May 15, 2024 • 20 mins
17 New Ideas for Creative and Meaningful Activities with Aging Parents and Elderly Loved Ones.
Are you tired of the same old routine activities when caring for your aging parents or as a professional caregiver? Do you struggle to develop new, fun, and meaningful ways to connect with your elderly loved ones? Look no further!
In this podcast episode of Doing it Best With Eldercare Success, Nancy May shares 17 creative and inexpensive activities that will help combat boredom and foster deeper connections between caregivers and their elderly parents, even if they have some cognitive or physical limitations.
Say goodbye to folding laundry as an "entertaining" activity, and hello to a world of more engaging possibilities!
These activities suit seniors who are frail, have dementia or have other physical limitations. From musical moments to storytelling adventures, there's something for everyone on this list.
Join Nancy and become an Eldercare Success as she delves into each activity, providing tips and insights on making the most of your time together. Whether you're a family caregiver or a professional aide, this episode will inspire you to think outside the box and create lasting memories with your elderly loved ones.
Don't miss out on this opportunity to rev-up your caregiving experience and connection. Tune in to "Doing it Best With Eldercare Success" and discover 17 different and fun-filled activities that will bring joy, laughter, and meaningful connections to your daily routine.
Share this episode with your family and friends, and let's make caregiving a more fulfilling and enriching experience for everyone involved!
Why You Should Listen:
- Break Caregiving Monotony: Explore creative solutions to overcome the routine boredom that both caregivers and seniors often face.
- Create Inclusive Fun for All: These activities are tailored for frail individuals, those with dementia, or those with other restrictions, ensuring everyone can participate.
- Even learn to engage infants and Young Children: Learn how to transform caregiving into a joyful, family-wide event that fosters meaningful interactions and cherished memories.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Nancy May (00:10):
This is another spring short.
What do you do with mom and dad andyourself when you've exhausted all sorts
of activities to keep them engaged andentertained and you from being bored?
Stay tuned.
This is a list you mightwant to know about.
(00:33):
Hey everybody, it's Nancy May fromDoing it Best With Eldercare Success.
And yes, this is another spring short.
This one is inspired by somecomments that I saw in a couple of
different chat locations about it.
Those that were caregivers who aregetting bored of doing the same
thing over and over and over againwith their aging parents or with
(00:56):
those that they're caring for.
So I thought, hmm, the same old listwhere the things that they had been doing
time and time again, and I've seen itforever and I've heard about these things.
And you know what?
I'd be bored with themthe first time I did them.
So.
I started figuring out what we coulddo to try and create a list for
you that might be a little bit morefun for your daily activities with
(01:20):
mom and dad, or as a caregiver, andeven better yet for mom and dad too.
Okay, there are certain things that arejust going to take place day in and day
out that are kind of routine and youdon't need to engage them all the time.
There's nothing like a littledowntime to help them and us.
(01:41):
even if it's from 1200 miles away.
Yes, that anxiety can build upand not knowing what to do or
how to help can be exhausting.
But here's a list of things that canhelp you or those that are taking
care of your parents hands on.
First, music.
Music is a wonderful thing that we allenjoy, even if we're a little tone deaf.
(02:07):
my mom was a singer as a young girl,and unfortunately as a child, I couldn't
stand her high pitched vocaling.
I'd put my fingers in myears and say, stop, stop.
As I look back now, or reminisceback, I think how rude of me.
And, she was not selfish, she listened,although I think she sang her heart out
(02:29):
when I was away either at kindergartenor at school later on, and I hope
she did, because she had a greatvoice, as I think back to those days.
Music can be brought into yourhouse in any way, shape, or form.
the best and the easiest, especiallyfor somebody with hard hearing,
are those little speakers.
They're not expensive, and you canprobably get one on Amazon for about 25.
(02:53):
I'll look for a few and stick themin the show notes, if that's helpful.
Old songs make us feel young again.
And even those of us who may not knowthose songs, just seeing the joy and
the smile on their face as they sing.
If you knew Susie, like I knew Susie, oh,oh, oh, what a gal, which my dad would
(03:15):
sing all the time and drive us nuts.
Or mom would sing Abbondanza all the time.
gotta love them.
Second is old movies and popcorn toss.
Now, all right, so old movies at home areeasy to do and there's the Turner Channel,
(03:36):
as we all know about, probably more oftenthan not, everybody's watching that.
But popcorn toss?
Okay.
Here's an idea that you might think isa little crazy, but can be kind of fun.
While mom and dad are sitting in achair, or in the barco lounger, or
I call the lifty chair, watching themovie, put a dark towel out in front
(03:56):
of the TV, and make a bunch of popcorn.
for those scenes that you don't like, orthey don't like, throw popcorn at the TV.
You'll see all those little piecesof popcorn collecting on the dark
towel, and it'll be easy for themto see and for you to pick up.
What a boatload of fun.
Okay, a little messy, butwhat's a vacuum for anyway?
(04:18):
And better yet, if you have adog, you will not have to vacuum a
crumb or morsel or pop up at all.
I promise you that one.
Speaking of dogs If mom and dad donot have a dog or a puppy, consider
an animal therapist to come in andvisit and just have a petting session.
Petting with the dog, not mom and dad.
(04:40):
okay, maybe that's a little TMI, Butour aides used to bring in small dogs
that they had, and mom and dad lovedhaving these little critters sitting
on their lap quietly, patiently,and just enjoying the petting that
mom and dad would give of both.
The dog benefited andmom and dad benefited.
(05:00):
The next is tell me a story.
My dad used to tell great stories whenwe were kids, But there's nothing like
a fun round robin of storytelling,
kind of like the old fashioned telephone.
But in this case, somebody starts astory, the next person adds to the
story, and you continue on and on.
(05:21):
If you record it, it'll even be morefun when you listen to it later on.
You, Mom, Dad, and others.
it will also be a wonderful remembrance oftheir voice, when either one of them pass.
It may hurt your heart a littlebit, but there's nothing like a
smile to listen to the voice ofmom and dad after they're gone.
The next is painting.
(05:41):
That again is a little messy, butthere's nothing like an old sheet on
the floor to help protect a floor,a carpet, or whatever else you might
have sitting under mom and dad.
painting with paintbrushes can sometimesbe difficult on arthritic hands, but
there's nothing to say that you can'tpaint with flowers, sticks, and other
flora and fauna that can make paintinga little easier, more creative, and fun.
(06:06):
Speaking of things likethat, why not finger paints?
You don't need a brush for that, andyou can always add sparkles, glitter,
whatever you want to call it, andeven trace the outline of your hands
like turkeys when you were kids.
Or, just have some fun with it.
You never know what's going to come up.
One of our aides had asked if shecould do painting with mom and dad.
(06:29):
And I said, why not?
So I went online, bought an easel, abunch of canvases, sent down paints
and paintbrushes, and mom painted away.
I still have a number of those canvases.
And you know what?
Each one had its own spirit and style.
I could always tell when mom wasin a dark mood based on the colors
and the style of that paint.
(06:50):
And there were a number of themthat were just bright and lovely.
I've kept a few.
One in particular that lookslike it's got a cardinal in it.
And I love that one.
It's my favorite.
If you're not doing finger painting,Watercolors and acrylics are probably
the easiest to use and that'sbecause they clean up with water.
(07:11):
Typically they won't stain.
Predominantly, if you've got theplastic on the floor or an old cloth or
something to keep the floor clean andsafe, but please make sure that if mom
and dad get up and walk, that you'reable to get that off the floor quickly.
I mean the plastic or the drop clothso that they can quickly get up and
(07:31):
go to the bathroom or do somethingelse that they might need to do with
your help and assistance, of course.
Speaking of painting, Anotherstyle of painting could be painting
icing on cupcakes or cookies.
That's also messy.
You can tell I kind of like making a mess.
I don't like cleaning up, butmaking a mess with icing and
cupcakes and cookies is greatbecause you can eat the ugly ones.
(07:55):
You can't actually eat an ugly painting.
You certainly can toss it, butBut that always feels bad when
I'm tossing away a piece ofartwork, whether it's good or bad.
But tossing away or eating a cookie or acupcake that's ugly, my belly says yum.
And mom and dad's would too.
You can save the pretty ones for anevening party or to give away to other
(08:17):
older friends or kids in the neighborhood.
Seeing the joy on other people'sface because of your creation
and their creation is wonderful.
It'll make your day better,and theirs too, I promise.
The next on the list is wheelchair walks.
This takes a little extra physicaleffort by you and or an aide.
(08:38):
Our aides used to take mom and dadout for walks around the block in
their wheelchairs quite frequently.
Better on cooler days,obviously, than warm days.
And they loved seeing the kidsplaying in the neighborhood.
And the kids loved seeing them too.
They would stop and say hello,and they would wave, and
everybody would have a good time.
So, wheelchair walks are a great way forthem to get out and get some fresh air,
(09:01):
and for you to get some activity in too.
However, here's a slight word of caution.
last year, my husband and Iwere at a local street fair.
It was a lovely day, but it was getting alittle warm, and I saw a family had taken
their grandmother out for the event.
She was sitting in the wheelchairin the crowd, and as the sun grew
(09:21):
higher in the sky, it began to getwarmer, and warmer, and warmer.
I saw this poor woman startingto suffer in that chair.
You see, we don't realize it, but anolder person really does get dehydrated
fairly quickly, so not having enough wateror hydration can be an issue for them.
(09:42):
Also, they don't take the heat that well.
Now, if you're not used to heat and you'reused to cooler weather, this can be tough.
But even more important is tomake sure that they stay cool
and comfortable and hydrated.
If you see yourself getting a littlewarm, chances are they're sweating
bullets and you may not know it.
(10:02):
So be extra careful when takingmom and dad out on warm days.
Make sure that it's safe forthem and it's safe for you too.
Also, excessive crowds can be tough.
If they're sitting in a plasticwheelchair, which most are, or vinyl
wheelchair, the heat at a lower levelversus where we would be standing
up is going to be more dramatic.
(10:25):
So please consider that everydegree in temperature does count.
This next idea relatesaround movies again.
Now we talked about Dementia FriendlySeline a couple episodes ago, and
I'll put a link to that one inthe show notes with Jim Magnus.
Why not take mom and dad to the movies?
It can be fun, especiallyin the afternoon.
(10:47):
Okay, so it does get dark and sometimesthat might create a sense of anxiety,
but if you sit in the back or in thehandicap section, then there's a little
bit more room to get out if you need to.
Dementia Friendly Selene hasdone a slightly different way.
What they've done is they do moviesin the afternoon with the lights on
and they encourage a lot of rowdiness,participation, and fun activities.
(11:11):
so if your local neighborhoodmovie theater does not do that,
consider asking them and learnfrom Dementia Friendly Celine.
Again, I'll put a link to thatepisode in the show notes.
Speaking of movies, What's amovie without dinner or lunch out?
If mom and dad have dementia or evenif they don't and just a little frailty
getting in and out of the car or into arestaurant or sitting down or getting up,
(11:35):
Sometimes that makes things justa little bit more difficult for
you and sometimes the restaurant.
Call in advance and ask when is theleast busiest time at that restaurant,
and let them know that you want tobring your parents in for lunch.
Ask if there's a way to make it easyand comfortable for them, and also easy
and comfortable for their servers, sothat they know in advance that there
(11:57):
might be a little bit of rowdiness, anoutbreak of laughter, and maybe even
Some loud conversation, because Dad can'thear and he won't wear his hearing aid.
Yes, that happened to us, and it's okay.
Make a celebration out of justan average day at the restaurant.
Why not just celebrate Monday?
(12:18):
There's always typically adoggie bag, especially when older
stomachs can't handle a full meal.
Doggie bags can be a greatway to remember the day out,
And, if there's a doggie athome, well, lucky doggie.
The next is Play Date With Babies.
Now, I'm not necessarily saying bringin babies you don't know, but if an
(12:40):
aide or somebody that you know in theneighborhood has a young child, ask if
they can come in to play for a while.
there's nothing like seeing the joy on anolder person's face when they're watching
those babies sitting on the floor.
Just for an hour or so.
You'd be surprised how much fun thatis for them, and it's fun for the kids,
because they get to interact with somebodyolder, like a grandma or grandma style, or
(13:03):
a grandpa or grandma stand in for a while.
It's even better if they don't have,well, I wouldn't say it's even better,
but if they don't have grandparents,this is a way for them to appreciate
the older generation that theymight be missing in their family.
What a great gift youcan give to them too.
The next is gardening.
Now, who doesn't like to see things grow?
(13:25):
The discovery of seeing a new shoot, a newleaf, whatever it is, can be a lot of fun.
And it doesn't have to be a big garden.
Start with a small tabletop garden, anherb garden, or even a flower garden.
Now, I did this with my dad, and he lovedwatching me make this little garden.
It was a small stand that satup in the back Lenai area.
(13:48):
And it was a hot day when Idid it, but dad was an avid
gardener when we were kids.
In fact, he had learned from the localfarmer on how to get rid of The woodchucks
that were eating everything in his garden.
The local farmer said, stab that sucker,kill him, and stick him on a stake.
Oh my God!
Well, Dad had no problem with doing that.
(14:08):
And watch out King Henry VIII, because wehad woodchuck bodies hanging off the hooks
left and right in the back of our garden.
Not to mention gruesome, but also stinky.
I'm glad I was away atschool for that one.
In any case, the garden thatwe made was a lot of fun.
And Dad loved watching and participating.
(14:29):
By directing me where to place what thingswhere and how to order them properly.
Thank you, Dad.
sadly, I learned that our lead aid atthe time was not so thrilled with my
gardening adventure and just askingher to water it, eh, maybe twice
a week to see what would happen.
She apparently tossedit shortly after I left.
(14:51):
I also shortly tossed her after I left.
That's for another story.
The next activity is puzzles.
Puzzles are always great and lots offun because you can see the picture grow
right before your eyes, or expand andcome together right before your eyes.
Yes, there are large format puzzle piecesto make it easier for hands that can't
(15:14):
handle those little teeny tiny pieces,and it's easy for them to do on their
own when you have other things to do.
At the end, you can put that puzzletogether with glue and save it,
or better yet, Put it all back inthe box, put it away for a rainy
day, and start all over again.
Speaking of making things, Play Doh.
(15:36):
Play Doh is one that you canmake all sorts of things with.
It's fun, it's easy, And actually,the squishing of the Play Doh is
really good for strengthening hands.
It's an exercise that they can dowhile having fun at the same time,
and not even knowing it's an exercise.
But, You might want to forgetPlay Doh and use Sculpey.
(15:56):
Sculpey is this kind of clay thatyou can bake in the oven and make
buttons or other things out of.
And if they cook and you have a beautifuldesign, you stick holes in it, so it's
like the idea of making a button, sewthose buttons on with yarn or string
or whatever it is onto an old blanket.
Now you've got a blanket designthat you can enjoy thereafter.
(16:17):
You can have all sorts ofstories and remembrances of,
Remember when we did that?
Let's do it again.
And don't forget the holidays.
decorating for the holidays canbe a ton of fun and it doesn't
have to be stunningly beautiful.
you can paint kitchen windowswith tempera paints that scrape
off easily or wash off easily.
After all, it's just a window.
(16:39):
It's okay.
Or better yet, get those little stickygel things that can stick on the window.
You can move them aroundand do whatever you want.
But they're tiny and not easy to see.
I personally like all the littlemessengers that you can put on the
windows with soap or tempera paintor whatever else you want to use.
It's not causing any harm.
And like I said, it doesnot have to be beautiful.
(17:02):
Speaking of decorating, Whynot decorate picture frames?
You can get inexpensive pictureframes at Walmart or Michaels
or any other place like that.
Put photos in them or better yet, decorateand paint the photo frames beforehand
and then put the photos in after you'redone or after the paint has dried.
(17:22):
You can change those photos outday after day or week after week.
You don't need to use those electronicphoto frames, which are more difficult
to create stories or paint aroundbecause they're electronics, of course,
and electronics can get damaged.
Just the old fashioned changing the photosout can be fun for you and for them.
(17:44):
And there's a story behindevery photo, of course.
Ask about it.
Even if it's not theright story, who cares?
It's something that you canhave fun with and laugh about.
And finally, One more idea.
If you don't have a photo that youlike to put in that frame, why not
dress up and take photos yourselfand stick those in the frames?
(18:06):
Kentucky Derby has just passed and there'snothing like a good old fashioned fun hat.
Or think of hats for Easterparades and things like that.
Since the Derby has passed, asI said, why not create a hat for
the Preakness or the Belmont?
Or Memorial Day?
Red, white, and blue.
Or better yet, July 4th.
(18:27):
Throw a flag, a few sparklers on there.
Well, not live sparklers, obviously.
And have a summer picnic.
And don't forget Thanksgiving.
Yes, Thanksgiving deserves a hat.
I've got a turkey hat to die for.
I know.
Seriously.
Upside down turkey, legs in the air,and a few gobble gobbles go a long way.
(18:47):
I'm laughing just thinking about it.
That's it.
That's a list of 17 things thatare fun, creative, and easy to do.
So I hope this helpsyou with some new ideas.
I'll have some others along theway too, but these are easy to
do, inexpensive, if not free.
I mean, honestly, what's itcost to make popcorn at home?
(19:08):
Hardly anything, right?
On that note, would you do me a favor?
Please subscribe to the show, EldercareSuccess (dot) Live, or just Google it
on Eldercare Success and I guaranteethe first page of Google will be pretty
much covered with Elder Care Success.
it's easy to find us on your favoritelistening platform or just go to Elder
(19:29):
Care Success Live and find it there.
If you'd also leave a ratingor review at eldercaresuccess.
live, I'd greatly appreciate it.
Your comments are welcomed,and I'd love to hear from you.
And finally, if you have aquestion, please leave a comment
by just clicking on the blue tabon the side of eldercaresuccess.
(19:49):
live.
That's the webpage.
Send me a voicemail is a littletab on the side that says send
Nancy a voicemail message.
You can click on that, recorda message, and send it to me.
I'll air your comment andmessage on a show in the future.
I'd love to hear from you.
And don't forget to share this episodewith other friends, family members,
(20:09):
or even somebody who looks a littlestressed out that might be with an older
person, standing in line at Starbucks,Panera, or wherever it might be.
It can be your gift to them,because it's my gift to you.
We all need a little helpin eldercare success.
That's it for another spring short.
Be well, stay strong,take care, and bye bye.
This is another spring short.
What do you do with mom and dad andyourself when you've exhausted all sorts
of activities to keep them engaged andentertained and you from being bored?
Stay tuned.
This is a list you mightwant to know about.
(00:33):
Hey everybody, it's Nancy May fromDoing it Best With Eldercare Success.
And yes, this is another spring short.
This one is inspired by somecomments that I saw in a couple of
different chat locations about it.
Those that were caregivers who aregetting bored of doing the same
thing over and over and over againwith their aging parents or with
(00:56):
those that they're caring for.
So I thought, hmm, the same old listwhere the things that they had been doing
time and time again, and I've seen itforever and I've heard about these things.
And you know what?
I'd be bored with themthe first time I did them.
So.
I started figuring out what we coulddo to try and create a list for
you that might be a little bit morefun for your daily activities with
(01:20):
mom and dad, or as a caregiver, andeven better yet for mom and dad too.
Okay, there are certain things that arejust going to take place day in and day
out that are kind of routine and youdon't need to engage them all the time.
There's nothing like a littledowntime to help them and us.
(01:41):
even if it's from 1200 miles away.
Yes, that anxiety can build upand not knowing what to do or
how to help can be exhausting.
But here's a list of things that canhelp you or those that are taking
care of your parents hands on.
First, music.
Music is a wonderful thing that we allenjoy, even if we're a little tone deaf.
(02:07):
my mom was a singer as a young girl,and unfortunately as a child, I couldn't
stand her high pitched vocaling.
I'd put my fingers in myears and say, stop, stop.
As I look back now, or reminisceback, I think how rude of me.
And, she was not selfish, she listened,although I think she sang her heart out
(02:29):
when I was away either at kindergartenor at school later on, and I hope
she did, because she had a greatvoice, as I think back to those days.
Music can be brought into yourhouse in any way, shape, or form.
the best and the easiest, especiallyfor somebody with hard hearing,
are those little speakers.
They're not expensive, and you canprobably get one on Amazon for about 25.
(02:53):
I'll look for a few and stick themin the show notes, if that's helpful.
Old songs make us feel young again.
And even those of us who may not knowthose songs, just seeing the joy and
the smile on their face as they sing.
If you knew Susie, like I knew Susie, oh,oh, oh, what a gal, which my dad would
(03:15):
sing all the time and drive us nuts.
Or mom would sing Abbondanza all the time.
gotta love them.
Second is old movies and popcorn toss.
Now, all right, so old movies at home areeasy to do and there's the Turner Channel,
(03:36):
as we all know about, probably more oftenthan not, everybody's watching that.
But popcorn toss?
Okay.
Here's an idea that you might think isa little crazy, but can be kind of fun.
While mom and dad are sitting in achair, or in the barco lounger, or
I call the lifty chair, watching themovie, put a dark towel out in front
(03:56):
of the TV, and make a bunch of popcorn.
for those scenes that you don't like, orthey don't like, throw popcorn at the TV.
You'll see all those little piecesof popcorn collecting on the dark
towel, and it'll be easy for themto see and for you to pick up.
What a boatload of fun.
Okay, a little messy, butwhat's a vacuum for anyway?
(04:18):
And better yet, if you have adog, you will not have to vacuum a
crumb or morsel or pop up at all.
I promise you that one.
Speaking of dogs If mom and dad donot have a dog or a puppy, consider
an animal therapist to come in andvisit and just have a petting session.
Petting with the dog, not mom and dad.
(04:40):
okay, maybe that's a little TMI, Butour aides used to bring in small dogs
that they had, and mom and dad lovedhaving these little critters sitting
on their lap quietly, patiently,and just enjoying the petting that
mom and dad would give of both.
The dog benefited andmom and dad benefited.
(05:00):
The next is tell me a story.
My dad used to tell great stories whenwe were kids, But there's nothing like
a fun round robin of storytelling,
kind of like the old fashioned telephone.
But in this case, somebody starts astory, the next person adds to the
story, and you continue on and on.
(05:21):
If you record it, it'll even be morefun when you listen to it later on.
You, Mom, Dad, and others.
it will also be a wonderful remembrance oftheir voice, when either one of them pass.
It may hurt your heart a littlebit, but there's nothing like a
smile to listen to the voice ofmom and dad after they're gone.
The next is painting.
(05:41):
That again is a little messy, butthere's nothing like an old sheet on
the floor to help protect a floor,a carpet, or whatever else you might
have sitting under mom and dad.
painting with paintbrushes can sometimesbe difficult on arthritic hands, but
there's nothing to say that you can'tpaint with flowers, sticks, and other
flora and fauna that can make paintinga little easier, more creative, and fun.
(06:06):
Speaking of things likethat, why not finger paints?
You don't need a brush for that, andyou can always add sparkles, glitter,
whatever you want to call it, andeven trace the outline of your hands
like turkeys when you were kids.
Or, just have some fun with it.
You never know what's going to come up.
One of our aides had asked if shecould do painting with mom and dad.
(06:29):
And I said, why not?
So I went online, bought an easel, abunch of canvases, sent down paints
and paintbrushes, and mom painted away.
I still have a number of those canvases.
And you know what?
Each one had its own spirit and style.
I could always tell when mom wasin a dark mood based on the colors
and the style of that paint.
(06:50):
And there were a number of themthat were just bright and lovely.
I've kept a few.
One in particular that lookslike it's got a cardinal in it.
And I love that one.
It's my favorite.
If you're not doing finger painting,Watercolors and acrylics are probably
the easiest to use and that'sbecause they clean up with water.
(07:11):
Typically they won't stain.
Predominantly, if you've got theplastic on the floor or an old cloth or
something to keep the floor clean andsafe, but please make sure that if mom
and dad get up and walk, that you'reable to get that off the floor quickly.
I mean the plastic or the drop clothso that they can quickly get up and
(07:31):
go to the bathroom or do somethingelse that they might need to do with
your help and assistance, of course.
Speaking of painting, Anotherstyle of painting could be painting
icing on cupcakes or cookies.
That's also messy.
You can tell I kind of like making a mess.
I don't like cleaning up, butmaking a mess with icing and
cupcakes and cookies is greatbecause you can eat the ugly ones.
(07:55):
You can't actually eat an ugly painting.
You certainly can toss it, butBut that always feels bad when
I'm tossing away a piece ofartwork, whether it's good or bad.
But tossing away or eating a cookie or acupcake that's ugly, my belly says yum.
And mom and dad's would too.
You can save the pretty ones for anevening party or to give away to other
(08:17):
older friends or kids in the neighborhood.
Seeing the joy on other people'sface because of your creation
and their creation is wonderful.
It'll make your day better,and theirs too, I promise.
The next on the list is wheelchair walks.
This takes a little extra physicaleffort by you and or an aide.
(08:38):
Our aides used to take mom and dadout for walks around the block in
their wheelchairs quite frequently.
Better on cooler days,obviously, than warm days.
And they loved seeing the kidsplaying in the neighborhood.
And the kids loved seeing them too.
They would stop and say hello,and they would wave, and
everybody would have a good time.
So, wheelchair walks are a great way forthem to get out and get some fresh air,
(09:01):
and for you to get some activity in too.
However, here's a slight word of caution.
last year, my husband and Iwere at a local street fair.
It was a lovely day, but it was getting alittle warm, and I saw a family had taken
their grandmother out for the event.
She was sitting in the wheelchairin the crowd, and as the sun grew
(09:21):
higher in the sky, it began to getwarmer, and warmer, and warmer.
I saw this poor woman startingto suffer in that chair.
You see, we don't realize it, but anolder person really does get dehydrated
fairly quickly, so not having enough wateror hydration can be an issue for them.
(09:42):
Also, they don't take the heat that well.
Now, if you're not used to heat and you'reused to cooler weather, this can be tough.
But even more important is tomake sure that they stay cool
and comfortable and hydrated.
If you see yourself getting a littlewarm, chances are they're sweating
bullets and you may not know it.
(10:02):
So be extra careful when takingmom and dad out on warm days.
Make sure that it's safe forthem and it's safe for you too.
Also, excessive crowds can be tough.
If they're sitting in a plasticwheelchair, which most are, or vinyl
wheelchair, the heat at a lower levelversus where we would be standing
up is going to be more dramatic.
(10:25):
So please consider that everydegree in temperature does count.
This next idea relatesaround movies again.
Now we talked about Dementia FriendlySeline a couple episodes ago, and
I'll put a link to that one inthe show notes with Jim Magnus.
Why not take mom and dad to the movies?
It can be fun, especiallyin the afternoon.
(10:47):
Okay, so it does get dark and sometimesthat might create a sense of anxiety,
but if you sit in the back or in thehandicap section, then there's a little
bit more room to get out if you need to.
Dementia Friendly Selene hasdone a slightly different way.
What they've done is they do moviesin the afternoon with the lights on
and they encourage a lot of rowdiness,participation, and fun activities.
(11:11):
so if your local neighborhoodmovie theater does not do that,
consider asking them and learnfrom Dementia Friendly Celine.
Again, I'll put a link to thatepisode in the show notes.
Speaking of movies, What's amovie without dinner or lunch out?
If mom and dad have dementia or evenif they don't and just a little frailty
getting in and out of the car or into arestaurant or sitting down or getting up,
(11:35):
Sometimes that makes things justa little bit more difficult for
you and sometimes the restaurant.
Call in advance and ask when is theleast busiest time at that restaurant,
and let them know that you want tobring your parents in for lunch.
Ask if there's a way to make it easyand comfortable for them, and also easy
and comfortable for their servers, sothat they know in advance that there
(11:57):
might be a little bit of rowdiness, anoutbreak of laughter, and maybe even
Some loud conversation, because Dad can'thear and he won't wear his hearing aid.
Yes, that happened to us, and it's okay.
Make a celebration out of justan average day at the restaurant.
Why not just celebrate Monday?
(12:18):
There's always typically adoggie bag, especially when older
stomachs can't handle a full meal.
Doggie bags can be a greatway to remember the day out,
And, if there's a doggie athome, well, lucky doggie.
The next is Play Date With Babies.
Now, I'm not necessarily saying bringin babies you don't know, but if an
(12:40):
aide or somebody that you know in theneighborhood has a young child, ask if
they can come in to play for a while.
there's nothing like seeing the joy on anolder person's face when they're watching
those babies sitting on the floor.
Just for an hour or so.
You'd be surprised how much fun thatis for them, and it's fun for the kids,
because they get to interact with somebodyolder, like a grandma or grandma style, or
(13:03):
a grandpa or grandma stand in for a while.
It's even better if they don't have,well, I wouldn't say it's even better,
but if they don't have grandparents,this is a way for them to appreciate
the older generation that theymight be missing in their family.
What a great gift youcan give to them too.
The next is gardening.
Now, who doesn't like to see things grow?
(13:25):
The discovery of seeing a new shoot, a newleaf, whatever it is, can be a lot of fun.
And it doesn't have to be a big garden.
Start with a small tabletop garden, anherb garden, or even a flower garden.
Now, I did this with my dad, and he lovedwatching me make this little garden.
It was a small stand that satup in the back Lenai area.
(13:48):
And it was a hot day when Idid it, but dad was an avid
gardener when we were kids.
In fact, he had learned from the localfarmer on how to get rid of The woodchucks
that were eating everything in his garden.
The local farmer said, stab that sucker,kill him, and stick him on a stake.
Oh my God!
Well, Dad had no problem with doing that.
(14:08):
And watch out King Henry VIII, because wehad woodchuck bodies hanging off the hooks
left and right in the back of our garden.
Not to mention gruesome, but also stinky.
I'm glad I was away atschool for that one.
In any case, the garden thatwe made was a lot of fun.
And Dad loved watching and participating.
(14:29):
By directing me where to place what thingswhere and how to order them properly.
Thank you, Dad.
sadly, I learned that our lead aid atthe time was not so thrilled with my
gardening adventure and just askingher to water it, eh, maybe twice
a week to see what would happen.
She apparently tossedit shortly after I left.
(14:51):
I also shortly tossed her after I left.
That's for another story.
The next activity is puzzles.
Puzzles are always great and lots offun because you can see the picture grow
right before your eyes, or expand andcome together right before your eyes.
Yes, there are large format puzzle piecesto make it easier for hands that can't
(15:14):
handle those little teeny tiny pieces,and it's easy for them to do on their
own when you have other things to do.
At the end, you can put that puzzletogether with glue and save it,
or better yet, Put it all back inthe box, put it away for a rainy
day, and start all over again.
Speaking of making things, Play Doh.
(15:36):
Play Doh is one that you canmake all sorts of things with.
It's fun, it's easy, And actually,the squishing of the Play Doh is
really good for strengthening hands.
It's an exercise that they can dowhile having fun at the same time,
and not even knowing it's an exercise.
But, You might want to forgetPlay Doh and use Sculpey.
(15:56):
Sculpey is this kind of clay thatyou can bake in the oven and make
buttons or other things out of.
And if they cook and you have a beautifuldesign, you stick holes in it, so it's
like the idea of making a button, sewthose buttons on with yarn or string
or whatever it is onto an old blanket.
Now you've got a blanket designthat you can enjoy thereafter.
(16:17):
You can have all sorts ofstories and remembrances of,
Remember when we did that?
Let's do it again.
And don't forget the holidays.
decorating for the holidays canbe a ton of fun and it doesn't
have to be stunningly beautiful.
you can paint kitchen windowswith tempera paints that scrape
off easily or wash off easily.
After all, it's just a window.
(16:39):
It's okay.
Or better yet, get those little stickygel things that can stick on the window.
You can move them aroundand do whatever you want.
But they're tiny and not easy to see.
I personally like all the littlemessengers that you can put on the
windows with soap or tempera paintor whatever else you want to use.
It's not causing any harm.
And like I said, it doesnot have to be beautiful.
(17:02):
Speaking of decorating, Whynot decorate picture frames?
You can get inexpensive pictureframes at Walmart or Michaels
or any other place like that.
Put photos in them or better yet, decorateand paint the photo frames beforehand
and then put the photos in after you'redone or after the paint has dried.
(17:22):
You can change those photos outday after day or week after week.
You don't need to use those electronicphoto frames, which are more difficult
to create stories or paint aroundbecause they're electronics, of course,
and electronics can get damaged.
Just the old fashioned changing the photosout can be fun for you and for them.
(17:44):
And there's a story behindevery photo, of course.
Ask about it.
Even if it's not theright story, who cares?
It's something that you canhave fun with and laugh about.
And finally, One more idea.
If you don't have a photo that youlike to put in that frame, why not
dress up and take photos yourselfand stick those in the frames?
(18:06):
Kentucky Derby has just passed and there'snothing like a good old fashioned fun hat.
Or think of hats for Easterparades and things like that.
Since the Derby has passed, asI said, why not create a hat for
the Preakness or the Belmont?
Or Memorial Day?
Red, white, and blue.
Or better yet, July 4th.
(18:27):
Throw a flag, a few sparklers on there.
Well, not live sparklers, obviously.
And have a summer picnic.
And don't forget Thanksgiving.
Yes, Thanksgiving deserves a hat.
I've got a turkey hat to die for.
I know.
Seriously.
Upside down turkey, legs in the air,and a few gobble gobbles go a long way.
(18:47):
I'm laughing just thinking about it.
That's it.
That's a list of 17 things thatare fun, creative, and easy to do.
So I hope this helpsyou with some new ideas.
I'll have some others along theway too, but these are easy to
do, inexpensive, if not free.
I mean, honestly, what's itcost to make popcorn at home?
(19:08):
Hardly anything, right?
On that note, would you do me a favor?
Please subscribe to the show, EldercareSuccess (dot) Live, or just Google it
on Eldercare Success and I guaranteethe first page of Google will be pretty
much covered with Elder Care Success.
it's easy to find us on your favoritelistening platform or just go to Elder
(19:29):
Care Success Live and find it there.
If you'd also leave a ratingor review at eldercaresuccess.
live, I'd greatly appreciate it.
Your comments are welcomed,and I'd love to hear from you.
And finally, if you have aquestion, please leave a comment
by just clicking on the blue tabon the side of eldercaresuccess.
(19:49):
live.
That's the webpage.
Send me a voicemail is a littletab on the side that says send
Nancy a voicemail message.
You can click on that, recorda message, and send it to me.
I'll air your comment andmessage on a show in the future.
I'd love to hear from you.
And don't forget to share this episodewith other friends, family members,
(20:09):
or even somebody who looks a littlestressed out that might be with an older
person, standing in line at Starbucks,Panera, or wherever it might be.
It can be your gift to them,because it's my gift to you.
We all need a little helpin eldercare success.
That's it for another spring short.
Be well, stay strong,take care, and bye bye.
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