past 90. She was independent, proud, didnt like being touched. When her geriatrician daughter sat with her in Feburary 2019, as her health care proxy, to talk over her end-of-life wishes once again, she had said she wanted the doctors to do everything in their power to keep her alive. Levine knew that not everyone really understands exactly what that entails, and wanted to be sure. Can you tell me what resuscitation means? she asked her mother. Whats intubation?

To imitate her moms response, Levine puts on a high-pitched, New York Jewish accent, like Woody Allen, two octaves up: She said, Of course I know what that means. I know they press on my chest, I know they give me an electric shock, I know they put a tube down my throat.

About intubation, she added, almost gleefully: Ive already had that, and Im aliiiiive.

It was true. Not long before, shed been found bluish and unresponsive, and a medical team had coaxed her breathing back into rhythm, and here she was, still sharp-witted. So Levine started asking questions, to make sure she understood the contours of her moms thinking.

Did she want that same sort of resuscitation if she had cancer all over her body?

No!

What if she had a stroke, and couldnt engage with the world as she was now?

No!

What if she lost her memory?

No!

So she wasnt all in, Levine said later. A lot of my patients are like that, too. They might want resuscitation only if they were cognitively intact, only if their illness was something they might survive. Yet there was still something she didnt quite understand about her moms wishes, a knot she still needed to unpick: There were obviously still scenarios when her mom wanted aggressive treatment, but when the time came, she resisted.

What do we do? Levine asked as she sat by her mothers bedside, with her husband nearby, recording the conversation. Because when they want to take you to the hospital, you refuse.

To her other queries, her mother had had a definite reply. To this one, her reaction was different: Can you make the decision?

So Levine made a decision. A few weeks before the nurse practitioner called, when her mom had already lost a lot of weight and New Yorks hospitals were already overwhelmed, and after shed talked it over with her sister, she phoned the facilitys medical director. She told him she wanted to change her mothers advance directives, so that she wouldnt be resuscitated under any circumstance, and wouldnt be taken to the hospital.

She didnt second-guess herself. Her mother had clearly stated, back in 2019, that she didnt want to suffer, didnt want to be mechanically sustained if she couldnt be alert and engaged, and Levine had told her that if that seemed to be what was in store, then shed amend the chart to say, Do Not Resuscitate. Now, she knew her mom was becoming frailer and frailer. If she went on a ventilator, it seemed unlikely shed survive. She didnt like being fussed over. Even in her nursing home, she sometimes cursed at the workers who were trying to care for her, and they were familiar people she knew and liked.

Levine couldnt even imagine her in the craziness of a pandemic-time hospital, the end of her life spent being repositioned and examined by nurses geared up like astronauts, with a new cast of unfamiliar masked, shielded faces with every shift. I kept having that vision in my mind, and I thought, no, thats not what she would have wanted, Levine said.

Instead, she made the medical director promise that her mother would have comfort care around the clock, anxiety medication if she needed it, morphine so she wasnt lying in pain or hungering for air. When Levine heard about the Kennedy ulcer, she knew it wouldnt be long. In the following days, she heard nothing from the nursing home; the workers were overwhelmed. Sometimes she would call and the phone would ring 20 times. She would have to call and email and call again to get an update.

Her mother died a week later, on April 22. The official cause was Covid-19, but she had been failing for a while. She was buried in Queens, beside her grandmother, who died in the influenza pandemic of 1918. The service was accessible to Levine only by Zoom. The gravediggers in the hazmat suits it was surreal, she said.

Levine kept seeing patients, the day after her mothers death, the day after that. Only the Monday afterward did she take a day off, and realize how much she needed it. She kept thinking about her mother in her last week, unrecognizable, unable to grasp why her family wasnt there, unwilling to talk. Go away. Leave me alone. Go away. Leave me alone.

She couldnt believe it when shed finally spoken to her mothers caregivers, and they told her how open she was with them in her final days: My mother said to the aides, You know, Im dying. Youve been so nice to me. Will you come to my funeral? And will you make sure my daughters come, too?

She wished she knew what her mom had been thinking about then. Ill never know, she said. She took comfort from wherever it came. Her family sat shiva online not the usual way such grieving rituals take place, friends and family dropping by with casseroles, swapping memories of the dead, but still an outpouring of stories. They said Kaddish, a virtual rendition of the Jewish mourners prayer.

All she had, besides that, were glimpses. Just before her mother died, a social worker sat with her for 15 minutes, and told Levine afterward that she seemed comfortable, never short of breath. About a week before that, on the day the ulcer appeared, Levines sister, who lives in New York, was able to get into the nursing home the briefest of exceptions to see their mom in person.

Sit down next to me, sit down next to me, Robin, shed said, and went to sleep for a few minutes and then the visit was up, and her daughter had to go.

Link:
When her mom's time came, Covid-19 kept them apart - STAT - STAT

Wendy Schultz was one of those people gyms count on for profit: She paid for a membership but never went, always prioritizing her business and kids over fitness.

But once the coronavirus pandemic hit, Schultz, who lives in Sarasota, Florida, started walking a few miles a day to get out of the house and relieve stress. By consequence but not intention, she's lost 20 pounds.

"Now I see that I don't need to carve out much time in my day to get in some exercise and improve my health," Schultz told Insider.

She plans to keep it up her routine post-pandemic without setting foot in the gym. She cancelled her membership in March.

Diana Karlinsey's tale has a similar theme. Formerly an avid gym-goer who rotated between three facilities, she's dusted off old fitness DVDs and spent more time outdoors in lockdown. She'll be nixing two of her memberships once the gyms reopen, only resuming an occasional class at the local YMCA where her husband works out.

"I realized that I could get a good workout at home, and I could do it when I wanted," Karlinsky, a retired labor relations specialist in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, told Insider. "I also realized that going to the gym stressed me out, which is the main reason I will be quitting."

People run in New York City amidst coronavirus shutdowns. Crystal Cox/Business Insider

As gyms around the country begin to reopen, anecdotes like these raise the question: Do we even need them?

Risks related to spreading or contracting the novel coronavirus aside, life without gyms has coincided with some people who were formerly inactive getting moving and those who love the gym getting creative.

Others have found the absence of gyms and emergence of other options has eliminated some of the barriers that kept them from exercising in the first place.

And, the reasons many are seeking exercise today to relieveanxiety, boost confidence, and gain energy are those research suggests lead to lifelong fitness the way a gym discount, social media challenge, or weight goal rarely can.

People speculated that lockdown measures would only exacerbate our country's sitting problem and surely lead to weight gain with the "quarantine 15," but it's not clear that's happening. In some cases, the reverse is.

Data from digital health company Withings, for example, found that while on average people's daily step count dropped 7% when lockdown measures were put in place, states with historically more sedentary populations actually started moving more. In West Virginia, the eighth least-active state in the US, daily step counts increased 9%.

Another survey of 2,913 people around the world found that while people who were already quite active are cutting themselves some slack or simply unable to keep up their intense routines during the pandemic, people who previously exercised once or twice a week became 88% more active when stay-at-home orders were put in place.

Those who normally exercised three times a week upped their game 38%.

Julian Howard for Insider

Mallory Bradford, a tech company employee in Chicago, is one of them. She used to take classes at a gym once or twice a week, but couldn't run a mile without stopping. Now, she can run six and is considering training for a triathlon sans gym.

"Sweating with other people? No thank you, ever, for as long as I live or at least until there's a vaccine," she told Insider.

The absence of gyms has spawned massive libraries of virtual workouts, and in some neighborhoods, a cultural acceptance for jumping rope in a closed-down street, doing burpees in a 6-foot circle in the park, or hula-hooping on your lawn.

In other words, we're redefining what "exercise" means, and that's a good thing for those who recoil at the word alone.

"People believe that there are right and best places to be active, and it's usually formal exercise in a gym," Michelle Segar, a behavior change scientist at the University of Michigan, told Insider. "That gets in people's way."

For years, it got in Jen Doran's way. The Long Island travel industry worker and mom dreaded going to the gym and so by default, doing any exercise because her large chest made her not only uncomfortable, but self-conscious, working out.

Once she found online "quick burn" workouts (and a better bra) about a year ago, she started to enjoy movement and the ability to take her routine on the road. With the help of a medical team and diet changes, she lost 50 pounds and quit her gym membership during the peak of her weight loss.

Now, about a year later, Doran is especially grateful she'd already mastered working out from home. She stays motivated "knowing what my body is able to do now [at 43] that I couldn't do at 25," she told Insider.

Nearly 80% of US adults in a Washington Post-University of Maryland poll are opposed to gyms reopening now. Half of 6,636 US gym members in another poll said they won't return.

But eventually, some will, and should slowly and safely. Fitness and health clubs are a $30 million industry in the U.S., critical to the economy and many people's livelihoods.

And plenty of people, including yours truly, really like them. You simply can't recreate the camaraderie of a fitness class, hands-on attention of a yoga class, or the presence of a swimming pool through Zoom.

Coach and manager of "Body Staff Gym" fitness centre Mabchour Mourad tests a machine in southwestern France, on the eve of the reopening of the gym. Mehdi Fedouach/Getty Images

But their shutdown has allowed, or perhaps forced, some gym rats to get creative with their routines, and that's not a bad thing.

"Anything we have a long-term relationship with careers, marriages, parenting Segar said. Our relationship with physical activity is no different. "Resilience is about rolling with the punches," she said.

Practically speaking, changing it up "will allow your body rest and healing, decreasing your chances of overuse injury, while simultaneously strengthening areas previously neglected," Dr. Jebidiah Ballard, an emergency medicine physician, previously told Insider.

Psychologically speaking, trying new (or old) activities like outdoor running or indoor dancing can be empowering because whether or not you return to or join a gym post-pandemic, "the reality is, these options will always be there," Segar said.

For Dick Lynch, a retired business professional quarantining in Burlington, Wisconsin, rediscovering running after a several-year hiatus has been "incredibly pleasurable," giving him time to think unlike his pre-pandemic CrossFit workouts.

While he'll eventually return, "I would not have gone back to running if not for the virus," he said.

Not everyone has the desire, ability, or privilege of being more active during the pandemic. Some people aren't safe exercising outside, others are coping with losses of loved ones and jobs, and some are healthiest if they take these months to simply be still.

But many of those who are discovering or rediscovering movement are doing so for the reasons that give them a shot at maintaining their routines when society reopens.

Quite simply: They want to feel better right now.

Segar, who wrote "No Sweat: How the Simple Science of Motivation Can Bring You a Lifetime of Fitness," calls this "the right why" that movement brings on an immediate boost in mood, energy, confidence, and other positive emotions.

Research shows that type of "high-quality" motivation is lasting, while exercising because you want to fit into your pre-pandemic jeans, you signed up for a race, or you're paying for a personal trainer is not.

Being freed up to simply move one way to today and then adjust your strategy tomorrow based on whatever didn't feel right a "learning," not "achieving" mindset is also a pillar of sustainable fitness, Segar says.

Circles designed to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus by encouraging social distancing line San Francisco's Dolores Park, Thursday, May 21, 2020. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) Associated Press

Plus, people who've been at a fitness routine for at least six weeks have a good chance of continuing it post-pandemic, since that's about how long it takes to form a habit, Dr. Mimi Winsberg, a triathlete, psychiatrist, and chief medical officer at mental health telemedicine service Brightside, told Insider.

That's the case for Ashley Bernardi, who committed to practicing yoga daily over two months ago to get some peace of mind between homeschooling her three kids and running her public relations business while her essential-employee husband went to work.

Now, she says, "it's become a habit like brushing my teeth, so I don't think it's going to disappear when things open up again."

If stories like hers continue to come out of the pandemic, Winsberg said, "Hallelujah. That would be wonderful side effect."

Read more:
We don't need gyms to reopen. We never really needed them in the first place. - Insider - INSIDER

If you are recently interested in following a vegetarian diet, it will undoubtedly be interesting to know about the main changes that the body experiences

Currently more and more people are interested in exploring the vegetarian dietThis is because it is one of the trends that is most related to health benefits and its an extraordinary vision for take care of the environment. Several nutrition specialists from around the world have stated that in the last two years one of the most recurring topics in consultation is basic advice to make a change to the style of vegetarian food (those people who do not eat meat or fish) and vegan (Those people who completely give up eating animal foods, including eggs and milk).

Because it has been a topic that has given much to talk about it is worth knowing about the changes that occur in the body when following this type of dietnutritionists agree that it is not a matter of making sudden changes based only on eliminate certain food groups, its about creating a healthy lifestyle and finding nutritional alternatives.

Among the main beliefs that they have about vegetarian food is said a lot about the possibilities it offers to stimulate weight loss, however what is certain is that it is make any feeding changes can generate changes in weight; which can go from more to less kilograms depending on the habits that each person follows. If a weightloss normally it is due to a lower food intake or to follow one poorly balanced diet and when a weight gain, it is likely due to a mishandling of meat substitute foods and fish which results in a increased consumption of products such as pasta and rice. It is also important to consider that a high consumption in vegan processed foodscan be derived in obesity cases. It is important that vegan people closely monitor your intake of enough vegetable protein (which are normally obtained from legumes) and that are integrated into routine physical activity, for avoid losses in muscle mass. What is a fact is that various research works have found that vegetarian populations tend to have a lower body index.

One of the main changes stemming from the vegetarian diet is due to the fact that the plant-based food intake, for some people it is difficult to adapt to the consumption of legumes and they may experience some digestive disorders as is the case of abdominal inflammation, gas and changes in the microbiota. It is also normal for the body to go through a metabolic adaptation to low iron intakes so that Nutrient absorption increases and excretions are decreased.

In what the body gets used to, it is quite normal that derived from the limitation in consumption meat or fish in the diet certain people experience more marked states of exhaustionYes, this is mainly because the body is dealing with the absence of the b12 vitamin which is only found in animal products. It is important monitor blood iron levels, avoiding anemias that can occur due to various factors; on many occasions this results in neurological disorders how tremors, cognitive failure and poor coordination.

A diet based on a high consumption of vegetarian food relates to better energy levels and resthowever it is important not neglecting the intake of essential fatty acids that are indispensable for the cardiovascular and brain health. When consumed in small quantities, they can occur mood disturbances, cognitive failure, and even depression. One of the best recommendations is to opt for the consumption of foods rich in fatty acids Omega 3 and 6 that are found in plant sources such as those nuts, quinoa and chia seeds.

One of the great advantages to follow a vegetarian or vegan diet is that practically safely high cholesterol levels will be lowered considerably, as long as a balanced diet is followed. If a high intake of pastries and vegan processed products, it will not lower cholesterol, you will be able to gain weight easily and it is likely to lead to appearance of diseases and chronic health conditions. Follow one healthy vegetarian diet and well planned is the key to decrease the risk of cardiovascular accidents.

Various studies have verified the direct relationship between a vegetarian diet and a lower risk of hypertension, this is due to the close connection that exists with the Body Mass Index (BMI). It is estimated that most vegetarians who follow a nutritious and healthy diet, they have a lower BMI, having a healthy weight and avoid overweight and obesity the risks of suffering this pathology are decreased. That is why a correct vegetarian diet relates to great health benefits as a lower risk of suffering diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and obesity.

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What happens in the body when you become a vegetarian - Explica

Throughout my working life there have been three unifying themes; gender, race and social class. Having now left the UK to live in Turkey, I am very interested in DiEM25 and am hopeful that Social Care will be an issue that DiEM25 will look at. Id be particularly interested in talking about this to women in other countries and interested to find out if there are pan-European Care companies. Ill explain why.

When the extent of Coronavirus was reported on in English hospitals, the TV scenes were chaotic and distressing. I immediately had visions of horrific scenes in care homes. The Care system in England was already broken, way before the virus arrived. If the Health service was already in crisis, the situation in Care would be catastrophic.

Years of underfunding the health service, and the removal of locally accountable Strategic Health Authorities replaced by undemocratic Clinical Commissioning Groups, has led to less qualified staff, lower pay, and longer working hours and waiting lists for appointments.

For the recipients of, and those who worked, in Social Care, the consequences of a fragmented and 85 percent privatisatised service have been dehumanising. Once run mostly by Local Authorities, the Care sector is in all but name unregulated.

Working for a national Home Care agency was an absolute eye-opener. We were paid extremely low wages. We didnt get paid travel time so that the actual wage you ended up with was miniscule.

The role was isolating. Staff were not adequately trained and in particular, there was a lack of mental health training or support to ensure a residents quality of life. Carers provided empathy and humanity in the health sector, but were unpaid for this labor and had to do so in their own precious time.

Carers didnt have time to sit and talk to people to listen, to let people talk. Carers were there to clean, to feed, to prompt medication. The writing up of notes was to be completed during the home visit. Paperwork was often missing, inaccurate or illegible it was chaotic.

Early on, I was sent to care for a woman who had dementia and spoke Bengali. There were two carers standing over the woman, shouting at her and pointing in her face. I was a very new carer who had had middle class jobs up till that point: these two carers had been doing these jobs for years. I felt very conflicted, but I had to say something. I gently intervened and said, You dont shout at people with dementia, it will be very frightening for this woman if you are standing over her and she is sitting and you are pointing in her face. I went back to the managers and said, I really dont want anybody to get into trouble this is not what this is about but when I did this visit I was aware that the carers really didnt know how to support people with dementia. The managers were very nice everybody was really nice but the managers said Oh no weve not had our dementia training either! So that was my introduction to care in Leicester.

I joined the Labour Party when Jeremy Corbyn became leader in 2015, and I became quite active locally. I remember sitting in a meeting in the town hall with the elected mayor, Peter Soulsby, and nine or ten others. We were talking about a campaign he wanted to do locally to promote the Labour Party.

We were discussing possible issues, and I said that, given that Leicester and the East Midlands generally had a very low wage economy, and a very large proportion of BME women working in social care, I thought that it would be a really good way to connect with people when we went canvassing and door knocking. We would be able to raise these issues and get people talking, listen to peoples concerns and in particular to get women involved.

His response was incredulous. He said: Oh, we dont have an issue with social care in Leicester My jaw dropped and he must have noticed because he said, very nicely, No, no, Im serious. It is very rare that we get social care issues raised with us His response was so telling, given that the service was on its knees.

Care is largely a womens issue, a working class womens issue and massively a migrant and Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) womens issue. Just as Peter Soulsby didnt think Care was an issue, the establishment, most of the media and the public dont think it is an issue now, because its not on their radar.

Then, as now, a major problem was that there were not nearly enough carers. Here in Turkey the vast bulk of care homes are owned by the state, whereas in Britain, 85% of care homes are private. I remember that years ago Leicester City Council had a very well-run home care system. It was all run by the local authority, so the carers were all on proper terms and conditions. OK, they were still paid low wages. There were still problems. But there was an infrastructure; there was training and support. Private Care homes are first and foremost businesses. There is therefore a lack of durable and connected infrastructure for Care.

There were therefore significant problems, such as the wrong medication or dose being given, or incorrect timing or the omission of doses. If carers had poor literacy, there was no support. If a carer had fifteen minutes or thirty minutes to make a home visit and they had to take the notes and update them, as well as check the medication that is being administered it was a big mess. There was never enough time, its endemic as Ken Loach portrays so vividly in Sorry We Missed You.

During my six months working for the Home Care agency, it was clear that the Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) carers tended to be given more complex and time-consuming cases the residents with multiple problems, acute physical and chronic illnesses as well as dementia. There was a general lack of support for BME carers. A lot of the managers were white, and you know how it is, just like in male hierarchies, promotions were given on the basis of who you knew and got on with. You could see how black and asian women in Leicester were losing out and given worse jobs.

In my second involvement with the Care sector, I trained managers of both private care agencies and care homes, as the County local authority was concerned about a lack of consistency of care. Carers frequently resigned from home care agencies and care homes but moved on to other care homes and homecare agencies in the area. My role was to help managers develop good employment practices: to train them in staff recruitment, retention, equality and diversity. As I told them, it was essential that they included carers in developing the Care policies.

Racist abuse of migrant and BME carers occurred often, and most managers were not trained or skilled enough to address this unlawful abuse. Frequently, managers told of the difficulties they faced with the owners of Care homes and agencies. Managers needed more staff, more equipment, and even more food for residents. A culture of fear pervaded the Care sector from the top down.

Carers are told to read and adhere to a whole pile of Care policies. They are told they will be liable, even legally liable for some breaches of policy, especially Safeguarding policy. There is no paid time to discuss them, and misinterpretation is easy. There are high levels of disciplinary actions and terminations and very few carers are represented by a trades union representative. As well as having your employment contract terminated, carers can be barred from working as a carer again if for instance they are found to have breached Safeguarding policy.

Some people are living in a Care Home because they lack the mental capacity to safely live in the community. They may be subject to an Order known as a Deprivation of Liberty Safeguard (DoLS). Ass a personal representative independent of Social Services and the Care Home my third role involved in the Care sector was to check that a person subject to the DoLS was neither objecting to the deprivation of their liberty, nor that the deprivation of their liberty was too restrictive. Many people with dementia in Care Homes are subject to a DoLS.

During regular visits, I spent time in many Care Homes speaking, listening to, interacting with, and observing residents and staff. I read Care Plans put in place by social workers and checked that any concerns and conditions were raised and addressed.

With a very few exceptions where excellent care was provided, the Home Managers and carers were struggling with an acute deficit of staff and resources. Carers were fearful of raising their concerns openly. If they felt the social worker was not dealing with the issues, there was a threat hanging over the Home that the resident might be removed and placed elsewhere, with the loss of around 1500 a week income.

In most homes, and again with a few exceptions, it was almost impossible to get the General Practitioner (GP) to visit a resident. There was also an acute lack of nurses in the Nursing Care Homes. Frequently, the one nurse in a large Care Home I visited was too busy to speak to me, and after waiting and having a few minutes of their precious time, nurses often apologized and told me they couldnt help with my query as they were from an Agency and didnt know the resident. I would be directed to the busy manager who wouldnt be able to help either and would refer me back to the nurse.

This is my testimony on Rosas case, which is one example of how broken the Care system is:

I visited a lovely care home, with kind carers, cleaners, cooks and managers. I read all the relevant paperwork at the home and discussed Rosa, who I would be visiting fortnightly, with the senior carer/deputy manager. I was informed that Rosa lacked the mental capacity to care safely for herself in the community and was subject to a DoLS. She was losing weight, would not come out of her room and was increasingly aggressive. She would spit, scratch, hit and throw things at staff, telling them to get out of her room. When left alone she would scream and cry at night as well as during the day.

English was not her first language. I advised the deputy manager on how to support the resident with her mental health and weight loss. I asked what Rosa liked: flowers; colours; photos; music; films; pictures on the walls? The deputy manager didnt know (Rosa had already lived at the Care Home for around a year at the time of my first visit).

I pointed out she may well regress at times to the concentration camp she had been in, and would need very gentle care. The deputy manager did not know that Rosa had been in a concentration camp, and indeed she said she had heard of one but didnt actually know what a concentration camp was. She was a lovely, 23 year old deputy manager of a care home. I described what Rosa may well have witnessed, heard and experienced in the concentration camp. The deputy manager was shocked and was keen to help Rosa and a plan was put in place, whereby the deputy manager would oversee a lot of Rosas care during the day. We tried to get extra language support for Rosa but none was available.

For about 2 months the plan seemed to be helping. Rosa gained weight, the home carried out regular weight checks. Rosa stopped hitting and carers were by and large able to undertake her physical care. Some carers noticed that she would talk to them more.She was, however, still crying at night sometimes.

We had asked the doctor to provide anti depressants, but these were not given consistently. Paperwork was missing which made tracking progress difficult. After around 3 months of visits I noticed a decline. The deputy manager had been taken off the floor to do all the paperwork (which now needed to be logged onto a computer) in readiness for a CQC inspection. It became increasingly difficult for me to read up to date notes as the only computer was in the managers office and she was always busy on it.

There were not nearly enough care staff and the deputy manager told me carers were leaving without giving notice because they were so stressed. I told the home I would have to proceed with an application to the Court of Protection as Rosas DoLS was too restrictive. I said I didnt think moving Rosa from the home would benefit her, but the only way we could get the Local Authority to act and provide the extra hours of appropriate social inclusion care, was if the court ordered it. I knew it would take months before the case reached the Court of Protection.

Rosa died before her case got to court.

Companies make massive profits out of the exploited labour of carers. But until carers are supported and funded to unite across regions and borders, they will continue to die from Coronavirus and continue to be exploited. Residents will continue receiving a poor and in many cases inhumane service.

DiEM25 will need to include care workers if they are to make a difference. I hope discussions can start and a thematic group can develop. I hope to be part of those discussions and that group.

To maintain the anonymity of carers and their testimonies, the names in this account have been altered.

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The crisis of Care: Carers are not 'hard to reach', they are easy to ignore - DiEM25

By Sara Lindberg

Whether you've hit a workout plateau or you're just ready to turn things up a notch, adding more strenuous exercise also known as high-intensity exercise to your overall fitness routine is one way to increase your calorie burn, improve your heart health, and boost your metabolism.

However, to do it safely and effectively, there are some guidelines you should follow. Keep reading to learn more about the benefits of vigorous exercise and how to safely dial up the intensity of your workouts.

When it comes to exercise, the intensity of how hard you work out is just as important as the duration of your exercise session. In general, exercise intensity is divided into three categories:

For an activity to be vigorous, you need to work at 70 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate, according to the American Heart Association. Examples of vigorous exercise include:

Low to moderate exercise is easier to sustain for longer periods since you work below 70 percent of your maximum heart rate and, sometimes, well below that level.

To reap health benefits, the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends that people age 18 and older get one of the following:

Increasing your exercise intensity is fairly simple to do. You can still participate in your favorite activities just at a more vigorous pace.

One of the benefits of more strenuous exercise is that you can reap the same rewards as moderate-intensity exercise but in less time. So, if time is of the essence, doing a more strenuous 20-minute workout can be just as beneficial as doing a slower 40-minute workout session.

Here are some examples of strenuous vs. moderate exercise.

Besides being more efficient, turning up the heat on your fitness sessions can benefit your health in a variety of ways. Let's take a closer look at some of the evidence-based benefits of a higher intensity workout.

So, how do you know for sure that you're exercising at a strenuous level? Let's look at three ways to measure the intensity of your physical activity.

Monitoring your heart rate is one of the most reliable methods for measuring exercise intensity. Exercising at 70 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate qualifies as vigorous exercise intensity.

You can check your heart rate while you're working out by wearing a heart rate monitor or taking your pulse.

The talk test is one of the easiest ways to measure exercise intensity.

The rate of perceived exertion (RPE) scale is a subjective measure of exercise intensity.

When using RPE, you'll pay attention to your heart rate, breathing, and muscle fatigue, and rate your exertion level based on a scale that ranges from 1 to 10. No exertion is rated as a 1 and maximum effort is rated as 10.

To be considered vigorous, an activity should meet or exceed a level of 6 to 7, which is considered hard on the RPE scale. This includes jogging, biking, or swimming. Running without stopping is ranked as 8 to 9 on the RPE scale.

Adding strenuous activity to your weekly workout routine requires some careful planning. Fortunately, many of the activities that you do at a moderate level can easily be performed at a higher intensity.

One way of incorporating vigorous aerobic activity into your routine is to do a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout. This type of workout combines short bursts of intense activity typically performed at 80 to 95 percent of your maximum heart rate with recovery periods at 40 to 50 percent maximum heart rate.

To sustain this level of training, consider following a 2:1 work to rest ratio. For example, a treadmill workout or outdoor running session could include:

Playing a fast-paced sport like soccer, basketball, or racquetball is another effective way to add strenuous activity to your fitness routine. Participating in cycling classes or swimming laps are other ways to build more strenuous exercise into your workouts.

Before you turn up the intensity on your workouts, it's important to keep the following safety tips in mind.

If you have a health condition or you haven't been active in a while, make sure you talk to your doctor before you start a high-intensity exercise routine. Your doctor can advise you on a safe level of exercise or how to become more active in the safest way possible.

Going from low- or moderate-intensity workouts to vigorous exercise requires time and patience. While you may be ready to jump in with both feet, the safest way to add more vigorous exercise is to do it in bite-size increments. Pushing yourself too quickly can result in injuries and burnout.

For example:

It's also a good idea to space out your vigorous workouts throughout the week. Try not to do two strenuous sessions back-to-back.

Your body requires more time to recover from a vigorous workout compared to a low- or moderate-intensity session.

To help your body recover, make sure to always include a cooldown and stretch routine after strenuous physical activity.

Staying hydrated is especially important when you're exercising hard. Not drinking enough fluids can affect the quality of your workout and make you feel tired, lethargic, or dizzy. It may even lead to headaches and cramps.

Turning up the intensity of your workout sessions can be an effective way of boosting your overall health and fitness. It's also an easy way to save time when trying to fit a workout into your day.

To play it safe, always start slow and pay attention to how your body feels.

While vigorous exercise offers many health benefits, it's not appropriate for everyone. If you have a health condition or you haven't been active in a while, make sure to talk with your doctor before working out at a more strenuous level.

Reposted with permission from Healthline. For detailed source information, please view the original article on Healthline.

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Benefits of Strenuous Exercise and How to Add It to Your Workout - EcoWatch

THE Real Housewives of Orange County's Shannon Beador looks radiant as she shows off her 40-pound weight loss and snuggle up to her boyfriend.

Shannon, 56, showed off her stunning transformation on Instagram as she glammed up for a RHOC interview she was doing in her garage.

Rocking wavy long blonde hair, a black silk top and white jeans, the slim Shannon stood proudly by her boyfriend of almost one year, John Janssen.

In one of the photos, John who works in insurance, proudly looks down at his girlfriend and Shannon simply captioned the post with a red love heart emoji.

In another post, Shannon shared photos of her makeover for the interview which featured a natural makeup look and Sonja by Sonja Morgan earrings.

She remained coy about what exactly she was filming, simply writing: "Glam for filming in the garage... "

RHOC fans loved seeing Shannon radiant and happy especially after her bitter divorce from ex David Beador.

One user wrote: "So happy that you're so happy."

While another added: "Omg, you look amazing and so happy."

And a third said: "You look so happy, you give hope to others."

Shannon and David split after 17 years of marriage, but the divorce took two years to finalize as the pair battled over finances and other other arrangements.

They have three daughters together, Sophie, 18 and twins Stella and Adeline, 15.

David quickly moved on, getting engaged to Lesley Ann Cook in January just months after his divorce was finalized.

But Shannon was in no rush to get to the altar again, even though she would like to marry at some point in the future.

She told People last year: I would like to get married again someday. I want to have that partnership and be part of a team.

For the moment, she is enjoying being head over heels for John who is also smitten with his reality star girlfriend.

He penned a moving tribute to Shannon on her birthday last year: "You are my best friend and the woman I can not live without. Happy birthday!!!!! I love you with all of my heart and soul. You are my forever and ever amen.

TheBravomom of three previously discussed her permanent lung issuebronchiectasis, where the airways of the lungs become abnormally widened.

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She said on Watch What Happens With Andy Cohen: "And as you and I have discussed, I have lung damage in both my lungs, so I'm one of those people that has to be careful.

The disorder causes a build up of excess mucus, which could potentially lead to a greater risk of infection in the lungs.

To cope she added: "So one of the things that I've done is I've tried to create a very balanced, peaceful, and zen-like home and I've got nine lemons in a bowl in whatever room I can put it in because I need the peace.

"I need the zen.

"So that I'm not stressing out.

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RHOCs Shannon Beador shows off 40-pound weight loss in sweet photos with new boyfriend - The Sun

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Its been a while since theres been a new face prowling the sidelines at Spartan Stadium.

For 13 seasons, Mark Dantonio led Michigan States football program, and in the process, he took the Spartans to a level of success it hadnt seen in decades. Along the way, he became the programs winningest coach, won three Big Ten championships, took the Spartans back to the Rose Bowl after a quarter-century absence and saw his run reach its peak in 2015 with a berth in the College Football Playoff.

There was only one regular season that ended with a losing record (3-9 in 2016) and only one other time were the Spartans sub-.500, finishing 6-7 after losing the Alamo Bowl in 2009. It was an unprecedented run.

Mel Tucker(Photo: Al Goldis, AP)

Where did it start, though?

In 2007, Dantonio took over a program that had been flailing in the wind under John L. Smith and, before him, Bobby Williams. Michigan State went 7-6 that year, losing some tight games before taking on Boston College in the Champs Sports Bowl.

It was the start of an amazing run, one that leads to the question of what is to be expected from Mel Tucker, Dantonios replacement? A head coach with only one season at Colorado, Tucker has a wealth of experience at the NFL level and with some of college footballs best programs.

But, he faces his share of challenges at Michigan State. The roster needs work the quarterback position is up in the air and the defense has plenty of holes to fill, and Dantonios success has raised expectations. Just being good isnt enough. Michigan State fans expect to play for championships now, a task made tougher considering Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan are on the schedule every season.

Tucker has already created some momentum, scoring some early recruiting victories, even during a pandemic while infusing some energy in the program.

How will he fare in that first season, though? That is tougher to guess. By the end of the season, well know, and we thought it would be a good idea to look at the other 13 coaches in the Big Ten, see how they did in year one and what it became from that point forward.

Jim Harbaugh, Michigan (First season: 2015, 10-3)

The former Wolverines quarterback was hired to bring his alma mater back to a championship level following seven seasons of mediocrity under Rich Rodriquez and Brady Hoke. The first season provided plenty of hope even with the last-second loss to MSU and a one-sided loss to Ohio State but its been more of the same since. While the Wolverines have plenty of talent, that championship continues to remain out of reach.

Ryan Day, Ohio State (First season: 2019, 13-1)

It cant be easy to replace a national-championship level coach and one of the best in the history of the game, but things couldnt have gone much better for Day as he took over last season for Urban Meyer. The Buckeyes went undefeated in the regular season, won the Big Ten title game and, if not for a controversial call in the national semifinals, could have been playing for another national title. With recruiting continuing to roll, it doesnt look like there will be a drop-off anytime soon for Day.

James Franklin, Penn State (First season: 2014, 7-6)

Franklins first season began with the Nittany Lions still under sanction from the NCAA in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky scandal, but early in the year, the sanctions were lifted. Franklin and his team took advantage by becoming bowl eligible, despite a 2-6 record in conference, and closed with a win in the Pinstripe Bowl. Penn State has gone on to win 11 games three different times and earned a Big Ten championship in 2016.

Tom Allen, Indiana (First season: 2017, 5-7)

Turning around a program like Indianas is no simple task, and doing it in one of the toughest divisions in the nation only adds to the difficulty. Allen had some close calls in year one, losing four games by one possession, and managed to win five games. The Hoosiers repeated that in 2018 before breaking through to become bowl eligible last season, though they still came up short against division foes Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan and Michigan State.

Mike Locksley, Maryland (First season: 2019, 3-9)

The other first-year coach in the division last season, Locksley had a far tougher job than Day did at Ohio State. He was taking over a program that had endured a tumultuous few years that included the off-season death of player Jordan McNair and plenty of coaching uncertainty as D.J. Durkin was replaced by Matt Canada on an interim basis. Maryland won just three games last season, but he has the Terps recruiting at a higher level than usual and has created optimism around the program heading into his second season.

Greg Schiano, Rutgers (First season: 2020)

The only other first-year coach in 2020 isnt exactly a first-year coach considering Schiano led the Scarlet Knights from 2001-2011, taking the team to six bowl games and enduring just one losing season in the final seven. He won only 12 games in his first four seasons during his first stint with the Scarlet Knights and this turnaround project will be just as tough considering Rutgers won only eight games in more than three seasons under Chris Ash.

Paul Chryst, Wisconsin (First season: 2015, 10-3)

The former Badgers offensive coordinator got his feet wet as a head coach for three seasons at Pittsburgh before returning in 2015 to take over one of the most consistent programs in the country. Chryst won 10 games that first season and has won at least 10 in four of his five seasons for a team that hasnt finished below .500 since 2001. Since that first year, Chryst has taken the Badgers to three conference title games as well as three New Years Six bowl games, including the Cotton, Orange and Rose bowl.

Kirk Ferentz, Iowa (First season: 1999, 1-10)

It takes a deep dive into the record books to recall the first season for Ferentz, who is about to begin his 22nd season leading the Hawkeyes. He won just one game that season against Northern Illinois when Northern Illinois wasnt any good and followed that with three more wins in 2000. From there, though, there have been few complaints as Iowa has missed a bowl game only twice and finished under .500 just one time in 2007.

Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern (First season: 2006, 4-8)

The longest-serving coach in the conference behind Ferentz, Fitzgerald took over the Wildcats at the age of 32 after the sudden death of coach Randy Walker. Fitzgerald had served as linebackers coach the previous four seasons and Northwestern won only four games in his first season at the helm. However, he quickly showed his value, winning six games in 2007 before nine wins in 2008 led to a string of five straight bowl appearances.

P.J. Fleck, Minnesota (First season: 2017, 5-7)

After taking Western Michigan to 13 wins and a Cotton Bowl berth in 2016, Fleck took over the Golden Gophers after previous coach Tracy Claeys had been let go after supporting a player-led boycott over the suspension of 10 teammates in a sexual assault case. It was no easy task and Fleck won only five games that first season, a four-game drop-off from Claeys last season. However, it didnt take long to turn the tide and Fleck led the Gophers to 11 wins in 2019 and within a game from winning the West.

Jeff Brohm, Purdue (First season: 2017, 7-6)

After four years of losing under Darrell Hazell, Brohm created plenty of buzz in his first season, taking a team many expected to finish at the bottom of the division standings and leading them to a bowl game. The Boilermakers lost three conference games by a single possession and closed the regular season with back-to-back wins over Iowa and Indiana to become bowl eligible. They defeated Arizona in the Foster Farms Bowl, however, theyve failed to play in a bowl game since.

Lovie Smith, Illinois (First season: 2016, 3-9)

Smiths hire in 2016 surprised many considering Smith had spent the bulk of his coaching career in the NFL. But the move was made in hopes of jump-starting a program that has won more than seven games only twice in the last 20 years. There were plenty of roster challenges and the Fighting Illini won only three games in Smiths first season, following that with only two victories in 2017. But light has started to appear at the end of the tunnel as Illinois became bowl eligible last season for the first time since 2014.

Scott Frost, Nebraska (First season: 2018, 4-8)

The hiring of the former Cornhuskers quarterback came with as much hype as when Michigan hired Harbaugh. However, the results have been slow to come for the coach that led UCF to a perfect season in 2017. The Huskers lost their first six games in Frosts first season and managed only five wins last season, even as many were picking them to win the Big Ten West.

mcharboneau@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @mattcharboneau

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Michigan State's first-year coach Mel Tucker can't escape the weight of expectations - The Detroit News

It is true, what you eat can and often does reflect on your body either good or bad. The better you eat, the better it can be for all of your body parts, including your hair, skin, nails, bones, and overall general healthy appearance.

Healthy eating habits are essential, and we all know that. Even if you ask the daily junk-food-eaters about this, they will also nod their heads in agreement. Surprisingly, we all know about the benefits but can become helpless with the unusual demands of our taste buds and old habits.

So, keeping all the distractions aside, lets understand how good eating habits benefit our overall health and body.

Weight loss

One of the first and the foremost reasons that will make you accept better eating habits may be to reach your weight loss goals. When you start eating healthy food that can include low carbs, green veggies, salads, and juices, your body begins to use the stored fat for its functioning. Thus, such a healthy diet helps you to lose the extra bodyweight more quickly. Further, if you are following a specialized diet, skipping breakfast may not be the best idea, as it can throw off your blood sugar, and even increases your fat storage. A good rule of thumb may be to include 4-5 servings of fruit in your diet each day. Even though some fruit can have moderate calories, they can also add high-level nutrients.

Controls mood

Believe it or not, when you eat healthy food, everything goes inside your body in a stabilized state; no extra carb or protein shakes may be needed, just a pure and well-balanced diet. And, as food has its direct connection with your mind and body, it does its work by cheering up you from inside. Multiple pieces of research have shown that green leafy vegetables in breakfast can help you to stay happy and healthy by increasing your folate levels. Notably, low folate levels may be a cause of depression.

Boosts immune system

Healthy eating has always maintained its link with a robust immune system. When you eat healthily and feed your body the vital nutrients it needs, conclusively, it gains the strength to fight with diseases and makes you more potent and healthier. A smart diet, with its high-value nutrients, not only gives you a better immune system but also allows your body to work on the repair of your skin cells. That means, more glow and younger-looking skin!

Boosts energy

Are you the one who feels sleepy all day long? If it is yes, you may check your eating habits. A healthy diet might be all you need to boost your energy levels. If your body is not getting enough proper fuel, it could gradually lead to a higher risk of depression, obesity, stroke, and even cancer. Excess of anything is bad, and it goes the same with the bad eating habits.

So, switch to healthy eating habits, and feel more energetic and productive all day long!

Dr. Kevin Crawford

4110 22nd Place Lubbock, TX 79410

(806) 792-4329

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Photo by Jason J. Hatfield

Chronicling the pleasuresand painof an overnight backpacking trip along the Liberty Cap Trail, a trek that offers gorgeous canyon and valley views and none of the crowds.

Trailhead: Upper Liberty CapDistance: 11 miles, out and backElevation Loss/Gain: 650 feetSolitude-O-Meter: 1

3 p.m. My husband and I stop by the visitor center to get our required-but-free backcountry camping permit and ask for trail recommendations. When the ranger mentions bear sightings on Ute Canyon Trail, we opt for the 11-mile out-and-back Liberty Cap Trail; were not keen on close encounters of the ursine kind.

9:30 a.m. The next morning, en route to the Upper Liberty Cap trailhead, a bighorn sheep struts across the horizon on a rock wall like he owns the place. He kind of does.

10 a.m. We heave on packs loaded with a gallon of water eachsince there are no water sources on Liberty Capsign the logbook, and head down a meandering path through pion and juniper.

10:04 a.m. We stop to complain about the weight of our packs.

11:30 a.m. After gradually descending about three miles through meadows of Indian ricegrass, we find a spot to set up camp.

12:30 p.m. Unburdened by our packs, we practically dance the remaining 2.5 miles to the edge of the mesa above Liberty Cap.

1:30 p.m. We pick our way down a trail better suited to bighorns than humans to get a closer look at the rocky dome that is Liberty Cap. Rungs once led up the 50-foot-tall mound but have been removed. We try scaling it anywayand quickly decide we are insane.

3 p.m. A sock change and a snack refresh us before we set off to explore more. Our wanderings reveal novel vantages on the canyons we thought wed already seen from every possible angle.

6:30 p.m. We make it back to the tent in time to watch the sunset light up the Book Cliffs in pinkand yellow sepia tones no Instagram filter could ever imitate.

7:30 p.m. Dinner made and bear canister hung, we settle in for the night. I can see my breath in the glow of my headlamp; its supposed to drop to near freezing tonight. Weve got three uphill miles to retrace tomorrow, so I click off the light and listen to an orchestra of frogs and bats. Planes flicker like night lights overhead. Most of them are headed west. In the morning, so are we.

Kasey Cordell is 5280's Editorial Projects Director.

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Hiking the Liberty Cap Trail in Colorado National Monument - 5280 | The Denver Magazine