Category: Lifestyle

Three Sweet Ways to Celebrate Thanksgiving Though Apart

Post author By Debbie McDonald
Post date November 20, 2020
No Comments on Three Sweet Ways to Celebrate Thanksgiving Though Apart

A Thanksgiving like no other.

How can we gratefully celebrate together, though apart? Many people are foregoing the typical meal with a table full of extended family in the interest of keeping our seniors safe. Let’s seize the opportunity to creatively adapt, not abandon, our traditions.

Serve up these 3 fresh ideas to create a shared Thanksgiving experience.

Enjoy dessert together on Thanksgiving day—over a video call.

1. - If a zoom, facetime or a video call on messenger isn’t a possibility, just use a phone on speaker.

Eat the same thing so it’s a shared experience.

1. - Food & Wine has a list of some amazing bakeries that deliver pies.
  - Harry & David will deliver a beautiful fruit in a fantastic box.
  - Amazon Fresh can deliver a huge range of options.
  - How about a wine glass filled with whip cream and topped with sprinkles?

Ask fun or thoughtful questions to engage your senior.

1. - Consider an app or deck of conversation cards with games like “Have you Ever?” or “Would you Rather?” It’s a simple and fun way to get people to share. If you choose the “Have you Ever” game, you might get some really interesting (yikes!) stories. As though this Thanksgiving isn’t going to be memorable enough.
  - Ask the traditional “what are you thankful for” question. Who doesn’t need a dose of gratitude.

For more yummy tips, check out the full video!

However you celebrate, I hope you express and feel LOVE since that’s all that really matters anyway.

Well, dessert matters too.

May you find joy in loving one another well.

Elizabeth Dameron-Drew is the President and Co-founder of Ways & Wane. She walked closely with her own father through his years of waning. She lives near Seattle, Washington with her two teenage sons, husband and two rescue dogs. When she’s not working on this platform she’s probably creating books, sewing, or vacuuming, or cooking while listening to the rain and thinking about her next creative endeavor.

Tags THANKSGIVING

Dementia Activities: 5 Fun, No-Fail Projects

Post author By Debbie McDonald
Post date September 15, 2020
No Comments on Dementia Activities: 5 Fun, No-Fail Projects

Whether your senior is in memory care, a nursing home or at home with you, you know the challenge of finding dementia-friendly activities you both enjoy.

Gardener. Photographer. Former Dentist. 80-Year-Old with Dementia.

A creative perfectionist with a solid sense of humor and a huge heart.

Loved to keep busy.

Sound like someone you know?

Meet John–our dad.

When his body and mind prevented him from doing all the things he did before, we dug deep to find worthwhile activities.

Here are 5 satisfying projects we pursued with our dad after his traumatic brain injury. All of them can be enjoyed while sitting and by someone with compromised fine motor and cognitive skills.

Coin sorting

When there’s a lot that cannot be made sense of or organized in one’s mind, sorting coins can be very satisfying.

Senior engagement time = 5-60 min.
Supplies: A pile of various coins. Tray for sorting and rolling coins OR clear plastic cups. Optional: paper sleeves for rolled.
Helpful: I kept a plastic container of coins and (when my dad wasn’t looking) kept putting the coins we’d rolled back to resort and roll.

“No Fail” Watercolor

My dad was frustrated when he couldn’t get the paint color right or would paint outside the lines. These watercolor sheets have picture outlines that come alive with color when they get wet. Once dry, they are reusable.

Senior engagement time = 10-30 min.
Supplies: Reusable, no-fail watercolor sheets from Relish. Water container (low and heavy works well so it’s not tipped over), watercolor paint brush, flat work surface, a few paper towels.

“No Fail” Puzzles

These puzzles are wonderful for people who aren’t successful or even interested in typical jigsaw puzzles. My dad would match them and his roommate would just stack matching pieces on top of one another. My son made his own designs.

Senior engagement time = 10-30 min.
Supplies: Puzzle, flat work surface.

I’ll never forget the look of pleasure on my dad’s face when he dug his hands into the potting soil. He loved to garden and working with the dirt and plants, even in this simple project, was very rewarding for him.

Potted Gardening

Senior engagement time = 30-60 min.
Supplies: Large garbage bag or tarp (to cover flat work surface), a few small plants to and new pot(s) to transplant them into, extra potting dirt, spade shovel, small pitcher filled with water. This mini indoor gardening set and carrier provides simple tools and easy clean up. Optional: gardening gloves, apron.

John potting some flowers after he experienced a traumatic brain injury.

Pasta Making

My son helped my dad feed the rolled/flattened dough through the press while my dad cranked the handle. It was a great group project with the satisfaction of getting to eat fresh pasta afterwards. If you don’t have a crank pasta machine, they aren’t too expensive or perhaps you can borrow one.

Senior engagement time = 1 hr.
Supplies: Crank pasta maker, fresh pasta dough (premade pizza dough works too), extra all purpose flour, aprons, cookie sheet (for drying noodles), flat work surface.
Helpful: Fresh pasta should be refrigerated and used within a few days.

May you find joy in loving one another well!

Note: We recommend these products because we loved them for our own dad and we wanted to save you time. Some of them may earn us a bit when you click on the link.

You may also enjoy reading: The One Local Secret to Finding In-Home Care

Four Tips You Need to Choose a Walker

Post author By Debbie McDonald
Post date September 8, 2020

Tennis Balls Needed; Not for Tennis

I don’t have the exact date my dad became initiated into the Tennis Ball Walker Club. I do know it wasn’t something he aspired to join and he didn’t opt for any of the swag.

You can buy the walker, but it doesn’t come with the tennis balls for the two back legs. You get to add those yourself and hope that the utility knife used to slit them open doesn’t cost you a finger.

My dad thought the shiny black kind with wheels would be better for him, but his physical therapist said he’d have to work up to that kind. It turns out there are several different kinds of walkers for different kinds of situations and needs.

So in case you thought all walkers were created equally, here’s some valuable information on walkers as well as where and how to choose one that will help keep your senior mobile and safe.

Understand the different kinds of walkers

Mayo clinic has this very helpful slide show: “Tips for choosing and using walkers”

Educate yourself about best practices for using walkers (as well as gait belts, canes, etc.)

Find gently used walkers and other equipment at a local nonprofit. With a quick online search I found Bridge Disability Ministries. It’s local and has equipment available for a suggested donation.

You can also post your need on a local “buy nothing” type of Facebook group or your neighborhood Facebook group. Neighbors are generally glad to gift or loan equipment.

May you find joy in loving one another well!