activities Archives - Ella Home Care

October 4, 2019 by Kirk Brechbiel

Trick-or-Treat at Every Age: How Senior Adults Can Celebrate Halloween

Halloween fun has no age limit. There are many activities that can be enjoyed by the teeniest trick-or-treaters all the way to the most seasoned “ghouls” and “goblins.” All it takes is a little creativity and a spirited attitude. For our senior adults, Halloween can be a fun and festive holiday with much to enjoy. Take a look at a variety of ways in which you can partake in Halloween activities at any age or ability level.

Decorate Your Space

Halloween decorations are just plain fun! There’s no other time of year when you can hang fake cobwebs and spiders or put out props like a skeleton candy bowl and have no one bat an eye. Take full advantage of this! Halloween decorations are around every corner. A quick trip to the dollar store will yield you with enough décor to make your living space festive for the season. It will also bring a smile to any visitors you have over throughout the season.

Pass Out Candy

Another staple of Halloween is being visited by trick-or-treaters. For senior adults, this is a great activity that allows you to partake in the fun without requiring much more than sitting on your porch with some treats. Better yet, invite over family, a neighbor, or a friend to sit with you. Together you can enjoy the creative costumes, giggling children, and all the sights and sounds of the season.

Dress the Part

Finding some festive Halloween attire is another easy and accessible way to celebrate the holiday. You can even ask a friend or caregiver to help you with this, if needed. A decorative sweater, or Halloween print scarf will instantly put you in the spirit of things. Even something as simple as some fun Halloween socks will brighten the day. If you do choose to handout candy to trick-or-treaters, the kids will love seeing you in a witch’s hat or clown nose!

Involve Your Pets

Just because the days of parading around children in costumes are behind you, you may still have some furry friends who can fit the part. There are endless options for pet costumes available online and in-store. If a friend is looking to treat you to a surprise, suggest this as an idea for something that would be a thoughtful gift. Seeing your beloved dog or cat looking like your favorite Halloween character will certainly bring a smile to everyone’s face.

Share in Other people’s Enjoyment

Finally and most essentially, Halloween is a prime time to share in other people’s enjoyment of the holiday! Kindly ask friends and family to share pictures with you of their children’s costumes and their home décor. Whether by text, email, social media, or in person, these photos will allow you to experience Halloween joy, even if you can’t be there to see it in person.

Is Halloween your favorite holiday? Share how your celebration has evolved over the years in the comment section below.

September 11, 2019 by Kirk Brechbiel

Great Outdoor Activities to Enjoy in Cooler Weather

It’s bittersweet to bid farewell to summer, but the fall brings with its some unique benefits like cooler weather which is a welcome break from high temps and humidity. Especially for senior adults, the very warm summer days can make it dangerous to spend too much time outside, limiting activities during peak daylight hours to shaded or air conditioned space. So with the arrival of fall, we wanted to offer a variety of outdoor activities you might enjoy sharing with an adding loved one this season. Take a look!

Walk in the park

A walk in the park during the fall season is a beautiful and scenic activity that is perfect for all ages, especially those in their senior years. Whether your local park is walkable from home or you need to take a quick car trip to get there, once you’re there you can enjoy a leisurely pace of walking different areas of the park while stopping to take a break on a bench of picnic table to take in the views.

Campfire with friends

Another fun fall activity, especially in the evening hours, is sitting by campfire or fire pit. If you don’t have one at your home, think of a friend or family member who does. Ask if they would be willing to host a small get together and then arrange transportation for your aging loved one(s). Sitting by the warmth of the fire, enjoying some snacks and sharing stories with one another is a great way to make new memories this fall.

Baking seasonal treats

Now that the heat of summer has subsided, an afternoon of baking in the kitchen seems bearable again. Use this as an opportunity to spend time with an aging loved one, making some of their favorite fall recipes. Think apples, pumpkin and cinnamon! If you’re able to bake a few different types of treats in a day, you can make these into care packages to share with neighbors and friends.

Hot cocoa to go

Tis the season for some homemade hot cocoa! Make some at home and bring it in a thermos to your loved one’s home. Then suggest you sit on the porch or deck to enjoy the fresh, cool air of fall while the hot cocoa keeps you warm. This would pair nicely with some of those homemade fall treats you’ve made.

Brunch or lunch on the patio

Treat a senior loved one to a meal out at one of their favorite restaurants. Choose a location that has the option to sit outside. If the weather is nice enough for it, suggest sitting outside on the patio or deck of the restaurant to take in the scenes of fall while enjoying a delicious meal. To be mindful of the dropping temperatures during the evening hours, make the meal a brunch or lunch so that you’re able to still enjoy the warm sun during peak hours.

What is your favorite fall outdoor activity? Is this something you might be able to share with an aging loved one this season? Join in the conversation by leaving a comment below.

September 4, 2019 by Kirk Brechbiel

Fun and Easy Fall Craft Ideas for Senior Adults

Tis the season for pumpkin spice and everything nice! The passing of Labor Day typically shifts our mindsets from summer to autumn, making it a great time to dig into some seasonal crafts that can make your home feel a bit more festive this time of year.

Crafts aren’t just for kids! In fact, crafts are one of the best ways to engage aging adults, giving them a productive pastime while increasing mental alertness and dexterity. Let’s take a look at just a few of the many fall craft ideas you may wish to try out this season with your aging loved one.

Decorating a photo frame

Photos are closely tied to memories, making a photo frame a great craft idea for aging adults. Find an old, plain photo frame or purchase an inexpensive new one. Try to choose something made of unfinished wood or of a material that will work well with hot glue. The Dollar Store is a great place to find these types of items! Next, using a hot glue gun (and helping your loved one as needed), carefully arrange various fall décor items like faux leaves, acorns, and mini plastic pumpkins around the frame. Once dry, the frame is ready for a new photo. Use this opportunity to take a family photo with your loved one. Now you have a fresh memory fit for the fall season!

Filing a vase with fall décor

It’s likely you or someone you know has a variety of empty vases to spare. Borrow or buy some of various sizes and shapes. Next, go on a “scavenger hunt” around the home, or outside to collect fall items like leaves, pinecones, acorns and flower clippings to fill the vases. Take time to carefully arrange the various items in the vases to create a colorful and decorative display that can be placed on a table, above a fireplace or on a side table to add a burst of fall décor to your loved one’s home or apartment.

Creating fall themed greeting cards

You don’t have to be a true artist to master this fall craft idea. Whatever comes from the heart will be well received! Using crayons, colored pencils and stencils, spend time with your aging loved one decorating greeting cards to send to family and friends. On the front of the blank cards, draw a fall scene like a park bench surrounded by leaves, or a pumpkin patch. Then write a thoughtful note inside. The final step in this craft is taking a walk together to the mail box to send your well wishes off together. This is the perfect craft to do over the course of an afternoon.

Making a no-sew fleece throw

This craft idea take a bit of preparation, but is well worth the effort. Go to your local fabric store ahead of time and purchase two large squares (large enough to be a comfortable throw) of fleece in two different fall patterns. Then, following these instructions, work together to cut tabs around the material and knot the two pieces together to create a warm and cozy blanket that is perfect for those cool fall days. Every time your loved one wraps up in this blanket they will think back on the memory of making it with you.

Filling trick or treat bags

Another fall craft idea, geared more toward the Halloween holiday, is to fill trick or treat bags to have on hand to give out to neighborhood trick or treaters. Help your loved one by purchasing a variety of candy and baggies in advance. Work together to fill each bag and tie it off. You can even add a fun and festive note to the bags, if you wish! This is something a senior adult may not have the means or ability to do by themselves, so with your help they will be well prepared to enjoy Halloween visitors from neighborhood children while having treats ready and on hand to give them.

Which one of these fall craft ideas do you plan to do with a friend or family member this season? Let us know, or share a new idea, by leaving a comment below!

March 13, 2019 by Kirk Brechbiel

8 Springtime Activities for People with Limited Mobility

For most people, warmer spring weather brings with it the opportunity to get outside and get active – enjoying activities like running, biking, and hiking. But for people with limited mobility, such activities bring challenges and limitations.

If you have an aging loved one with physical limitations, just know that there are still many springtime activities that can keep them active and bring joy to their lives – you just have to get creative! Take a look at some of our favorite springtime activities for people with limited mobility.

Fresh Air and New Scenery

Among the biggest joys of spring is simply fresh air and new scenery. As the weather warms, this provides the opportunity to get outside – but it doesn’t have to take you far! For those with limited mobility, driving to a local park and finding a nearby bench will still offer the fresh air and new sights, without the demands of physically walking there. Another alternative is enjoying outdoor time on your own property by setting up chairs on your porch or in your backyard.

Counting Wildlife

One activity that will let you enjoy nature, even if you can’t get outside, is counting wildlife. The best way to enjoy this activity is to install a bird feeder near a window. As your wildlife friends pay a visit each day, get to know them. Make note of the birds and squirrels who stop by, what they look like and possibly even give them their own names. Journaling this activity will give you a fun memory to look back on.

Coloring Springtime Pictures

When spring showers hit, you’ll need some activities that can take place indoors – which is great for people with limited mobility. One of the biggest trends right now is adult coloring books. These coloring books feature beautiful, intricate images which you can then color with colored pencils. This season, look for springtime inspired coloring books that capture the beauty of nature, even if you’re stuck indoors.

Flower Arranging

If your aging loved one is experiencing limited mobility and can’t get outdoors, offer to bring a small gift of spring to them. Grow and purchase a variety of flowers (loose, not in a bouquet) and as part of your visit, arrange these flowers in a vase. Work together, taking turns, to place a flower wherever you want it. The collaboration of styles will create a fond memory your loved one can enjoy for weeks to come.

Visual Scavenger Hunt

Scavenger hunts are a great activity to get people up and moving, but for those with limited mobility, a visual scavenger hunt can be just as enjoyable. Help create a list of creative (even tricky!) items that you’re likely to see out the windows of your loved one’s home. Be specific, so instead of just “bird” say “Robin.” This will help to keep the activity lasting longer and will provide your loved one with someone to fill their time, and get them gazing outside, for hours.

Spring Cookie Decorating

Are you looking for an activity that will also result in a delicious treat? Cookie decorating is the perfect idea! You can choose to bake your cookies in advance and bring them over, or make baking part of the activity. Then, enjoy slowly decorating each cookie with a variety of colors and elements that turns each one into a springtime masterpiece! Be sure to remember the coffee or tea, so you can enjoy the fruits of your labor together.

Reading Together

This is another great activity for a rainy, spring day. Read together! Your loved one may do a lot of reading on his or her own, but how often do they get to share this joy with someone else? Take turns reading their favorite short story, or a chapter from a book aloud. This activity will create a wonderful memory and also stimulate them mentally.

Spring Greeting Cards

As a final activity you may wish you try with an aging loved one with limited mobility, consider making spring greeting cards. Think of family, friends, or neighbors who may enjoy such a card and work together to create a unique springtime design on the front. Then, complete it with a sweet message from you both. Allow your loved one to sign, seal, and stamp the envelopes. Then place them in the mailbox.

What activity will you try with your aging loved one this spring? Or do you have another idea to share? Join in the conversation by leaving a comment!

December 17, 2018 by Kirk Brechbiel

The Best Winter Activities for the Whole Family

When the winter weather rolls in, it can be hard to find activities that are both fun and accessible to the whole family, especially if there are varying interests and physical abilities. However, you still have options! Take a look at a few of the many activities that could be a great option for your whole family to enjoy together this winter.

Family Baking Competition

Your family doesn’t have to be a bunch of professional bakers to have a little fun with a friendly winter baking competition. Keep things simple, or be daring with your recipe choice. No matter what you choose to bake, make everyone feel included by dividing up tasks according to ability. Regardless of how young or how old your bakers are, there is surely something they can help with! Best of all, the prize at the end is getting to enjoy some delicious treats with those you love.

Crafts for a Cause

There are endless crafts for all seasons, but particularly in winter you have the opportunity to make these crafts for a specific cause. Every member of the family can partake in activities like making holiday greeting cards for soldiers overseas, or to give to friends and neighbors. You can also buy and assemble personal hygiene kits to donate to your local mission. Working together to create something as a family is a great memory, combined with the fact that you’re helping others, makes it an exceptional winter activity.

Wildlife Watching

Many people enjoy simply looking out the winter and taking in the scenic views of winter and the wildlife it brings. But to make this activity fun for all ages and abilities, you can take this one step further by turning it into a game. Create BINGO cards that have spaces for common things you’re likely to see outside, like deer, rabbits or sled riders. Whoever sees an item first, gets to mark it off on their card. This adds a little competition and fun to an otherwise relaxing and peaceful activity that the whole family can enjoy.

Game Night

An organized night of board games is a great activity especially when the weather isn’t conducive to getting outside. Try hosting this activity at the house of an aging loved one who needs a little company. Bring some snacks and games and spend the evening around the kitchen table. The games will serve as the ice breaker, and before long you’ll find yourself deep in conversation with one another!

Christmas Lights Sight Seeing

Load the family in a car (or two) and explore your local neighborhoods in search of the best Christmas lights. Be sure to play Christmas carols in the car – or sing your own! This is a great activity for the whole family because it doesn’t require any walking and yet you still get to see new things and take in some fresh views.

Holiday Movie Marathon

Finally, you might consider hosting a holiday movie marathon this winter. This is another great activity for all ages and abilities because all you need to do is get comfortable and enjoy! Choose a selection of movies from various eras to please everyone. And don’t forget the snacks!

Are you struggling to think of some fun winter activities to please the various generations within your family? We hope these ideas will help to spark some inspiration!

Trick-or-Treat at Every Age: How Senior Adults Can Celebrate Halloween

Great Outdoor Activities to Enjoy in Cooler Weather

Fun and Easy Fall Craft Ideas for Senior Adults

8 Springtime Activities for People with Limited Mobility

The Best Winter Activities for the Whole Family

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