Creating Low-Cost Holiday Memories

Posted in Activity Ideas, Social Seniors |

December 1, 2022

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‘Tis the season for time to fly by as we try to fit in all the fun stuff with all the people we love and care about. It’s also the season where budgets get blown because each “little thing” ends up cumulating into one large thing – a big bill! But, no one wants to be a Grinch, so don’t despair. There are plenty of fun, memorable, low-cost, or no-cost ways to spend time with your elderly loved one while creating some memories that will last a lifetime. Let’s look at just a few ways you, your senior, and their in-home care aides to enjoy the season that is now upon us.

In-Home Care Ozark AL - Creating Low-Cost Holiday Memories

In-Home Care Ozark AL – Creating Low-Cost Holiday Memories

Window Shopping with In-Home Care Attending

Many large department stores put on beautiful holiday displays each year. They hope to lure you in to purchase some of their products but with a little self-control, you can go and visit these displays with your loved one to soak in some of that holiday spirit. And if you’re not around or don’t have the time, but your elderly loved one would like to go, her in-home care provider might also be able to bring them for a visit. It might be a fun way for the elder care provider to spend the day as well.

Malls are another great place to visit and see the displays. They often have holiday music playing in the background as well. You and your loved one can even get dressed up in your favorite holiday clothes while touring the displays.

Christmas Light Viewing

Turn the radio station to one that plays Christmas music (or connect your phone and listen to your own playlist), and take your loved one for an evening ride to enjoy the local Christmas lights. Many communities even post online where to find the best lights so have your loved one do a bit of research with her in-home care provider first to help you map out a twinkling and sparkling path to drive through. Make it an extra special night by picking up some hot cocoa for the ride at a local fast food location or gas station.

And don’t forget to ask your loved one to share tales of when she was young and how she spent the holidays. Even if you’ve heard the stories a hundred times before, they become part of the holiday nostalgia that’ll keep you warm on the chilliest of nights.

Holiday Baking

There’s not much that is better than a home filled with the delicious smells of sugar cookies and pecan pies being baked up for the holidays. Baking is sometimes a skill that gets harder to complete as your loved one gets older, so invite the family and grandkids over to help her create cookies for everyone. Each person can bring a main ingredient and share it among all the bakers as they fill the home with heavenly scents.

Each holiday season you get to spend together is a gift and it doesn’t have to be an expense that breaks the bank. There’s more value in the memories you make than the gifts you purchase.

If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring In-Home Care Services in Ozark AL, please contact the caring staff at Wiregrass HomeCare today. Call us at 334-539-5900

Novel Writing Tips For Seniors

Posted in Activity Ideas, Social Seniors |

November 14, 2022

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November is National Novel Writing Month and it is a fantastic time for seniors who have always thought about writing a novel to actually get started. Writing a novel is a great way for seniors to stay busy and engaged while also giving them a chance to flex their brains and some creative muscles. Many seniors put off pursuing their creative passions until they were retired because of family and work obligations. But after retirement seniors have the time to start that novel or pursue other hobbies. Hiring senior home care providers gives them the time to pursue writing while the caregivers attend to the chores.

Senior Home Care Enterprise AL - Novel Writing Tips For Seniors

Senior Home Care Enterprise AL – Novel Writing Tips For Seniors

Starting to write a novel can be daunting, especially for seniors that haven’t written a novel before or haven’t written anything but grocery lists or emails in a really long time. These tips from expert senior authors will help your senior parent get started on their novel:

Write On A Schedule While Senior Home Care Aides Attend to their Care

Having a set schedule for writing will help seniors focus their creativity and get used to working on creative problems. Even if they are not writing seniors can do story boards, create outlines, and do some of the other work necessary to write a novel. Seniors with senior home care can use the arrival of their senior home care provider as a cue to go work on their novel for a set period of time. After awhile it will become a habit to start writing each day when their senior home care provider arrives.

Write Two Pages A Day

Seniors who are writing a novel for the first time need to get comfortable with the idea that they can create even if they’re not in the “mood” to write. By writing a minimum of two pages a day seniors will learn how to create just for the sake of creating. It doesn’t matter if the two pages are terrible. What matters is that they created those two pages. Over time that process of daily creation will help seniors become more disciplined in their writing and that will help them stick with it until the novel is finished.

Use Character Boards

Character boards give seniors the chance to carefully plot out their story and really get to know their characters. On character boards seniors should write down the personality traits the character has, a description of their appearance, and notes about how that character fits in with other characters. By creating storyboards senios will be able to keep all their characters straight.

Don’t Be Afraid To Change The Story

Seniors may sit down to write a novel planning on writing one story and have that story become something else entirely over the course of several months. If that happens to your senior parent encourage them to embrace the new story and not be afraid to abandon the old one. Just because they had one idea of the story when they started doesn’t mean it can’t be changed. The story could be much better with the changes made. Many authors continually change and refine their novel ideas as they write the story.

If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring Senior Home Care Services in Enterprise AL, please contact the caring staff at Wiregrass HomeCare today. Call us at 334-539-5900

Fun Summer Outings For Seniors

Posted in Activity Ideas, Social Seniors |

August 15, 2022

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Summer is a great time for seniors to go on some outings and day trips to enjoy the nice weather and get the benefits of socializing and being outdoors. If you live far away from your senior parent and you can’t always go with them on outings companion care at home providers for seniors is a good alternative. With companion care at home your senior parent will always have a friend they can rely on to go with them to see movies, go on day trips, and participate in other activities. During the summer when the weather is nice some great ideas for senior outings and day trips are:

Companion Care at Home Daleville AL - Fun Summer Outings For Seniors

Companion Care at Home Daleville AL – Fun Summer Outings For Seniors

Botanical Gardens

Almost every city has some type of public garden or botanical garden with acres of stunning flower and herb gardens, topiaries, aviaries, and more. Often these gardens highlight native local plant species and provide detailed information about the flora and fauna that can be found in the area. If your senior loved one likes gardening and is interested in plants a day at the botanical garden can be a great outing. And in most botanical gardens there are plenty of paved flat walkways that are easy for seniors to walk on, even if they use a walker or cane. There are also lots of benches scattered around so seniors can sit if they need to take a short rest.

Outdoor Concerts

Another fun summer outing for seniors is attending a concert or play outdoors. Most cities offer lots of free concerts or plays held outdoors in local venues like parks or in city squares. Some of these are offered in the evenings but some are held during the middle of the day so that more people can come. If your senior loved one is going to a concert or play during the day make sure that they wear a hat, sunscreen, and appropriate clothing for the temperature. That way they can enjoy the entertainment safely without having to worry about heat stroke or getting sunburned.

Picnics Prepared by Companion Care at Home Aides

Summer picnics are always a lot of fun. Whether it’s just eating lunch in the backyard or an actual picnic at a park or campground nearby getting outdoors to eat is always a good time. And with a companion to pack up the food and make sure that there are drinks, food, and other essentials your senior loved one will be able to just relax and enjoy the fun without having to worry about arranging the picnic. If you live nearby you could join your senior parent for a picnic on your lunch break.

Nature Walks

There are some big health benefits that come from spending time in nature. Your senior parent can reap those benefits on a summer nature walk. The city’s department of parks and recreation should have maps and suggestions for parks, nature trails, and other city or state wilderness areas where the walking is gentle and safe enough for seniors to get in a nice outdoor walk.

If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring Companion Care at Home Services in Daleville AL, please contact the caring staff at Wiregrass HomeCare today. Call us at 334-539-5900.