Summer has arrived. Keep your senior loved one active with warmer weather.

The long gloomy days of winter are quickly becoming a thing of the past. For many, summer weather filled with sunshine, warmer days, and fun outdoor activities, is long overdue. The timing couldn’t be better since the cold dark days of winter can make it easier for feelings of depression to creep into our older loved ones’ lives. It’s not always easy to spot, but not being able to get out and about due to colder weather is a surefire way to make even the most happy-go-lucky senior feel depressed. If you think your older family member may have been feeling a bit down, good news – senior “friendly” weather has arrived.

Griswold Home Care has a variety of ideas to help you make the most of this glorious weather with your senior loved one.

Spend time outdoors

Who doesn’t love being outside on a great weather day? After being cooped up all winter, it’s time to make the most of the sunshine and get your senior out for some fresh air. Being outside is a great way to appreciate all that nature has to offer, such as flowers, birds, and trees. If your loved one is up to it, you could take them to a farmers market, go on a walk through the neighborhood, or even just outside to look at flowers in the garden. If your senior isn’t mobile, sometimes just sitting in a room with the windows open to the fresh air can be enjoyable.

Quinsigamond State Park offers facilities for sailing, picnicking, and fishing that are the perfect way to get an elder loved one out for a day.

Get together with family and friends

Plan an afternoon or an evening to invite family and friends over. Everyone can bring their favorite dish so there will be plenty of variety. Be sure to get your elderly loved one in on the planning so they can join in on the pre-activity fun. A home caregiver can help a senior loved one prepare for a family event and be present to make sure they stay safe at the gathering if needed.

Plant a garden

Warmer weather is the perfect time to break out that green thumb. Ask your senior family member what they would like to grow. If you start early enough, you can grow the plants from seeds. If you’re late to the game, garden centers have plenty of plants to choose from. With a little care and attention, before you know it, you and your senior will have a bountiful harvest to enjoy together.

Find more info about Farmers Markets in Worcester where you can find plants to start a garden with at https://www.recworcester.org/farmers-markets.

Clear out the clutter

It’s never too late to do a little cleaning, especially if your senior family member has been accumulating a lot of clutter all winter long. A not-so-fun task can easily be turned into a meaningful activity by going through keepsakes and old photos together. This can lead to reminiscing and talking about the “good old days.” Homemaking care services can also help a loved one keep up with daily tasks around the house if they’ve gotten difficult due to age or other injuries.

Summer is here, and we hope you can get out with an elder loved one and stay active this season. The warmer weather is sure to be a welcome change for everyone who can enjoy time outside together. Scheduling visits with a home caregiver who is available to help a senior stay active is also an option for families with busy schedules that make it tough to focus on caring for an aging relative. Griswold Home Care is one of the most established home care services in the Worcester area and understands that every family we work with has specific needs that need to be accounted for. Contact us today to learn more about how scheduling regular home care visits can help a loved one stay happy and healthy at home.