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Winter Food Tips for Seniors

11/30/2016

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By Anna Hazard
Winter Senior Eating Banner Picture
Due to many various reasons ranging from decreasing appetite and the ability to taste with age or trouble chewing and swallowing, seniors are often lacking in proper nutrition, which is particularly detrimental during the winter months where good nourishment is required to help the immune system fight off colds, flu, and other wintry illnesses.
 
For those whose senior loved ones are living in colder climates, it must also be kept in mind that the winter season may present even further obstacles such as when snow, ice, or other inclement weather prevents trips to the grocery store for fresh fruits, vegetables, and other foods or makes such supply runs far more dangerous.
 
Here are suggestions for helping your elderly with their nutritional needs during this particular season, including a list of foods that are good for the health all year round, but are but are particularly abundant or helpful during the winter months.

Fingerfoods - Wrapped Sausages Picture
Fingerfoods Picture
Keep your elderly happy and well fed with these more general meal solutions....
  • For many, social dining with friends and family leads to happier meal times and far more food being consumed
  • Remember when dining with the elderly to take time while eating, as many will require longer meal periods due to the presence of dentures, hand dexterity problems, or other health issues
  • Make foods more palatable with spices for taste and bright colors for the eyes
  • Make available small finger foods for those with particular hand dexterity issues that lead to problems with handling utensils
  • For those with trouble chewing & swallowing, vegetables can be steamed for a softer texture, plus the use of chunky stews, soups, and hot fruit & vegetable drinks are both warming against the wintry chill and easier to consume.
  • Small meals should be held more often to avoid any lightheadedness (and potential disastrous falls) due to blood sugar spikes.  These small meals are also easier for those with decreased appetites to handle.

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Thanksgiving Activities for Seniors

11/22/2016

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By Anna Hazard
Thanksgiving Dinner Banner Picture

Thanksgiving is the time of year where families from all locations and all ages tend to gather and reunite with enough merrymaking to go around for both the young and old.

Here are a smattering of Thanksgiving related activities that would be suitable for senior assisted living or within the comfort of your own homes this holiday season. Many of the general autumn based senior activities previously mentioned in our Autumn Activities for Seniors blog post can also be tweaked for Thanksgiving.


Gratitude Tree Picture
Create a Gratitude Tree
  • Have seniors hang colorful cards with notes to what they are thankful for from a Thanksgiving Gratitude tree. The basic tree itself can be a plant brought it for the occasion, several tree branches crafted together, or even a drawn tree on paper.
  • Check out Mom It Forward for more detailed instructions on creating the basic tree
Music Picture
Listen to Thanksgiving Music
  • Nothing stirs nostalgia -- and memories -- quite like favorite music from the past. Here are some lists of old classic Thanksgiving (and feasting) related music that you can listen to with your seniors.
  • Top 10 From Daily Herald | 18 Songs from Fuse TV | Billboard's Song List

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Thanksgiving Crafts for Seniors (aka Turkeys, turkeys, and even more turkeys!)

11/16/2016

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By Anna Hazard
Thanksgiving Crafts Banner Picture
While many of the general autumn craft ideas already mentioned in our previous blog post would also work as Thanksgiving decorations, here are a smattering of art & decor projects specifically tailored for this food heavy holiday (including a large collection of turkeys to be chosen from, both edible and not).
 
Projects range from the simple to the relatively complex (which may require extra prep or helpers for your seniors) and use a wide variety of supplies that can be picked up from the local craft store, scavenged during a nature walk,  or scrounged from around the house.

Thanksgiving Leaf Garland Picture
Thanksgiving Leaf Garland
  • Another fun decoration that can use supplies from a leaf-viewing expedition with your senior. Requires dried leaves, a branch, markers, string & ribbon, and gold paint (if you decide to gild the leaves) as well as tacks and tape for hanging the garland up.
  • Check out more detailed instructions at The Sweetest Occasion
Confetti Stuffed Turkey Picture
Confetti Stuffed Turkey
  • Easy to create craft using paper bags, scissors, glue, and confetti (or tissue paper). Fun to make and fun to decorate (and play with afterwards). Maybe not so fun to clean up afterwards with all that confetti (until you devise a fun new confetti picking-up game).
  • Check out detailed step by step instructions for making a confetti stuffed turkey at Studio DIY
Pinecone Turkeys Picture
Thankful Pinecone Turkey
  • What's Thanksgiving without the requisite gobbler? Another craft whose supplies can be scavenged while leaf viewing or provided beforehand for those seniors with mobility issues.
  • There are a wide variety of Pinecone Turkey tutorials ranging from simple to more complex and using a large array of different supplies. Find and tailor the best variation based on your seniors crafting ability and the supplies you have on hand.
  • Check out the various tutorials at Better Homes & Gardens, Crafts for All Seasons, Fireflies + Mudpies, and Lia Griffeth

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Autumn Activities for Seniors

11/9/2016

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By Anna Hazard
Autumn Pensioner Banner Picture
The few months of fall are the last bits of reprieve before the incoming of winter's cold grasp in the northern states. Since temperatures tend to remain brisk instead of outright chilly, our list of autumn seasonal activities for seniors will include both outdoor and indoor options.

At such a colorful time of year, there's plenty to do, see, and create even for the more dexterity and mobility challenged. A few such pastimes include...

Autumn Leaves Picture
Leaf Viewing
  • One of the most popular of activities during the fall season, enjoy the changing colors of the foliage with your elderly loved ones.
  • Can be done by either walking (or pushing a wheelchair) through smoothly surfaced paths or roads or by driving along tree lined streets for those seniors with mobility issues.

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Autumn Crafts for Seniors

11/2/2016

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By Anna Hazard
Fall Scarecrow Banner Picture
The brightly colored foliage and  abundance of harvest items make autumn a particularly inspiring time of year when it comes to art projects, crafts, and other ways of creating your own handmade decor.
 
Here are a handful of crafts, both inherently easy-to-do or whose steps can be simplified for those with hand dexterity issues, that would be suitable for entertaining any senior loved ones with an artistic bent in your life. (And completed projects can be used to adorn the rooms for upcoming family gatherings, such as Thanksgiving)


Decorated Gourds Picture
Pimp My Gourd
  • Have your seniors create these flashy & eyecatching decorations using dried gourds markers, paint, glitter, rhinestones, pompoms, buttons & other small baubles that are easy to glue on.
  • Check out more detailed instructions at Aunt Peaches

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