Winters can be quite long, depending on where you live. Whether it’s the northern region of the country where snow and ice are commonplace from December through March or down south where ice and occasional snow can descend every so often, the low temperatures may feel bitterly cold for someone used to 80s and 90s throughout much of the rest of the year.
For aging men and women, winter can be tougher than it might be for somebody in their 20s, 30s, or 40s. For somebody who has difficulty with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), winter can make each day seem even longer. Sure, the sun sets earlier and with Daylight Savings Time over until March, those days can feel even worse.
When it comes to those who need some assistance, assisted living is a wonderful elder care option to consider. Yet, even for those elderly men and women who call assisted living home, there are times when they may feel as though there’s little to do during the winter other than wait for the warmer temperatures to arrive.
Below are three ideas that can help you assist an aging loved one through these difficult, long winters while they’re at assisted living.
1. Try to spend a little more time with them, if possible.
You may not live near them. You may have a career that consumes 80 hours a week, or more. However, with today’s technology, you can “pop in” for a quick visit on a video conference call, if they have a tablet, laptop, or even a desktop computer with a camera attached to it.
If that’s not feasible or they’re not technologically savvy, you might be able to work something out with the facility by finding out which staff members could assist them at specific times so you can make those video calls.
Or you could simply pick up the phone and call and speak to them a little more often than you might at the moment. Just an extra phone call or two every week can help some aging men and women feel more connected, happier, and looking forward to the next time they get to see you in person, and it’s a wonderful way to ‘weather’ winter.
2. Find out about activities taking place at the facility.
Each assisted living community is different, so you don’t want to find various activities going on in one and assume they are taking place where the senior lives. Ask the seniors in your life if they know what kind of activities take place from week to week. If they don’t, you might be able to help them by reaching out to the facility and finding out for yourself.
The more activities a person participates in, the less dull, boring, and tedious a long winter season can feel.
3. Plan a trip or other event for warmer weather.
Find out where this aging senior would love to go, when the weather is warmer, of course. Then, if it’s possible, reasonable, and feasible for them, start helping them to make those plans.
When a person has definite plans on the horizon for a special trip, especially to warmer climates or during the warmer seasons, it can make those difficult months easier to bear.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Assisted Living in Fairview Heights, IL, or surrounding areas, please contact the caring staff at Knollwood Retirement Community today at (618) 226-5755
Offering seniors age 65 and older a wealth of amenities to retain as much independence as they are able, with support, in a home-like environment in our supportive living community.
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