The heat is officially on; even before the actual official start of summer! Many elderly loved ones have some trouble with regulating their core body temperature, usually due to medication, and overheating could become an issue on the especially hot summer days. One way to encourage summer fun for seniors is to remember to find shade when possible and be sure to always have a cold-water bottle nearby. It’s especially important to stay hydrated on the sweltering days of summer. Finding shade might be difficult in some situations and may require a break from the heat indoors with air conditioning.
When the days are really hot, try to limit summer fun to indoor activities. Summertime can be a wonderful excuse to go to the movies. Sometimes the big blockbuster of the year is an exciting change from the everyday norm and is a welcome change for your senior loved one. Indulge in some popcorn and enjoy the air-conditioned theater. Movies are an exciting option for summer fun for seniors! In home elderly help from Senior Helpers of Santa Barbara will provide transportation to these locations to keep your loved one connected to the community in all areas of Santa Barbara, Goleta, Lompoc, Santa Ynez, and Carpinteria, California.
Another fun activity to do indoors on the particularly hot days includes helping a senior loved one to create a photo book. Scrapbooking can fall by the wayside with daily to-do lists and an extremely hot day can be just the push needed to keep you indoors and encourage your senior loved one to pull out that box of photos. Scan the photos and put them in online to create a photo book that can be printed and shared with the rest of the family. In the end, summer fun doesn’t have to mean a big event; it can just mean time spent together, doing the things you enjoy.
If family cookouts, graduation and birthday parties request the presence of a senior loved one, and will be held primarily outdoors, be sure to remind them to wear their sunscreen and keep that water bottle filled and nearby. Bring a sunhat for extra protection from the sun’s UV rays. Bring fruits and vegetables to offer healthy snacks for your senior loved one.
Try to keep outdoor activities to a minimum on days with heat advisories and look for summer fun after the sun goes down. Many large cities offer outdoor activities and concerts outdoors when the sun has gone down. Look on the parks and recreation site and find out about movies in the park, piano duels and other fun activities that are often available in the cooler evenings. These activities can provide summer fun for seniors but also reduces the risk of heat exhaustion and dehydration that can occur from overly hot days.
The beginning of summer activities including barbecues with neighbors and friends, playing catch, and water fun roll in with the warmer weather. With summer fun, we can sometimes forget the need for safety precautions when it comes to the heat and sun; especially for seniors.
If you would like to learn more caring assisted living at home, along with the many benefits of professional in-home elderly care or dementia and Alzheimer’s care, call Senior Helpers of Santa Barbara to speak to a senior care specialist today 805-687-7777! The compassionate senior care specialists at Senior Helpers can also guide you through the process of receiving the Veterans Administration Aid and Attendance Benefit if your elderly loved one is a veteran. In home senior care allows your loved one to stay in the comforts of their own home for as long as possible while receiving the level of care they need. Senior Helpers of Santa Barbara provides a wide range of services including Alzheimer’s and dementia care, personal assistance, companionship, and so much more to all areas of Santa Barbara, Goleta, Lompoc, Santa Ynez, and Carpinteria, California.