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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!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: activities, baking, christmas, cold, crafts, ella home care, family, family time, fun, games, holidays, multigenerational, season, things to do, winter

April 9, 2018 by Kirk Brechbiel

Technology at Every Age: Best FREE Apps for Seniors

We are fortunate to live in the age of rapidly growing technology. Not only does this result in many medical and scientific advancements that are helping to improve our health and quality of life, but technology is also helping to keep us safe, add convenience to our lives and offer entertainment.

Older generations are taking advantage of technology by learning how to utilize new apps on their cell phones and iPads. With so many apps out there, and new ones entering the market every day, how can we easily find the ones best suited for our aging loved ones? More importantly, how can we find the best FREE apps? Take a look as we highlight seven of the best free apps for seniors that could greatly help you or a loved one!

  1. AARP Now App

This app provides senior-specific news and current events, shares community activities happening near you and tells you if you qualify for discounts with your AARP membership. If you or a loved is an AARP member, this app is a valuable tool that keeps important and relevant information all in one place and at your fingertips.

  1. Life360

With the free Life360 app, you no longer have to worry about whether a loved one made it home safely, or where they are now. This app uses GPS tracking to keep track of select friends or family while at home, at the doctors, out in the community or at work. The app can also share YOUR location so a loved one can see how close you are to them at any time, in case of emergency.

  1. Big Font

iPads and smartphones can be hard for seniors to use because of the small buttons and hard-to-read text, making it nearly impossible for the visually impaired or for those with limited hand mobility. The Big Font app on iPads and iPhones helps seniors more easily see the words and touch the buttons on their device’s screen by enlarging the screen, functioning like a magnifying glass, up to 1000%.

  1. Pill Identifier and Drug list

This free app allows you to identify pills by color and shape, read about the side effects of a medication and get reminders for when to take pills. Best of all, it’s like having a pharmacists right in your pocket so that you can easily reference or be reminded to take your medications whether you are at home, traveling or doing something in your community.

  1. Red Panic Button

You’re likely familiar with the panic buttons people wear around their necks. Now there’s a free app for that! Press the red panic button and a message is immediately sent out to a designated list of people alerting them that you have an emergency and need their attention STAT. The alert also includes the address where you are located, so this is one less thing you have to worry about communicating in a time of need.

  1. Tapestry – Connecting Seniors and Their Families

Tapestry is a social media app specifically created to connect seniors to their families without them having to worry about privacy or complicated features. All from one account, you can share messages, photos and videos with your family; no ads and no spam! This is a far better option to creating a Facebook and Instagram account just to be able to see your family’s photos and videos.

  1. WordBrain

The word puzzle app WordBrain is a fun and educational way to pass the time while keeping your mind sharp. The puzzles are designed for users of all levels, starting out easy and getting harder as you go. This is one of the most highly rated puzzle apps on the market and is a great alternative to mindlessly watching television all day!

Have you or a loved one used any of these apps to add convenience, entertainment or safety to your lives? Share your personal experience by leaving a comment below!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: adult, aging, apps, cell phone, elderly, ella home care, games, helpful, senior, senior citizen, technology, useful

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