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Tag: Activity Ideas

World Listening Day: Take Your Mom Outside for a Day in Nature

Posted on by Craig Bass

July 18th was established by the World Listening Project as a day to head outside and sit and listen to the soothing sounds of nature. It’s a good day for family caregivers to get outside, unwind, and listen to what’s out there.

A Yale report looked at more than 1,000 studies of “Nature Deficit Disorder,” and found that nature has a powerful restorative benefit. When people feel safe when they’re out in nature, it can lower their blood pressure, lower the stress hormones flowing throughout their body, reduce stress, improve their immune system response, and boost their mood.

As a family caregiver, you likely experience a lot of stress as you become a parent to your parent. Take a day off and go outside with your mom. Whether you go to a local park or sit in the backyard, stop and listen to the birds, listen to the water in a nearby stream or river or as it laps the lakeshore or coastline, and enjoy being outside in nature for a change.

Forget about your chores for the day. Focus on the important ones like making sure your mom has food and water and takes her medications on time. Things like vacuuming, dusting, and laundry can wait a day. It won’t hurt anything if you have a relaxed day out for a change.

Use Apps for Identifying Bird and Animal Sounds

You’d be surprised by how many bird sounds you can probably identify already. But, there are apps you can find online that allow you to record a snippet of a bird’s song or animal’s cry. Submit them to the app and it will tell you what you’re hearing.

Cornell Labs’ Ask Merlin is a highly-rated app for identifying bird calls. It’s a good place to start. If you’re looking to identify animal sounds, iNaturalist is one of the best options.

Apps Can Identify Animals by Picture, Too

One of the neatest features of Google Photos is that you can take your photo and have Google Lens identify it. Take a photo of a bird you see flitting in the trees, and Google Lens will tell you what it is.

Experience the Benefits of Companion Care at Home

When you’re not with your mom, is she alone? Does she often experience loneliness? Companion care at home services is an excellent solution. Instead of being alone all day, every day, a caregiver stops by to keep her company.

Your mom’s caregiver is there to help her with housework, cook and share meals, and take her shopping. If your mom has an appointment and hates going alone, her companion can accompany her. Learn more about companion care at home by calling a specialist with your list of questions.

Sources:
https://e360.yale.edu/features/ecopsychology-how-immersion-in-nature-benefits-your-health

If you or an aging loved one is considering companion care at home in Apache Junction, AZ, please call the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Scottsdale at (480) 284-7360. We are here to help!

How Companion Care at Home Makes Shopping And Errands Fun For Seniors

Posted on by Craig Bass

When it comes to grocery shopping and running errands, most people will say they consider them a chore rather than a treat. This is probably true for many seniors, especially if they no longer drive, have difficulty walking or struggle to stay motivated alone. This is where companion care at home can step in and provide the companionship and physical and mental support a senior needs to get their errands done. They can even make it fun! If your senior parent is needing both companionship and a helping hand, here are some of the ways companion care at home can help:

Making Getting There Half The Fun

Seniors who don’t drive anymore often hate running errands because it’s a reminder that they can’t drive themselves anymore. They may feel like a burden or even put off doing errands they need to do because they don’t want to ask for help or rides. But with companion care at home seniors have a dedicated driver who will make getting around half the fun of the trip. Listening to music or podcasts, chatting, and enjoying the drive will make errands a lot more fun for seniors.

Taking The Heavy Lifting Out Of Shopping

Part of the reason why shopping is difficult for seniors is that it can be tough for seniors physically to lift items, put them in a cart, unload them onto the checkout, and lift heavy bags out of the cart into the car. Seniors who are shopping with companions have someone they can depend on to do the heavy lifting for them. That way seniors can enjoy shopping without having the physical challenge of shopping. And a companion can also help seniors with things like figuring out their budget and keeping track of their money.

Encouraging Coffee Breaks And Snacks

Coffee and snack breaks are the best part of any errands trip. A caregiver will encourage your senior loved one to take regular breaks to get something to drink and a delicious snack to keep their blood sugar up. This is a great way for seniors to get the social engagement they need to help fight depression and anxiety. And seniors who tend to not eat enough could definitely use a few snack breaks for treats like cookies or even a delicious restaurant lunch.

Helping Seniors Put Everything Away After The Errands Are Done

Seniors are often exhausted at the end of an errands trip, especially if they had appointments like hair cut or nail appointments too. With companion care at home, seniors can go rest after the exertions of the day while their companion puts away their purchases, cleans up bags and receipts and clutter, and makes a hot cup of tea and a snack that they can enjoy while talking about everything they did on that errands trip. Your senior loved one will thrive when they have companion care at home to help with things like shopping or errands.

If you or an aging loved one is considering companion care at home in Fountain Hills, AZ, please call the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Scottsdale at (480) 284-7360. We are here to help!

Incorporating Activities and Hobbies into Companion Care at Home

Posted on by Craig Bass

As your elderly family member’s health and other variables change, she may not necessarily need a lot of help, but she may need companionship. One way to help your senior to have the social connection that she needs is to bring in companion care at home. These caregivers are able to spend time with your senior while she simultaneously enjoys hobbies and activities, which can greatly enhance her experience.

Finding the Right Activities

Has your senior avoided hobbies and activities for a while? Lots of seniors do, for a variety of different reasons. If part of the problem is that your elderly family member needs someone else there because the hobby or activity requires another person, then companion care at home is a perfect answer. It’s also important when considering activities that they fit into what your elderly family member is currently willing and able to try.

Making Activities Easier for Your Senior

Caregivers offering companionship to your senior can do a lot to help make these hobbies and activities easier for your senior. They might help with setting up, for instance, or with cleanup afterward. If there are other challenges your senior faces while she’s engaging in these activities, there is someone there with her who can help out. Depending on the types of activities, they may just be there to offer a watchful presence so that you know your senior is safe. Whatever else they can do to make your senior’s life easier at the same time is a bonus.

Establishing Routines that Support Your Senior’s Needs

Having companion care at home visiting with your senior can quickly become a routine for her. Routines are incredibly important for aging adults for a variety of different reasons. Reminders that keep your senior on schedule with things like eating at regular times can also be a part of these visits. That helps your elderly family member’s day to have the structure necessary to help her to stay healthy and happy. When your elderly family member doesn’t have solid routines, she might not be meeting all of her goals for her life. Missing some of those goals can quickly lead to her needing to look at other options, like leaving her home, and that might be something she really doesn’t want to do.

Offering Companionship Along with Gentle Help

Above all, companion care at home is about someone spending time with your senior. They can offer gentle help, of course, but if your senior needs assistance with household tasks, home care providers can tackle that bigger group of tasks for her. Caregivers offer your elderly family member gentle assistance and companionship, both of which keep her living her life on her own terms.

Incorporating activities and hobbies into companion care at home for seniors can help ensure that seniors are able to stay active and enjoy hobbies in the comfort of their own homes. Aging in place and having the emotional and practical support to do so is essential for your senior’s long-term wellness. Companion care at home can be a huge part of the plan that covers all of her needs.

If you or an aging loved one is considering companion care at home in Queens Creek, AZ, please call the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Scottsdale at (480) 284-7360. We are here to help!

New Hobbies Your Senior Can Try

Posted on by Craig Bass

It can be crucial for seniors in retirement to find hobbies they like. This can help them fill up their time and find ways to stay busy when their family isn’t there. It can be hard to take care of older adults because they still want to feel independent, and they may not want to bug you. If you want to ensure your senior who is aging in place is cared for while you are at work or taking care of your own family, it’s time to think about elder care. This might also help a senior keep a regular routine that includes time for hobbies.

Having a hobby and a routine is equally important, and it’s two things that elder care can help seniors with. If your senior needs to go out and buy supplies for their hobbies and can’t rely on you to drive them, elder care can help with this. If you have been looking for new hobbies to recommend your parents try out this year, start with this list.

Build Fairy Houses

If a senior has a yard, they can start building little fairy houses to place around their yard. If they have younger grandchildren, they can use these newly built fairy houses to make scavenger hunts for the kids. This gives the seniors something fun to do and allows them to interact with the kids later on. Hobby stores or online stores will have fantastic fairy house options for seniors to build.

Wood Carving

Not all seniors will have the space to do this, but if they do, wood carving can be a fun way to create little statues for their yard. If they love to garden, this can be something fun to do where they can see the results later. They can also start painting signs for doors and use wood burning to make designs. There are now wood-burning tools that look like pens that may be easier to handle and safer than other tools to use for wood burning. This is a hobby that needs to be done outside.

Sewing Dresses

A senior who used to love to dance doesn’t have to give up the passion. They can take it and use it somewhere else. For example, if a senior loves to swing dance but can no longer move the way they used to, they can learn to create clothing for swing dancers. This might be a fun and unique hobby that can inspire them to become more creative.

Arrange Flower Centerpieces

In the summer, a senior may work on gardening. If they have tons of flowers, they can start trimming them and creating arrangements for family members. This is a fun way to get outside and make a nice gift for others. They can also use them as their own decor for their house.

Dry Fruits and Flowers

If a senior owns a dehydrator, they can dry out fruits and flowers to do arts and crafts with. It can be a fun way to make decor for homes, like making wreaths for doors.

If you or an aging loved one is considering elder care in Chandler, AZ, please call the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Scottsdale at (480) 284-7360. We are here to help!

Holiday Cupcake Recipes to Share with Your Senior

Posted on by Craig Bass

A great way to fill up a senior’s time is by baking some holiday goodies. These can be given to family members when they come to visit, close friends, neighbors, and more. It is a good way to warm up the house by turning the oven on and a nice way to get a sweet treat. Even if a senior doesn’t want to give this to anyone else, senior home care can help portion it up for the week.

If you are looking for fun ways to make holiday cupcakes, there are tons of kits at the craft store or online that can help turn an average cupcake into something extraordinary. This is also a good time to practice baking and design skills. It can be tons of fun for you and your older parents.

Holiday Cupcakes To Try This Year

The best thing about the holidays is that there are tons of flavors associated with Christmas and even Hanukkah. Have the senior write down a list of all the flavors and smells they love. Senior home care providers can pick a few and find flavors that match closely. Here are some yummy favorites a senior can try this year.

Sparkling Cranberry Cupcakes
These are moist vanilla cupcakes filled with cranberry mascarpone that melt in your mouth. Each cupcake is topped with buttercream, a sprig of rosemary, and sparkling cranberries. It creates the perfect bite and a senior can use different frosting bags to make various designs out of frosting.

Christmas Light Cupcakes
If a senior is craving chocolate, this is the perfect recipe for them to try. It is a dark chocolate cake covered in a light buttercream frosting. On top of the frosting there are little colored chocolates that look like Christmas lights. You can even create a thin black line to make it look like the chocolate lights are strung around the cupcake. It is a cute and festive recipe that is sure to make a senior happy.

Santa Hat Cupcakes
You can either use chocolate or vanilla cupcakes for this recipe and a buttercream frosting. The fun thing about this recipe is it looks super festive but it is easy to make. All you have to do is cut a strawberry in half and place it on top of the frosting, then add a smidge more frosting for the cutest look. Most of these recipes are ones that take under an hour to bake. However, keep in mind that depending on how intricate a senior wants the designs to be, will determine the overall amount of time to make them.

Every family caregiver has to find ways to fill up a senior’s day during the holidays. This is the time of year kids are off school, but parents still work. So, although it may seem like December is the month for family time, it can actually be stressful to fit everyone in. Senior home care can help keep your older parents entertained and taken care of while you focus on other family members.

If you or an aging loved one is considering senior home care in Scottsdale, AZ, please call the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Scottsdale at (480) 284-7360. We are here to help!