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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.

  1. 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.

  1. 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.

  1. 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.

  1. 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.

  1. 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.

  1. 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.

  1. 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.

  1. 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!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: activities, aging adult, aging loved one, camp hill, caregiver, elderly, ella home care, harrisburg, hershey, home care, ideas, in home care, in home health care, lemoyne, mechanicsburg, PA, pennsylvania, professional caregiver, season, senior, senior activities, spring

March 6, 2019 by Kirk Brechbiel

5 Tips for Helping Senior Adults Manage Their Finances

The management of finances is critical at every part of our adult lives. With each new season, we must learn to budget, save and spend in responsible ways to ensure all of our needs are met and that we are planning for the future. As an aging adult, financial matters can become more complicated with retirement and a fixed income, and the possibility of mental limitations that create a whole new set of challenges surrounding financial matters.

The good news is there is much help available for seniors and financial planning/managing. You just need to know where to look and have help to plan ahead! Here are our top five tips for senior adults who need assistance managing their finances.

  1. Have a clear understanding of your financial situation.

To start, you must give all of your financial matters a fresh look. This includes everything from income, assets, and investments, to expenses and debt. It’s important to have a clear picture before you can properly move forward with planning out your finances long-term. Also, this gives you the opportunity to audit any expenses that could be eliminated or reduced. You will never regret the regular review of your finances – and the money it can save you in doing so.

  1. Automate things as much as possible.

Now with a clear understanding of your financial situation, you should work to automate things for your loved one’s accounts, such as payments. Most banks and utility companies will allow you to connect accounts or do online bill pay to simplify monthly bills and expenses. The more you can automate these items and take them off your plate, the more peace of mind you will have that things are being paid correctly and on time, even if you or your loved one cannot manage them on a weekly or monthly basis.

  1. Ensure accounts and documents are up to date.

Another important tip is to assess each account (bank, utility, wills, deeds, etc.) to ensure they have the appropriate names, addresses, and executors assigned to each. You might be surprised by the last time you did this! Going forward, make it a priority to keep these important items up to date. Setting a calendar reminder is a great tool to make sure this task doesn’t get lost in the shuffle.

  1. Have checks and balances.

If you are overseeing the finances of an aging loved one, it’s important that you have checks and balances in place so everything is on the up-and-up. This will protect both you and your loved one. For example, assign at least two people as administrators of a bank account – you and another trusted family member. Because you will both then receive regular bank statements, you will have the transparency, and peace of mind of all activity taking place. Apply this same principle for every type of financial account your loved one has.

  1. Seek outside help.

The simple truth is, there are many, many things in life in which we will need the help of someone else. Financial matters are no different. If you, or an aging loved one, are struggling to properly manage finances, there is no shame in seeking outside help from a professional. A CPA, tax attorney or lawyer can help you in a variety of ways when it comes to overseeing your finances, estate, wills, and other important documents. They will help keep things up to date and take any worry off your mind, so you can enjoy time spent with family – not worring about finances!

What tip do you find most useful for helping senior adults manage their finances? Do you have another tip to offer? Share your insight by leaving a comment below!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: aging adult, aging loved one, budget, camp hill, caregiver, elderly, ella home care, finances, financial planning, harrisburg, hershey, home care, in home care, in home health care, lemoyne, mechanicsburg, money, PA, pennsylvania, professional caregiver, senior, senior activities

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