Episode Transcript:
Christina: Hi everyone, this is Christina Chartrand from Senior Helpers and- David Chandler, hello everyone. And welcome to Life Conversations.
David: We're so excited to be back with you all today and we're gonna be talking today about an upcoming, as we're coming into the holidays and things are getting a little cooler. Christina, I'm out in Houston, as you know, and we had a 30 degree drop in temperatures from this weekend. Oh my gosh. We went from, we were in the 80s yesterday and today I woke up, we were in the 40s. So it was cold. And so we're gonna be talking today about helping our seniors with avoiding isolation during the cold months, because I know this morning I did not wanna get out of bed.
Christina: I totally get that. As you know, I'm in Sarasota, Florida. It's still warm, but we actually have a cold front coming this week. But I was thinking about my mom, and she's in the Northeast. And she lives in a place, an apartment complex, where if she sits outside, she can see all the comings and goings of her neighbors, walking the dog, and people coming back and forth from work and groceries. And they always stop by to say hello to her, you know, which is really great. And I love that during the summer months, which is a really pretty little porch and she sits outside, but now it's getting colder. I'm really beginning to worry a little bit where she's gonna be inside a lot more than she usually is.
David: Yeah. And so we do today, we have some tips and some strategies that we're gonna share with you. Ways to help your loved one to stay engaged. And there are so many benefits to staying engaged and active and talking with people, communicating, hopefully using some strategies to get out of the house, have some face-to-face contact, because it can, it can really affect people, even that are able to get out of their house more easily, can have... It can impact negatively on people's emotional and mental health. Uh, so that's what we want to avoid, especially for our seniors that may have a little bit more challenge getting out of the home and how can we help them?
One of the things that Christina and I were chatting about is that it's so important to know who we're planning for, because some of these ideas and suggestions that we're gonna have, if you have somebody who's a little bit more introverted and they wanna stay home and that's where they gain their energy. Some of these ideas are gonna be better for them. And then we also have some ideas for our seniors that are more extroverted and need to get out, need to have that engagement and get that energy and get that positive emotional and mental energy from being out and engaging.
And so for our next tip, we have exercise. And I love exercise both as a way for staying physically active, mentally healthy, especially during these winter months, and both indoor and outdoor. There are still ways that we can also do outdoor exercises. So let's come back to that and start with indoor exercises. So Christina, do you wanna talk about some of those options that are available?
Christina: Yeah, I love the idea. And I think you can start out with a couple of different things. One is to take a look at video or YouTube. This can be from your phone or it can be on your TV monitor or computer as well, but they have lots of free different types of exercise classes that they offer. I like classes because it kind of keeps you accountable to doing that certain number of reps that you're supposed to do. And they have it both for standing as well as sitting. So you can have exercises if you're doing a mat like yoga or some type of exercise or weight bearing exercise as well as sitting in a chair and doing exercise too. And they have, I love chair yoga. I think it's a great way to do range of motion and stretching and I think that's awesome.
The other thing I like to bring up and this is something that my mom does on a regular basis is she walks and she walks indoors. And so she puts on her favorite music. And she keeps track of it with her phone so she knows how many steps that she's done. Her goal was always a mile. And it seems like, well, what does she do? Well, she actually keeps walking through her apartment kind of in different laps, going into different rooms and coming around. And for her, it does a lot of things for her. One, I feel like it really boosts her mood because she's listening to music that she loves, but it's also obviously good for mental health as well as physical health. So there's just so many things about it. Um, you gotta keep moving. I can't state it enough.
David: Yeah. Walking is such a great form of exercise for, for anyone. Really? I, when I find myself getting out and walking more, I feel better. I feel more active. I want to get out of the house more. So, and when we talk about walking in indoor versus outdoor, of course, when the weather gets colder, we want to make sure that we have the proper, uh, proper weather gear, coats, hats, gloves, footwear. So something to check on as we're getting into that season is to make sure that you have all that gear and you're ready to go out and can stay engaged and stay warm while you're getting out and walking. Or what we're gonna talk about next is get out and be around people.
Christina: Yes. Oh my gosh. And it doesn't, you know, introvert or extrovert, you still need to be surrounded by other people. It doesn't mean you have to talk to them. But just getting out amongst other people and enjoying the space that you're in. Like coming up right now, the holiday decorations are out and just going to a mall and walking around and just hearing the music and seeing all the decorations. That is, I mean, one, you get your exercise in, right, David?
David: Right!
Christina: But then you're also getting out and it's a mood booster, right? It's getting out and being amongst other people. What are some other ideas?
David: And there's just something about this time of year that has that energy. And I'm personally an introvert. And so, but I love going to the mall. And just like you said, I love going out and just walking around this time of year, seeing the decorations outside, seeing the people be happy, walking by where Santa's taking pictures and seeing the kids in line. Yeah, I just it's such a. special time of year that we're coming into. Some other things that I... Yeah, some other things that I think about are like local community centers, senior groups. I see, I go and visit my local Y and I see in there that, oh my gosh, they had like, I was in there the other day and there were probably 50 seniors in there that were doing a yoga class. They had the whole gym full of seniors that were doing this yoga class. And one of the things that I noticed as I was walking out was there was a transportation service. So having a way and thinking about how are you going to get out of the home safely, but they actually had a bus that was bringing the seniors to the exercise class.
Christina: Yeah. I think that's great. And there are so many different types of ride chairs out there. And I think we're seeing them more and more is that. You can't make, because you aren't able to get out there, is the reason for not going, right? That you can have, there are other opportunities, other ways to be able to go and see, you know, get out of where, in your current living environment and go and seeing something else. You know, I was even thinking, you know, going to hear holiday music or going to a play, you know? There's so many, when you go in and look on a newspaper, you know, and look at current events or things that are coming up, there's so many events that some are, many of them are free and during the day just to go out and attend something.
David: Yeah, and something else to keep in mind with that is thinking about what things did seniors or families do that were traditional to them. So going out and I think about plays that I would see as a kid or like our church does a play every year and that's like our thing. We go there every year for the church play. And so finding out like how can we involve our loved ones in getting them to those things that we did as we were growing up or as a family, what are some of those things we can consider for that as well?
Christina: So then some other things to think about, we were talking about socialization and these days, especially after COVID, it really opened the door to so many opportunities where you can do it virtually.
David: Yes, yes, I love this. And so there are like some virtual reality, there's some technology out there that you may wanna consider for yourself or for loved ones where you can wear the virtual reality headset, even have the little hand pieces that you're walking. So I've seen this where seniors can go through a hike in France or go and walk through an art museum. And it really feels like you're there. And it's amazing for someone that can't get out or can't go and do those things or is even bed bound that they can participate in these activities and really feel like they're there.
Christina: I agree, I agree. I think there's lots of opportunity virtually that we can really take advantage of. Is that, you know, even encourage family ones, family members of yours to reach out to your aging senior, you know, and say, even the kids that are in college, you know, to all your other members and just by even shooting a text, sending a photo, doing FaceTime. All of those, those small little things makes such a big difference and it feels like you are connected. And in this world right now with technology, we can all get connected pretty quickly because of it. So I think that's a really nice way for people to feel, even though their family's so spread apart across the country, to stay connected, is take advantage of, don't just, don't do it, don't send it to grandma because she won't understand. Oh, she will, she'll get the picture and she'll love having that photograph and even sharing it with her friends.
David: Yeah, absolutely. And even some of the games that are available on phones, like, words with friends or what are some of the other ones, Christina? There's some really good ones out there.
Christina: Wordle. Wordles. Yeah. And you know, even just even any types of those virtual those virtual type games, I even see my things on Facebook and they'll ask you these questions. Are you so-and-so, you know, something about your personality and then you post it and then other people will say something back. You know, I'm a fan of Instagram and Facebook with seniors. It's a great way to stay connected. And even if they're not actually typing or participating in it, it's a way to kind of find out what other people are doing. Yeah.
All right, so another thing we were thinking about is planned family events. So I bet David, you have coming up the holidays. What are some things that you typically do with your family?
David: Oh, we do a big Thanksgiving and I tell my family, I'm like, all right, we gotta get it on the schedule because everybody's going different ways and I love to connect with my family. And so getting that on the schedule. So looking at when are we doing Thanksgiving? Who's doing Thursday? Who's doing Sunday? The aunt and uncle are gonna be there on Friday, but they're out of town on Sunday. And then grandma's gonna be there on Thursday, but in Sunday. So it's just coordinating. And sometimes we'll have two or three Thanksgivings at different people's houses because they're at different places. So getting that on the schedule is.
Christina: I think that's important. I think you just state something that I'd like to bring up is the fact that Thanksgiving doesn't just have to be on Thanksgiving, right? You know, we're now in the season of Thanksgiving. And so we can have that event, that family event with Turkey or whatever we're having at any point, right? And have that connection. I think that's important to state and focus on trying because sometimes logistics, it's hard to get everyone together on that one day. And so just to be mindful that it's okay to do it the Monday before, you know, if that's gonna be the best time to spend time with your loved one. It's really about the time you spend together.
David: If you're doing like four Thanksgivings, then you definitely gotta walk, right?
Christina: That is true. Yeah. Oh my gosh, that is so true. Yeah, so- We want you to make sure thinking about, you know, looking ahead and planning some events. It doesn't have to be the whole family sometimes that can be a little overwhelming, but even having one or two people together to see it face to face during the holiday time is really a good thing. Oh, okay. How about this one? And I know David, you brought this up because you got excited about volunteering. Tell me about that.
David: Yeah, this is such a great way to give back to the community and find purpose. And I know I went and was visiting a hospital the other day and they had an entire greeting team of senior volunteers. And you could tell they were just, they were having a great time and really wanting to help out. And they had, not only were they helping out, but they also had social engagement. It was a whole team of them. And so before we even walked up, they were laughing and joking with each other. And then we walked up and they helped us get where we needed to go. One of them was an escort to it for us, trying to get to where we needed to be in the hospital. So looking for some volunteer opportunities, again, that match your abilities, but there's so many opportunities and so many benefits to getting out there and volunteering.
Christina: I am, I'm a huge fan of this. This is something that my mom used to do too. And she worked at the hospital as well. And she worked in the gift shop and she hasn't done it since, since COVID. And I've really been trying to encourage her to think of even if she doesn't want to do the gift shop to do something else because she loved it. And she met this group of people who she became really you know, good connection for her. I do encourage it. And there are, as you said, so many opportunities out there. I mean, people look for volunteers. And it's something which is nice is you can do it on your own time. Your number of hours that you wanna give back, even if it's one day a week for a couple of hours, really can just make all the difference. Even if you like to wrap packages, just kind of even think of things that you enjoy doing. What do you enjoy doing? And then begin to look outside and reach out to a family member if you're not sure what to do, but begin to look around and see what's available.
David: Yeah, I was thinking too about some of our seniors that may have a hard time getting out of the home and there's opportunities for that as well. And if you're looking for those, maybe reaching out to a family, seeing what are some of the things that, can I write cards? Can I do presents? What can I do even if I'm at home to to help volunteer and serve others.
Christina: Oh, I love it. I think that's great. So one other thought was having a support network, you know, having a connection. I think one of the things that, and we can talk about the big picture of it all, but one of the things I find, you know, in my own personal situation is that you gotta have a go-to person. You know, you got to have your advocate. You've got to have a person, at least one person, hopefully there's several people that you can contact and reach out to if something happened or if they're, you know, because by knowing who these people are in your life, right, even if you're not talking to them on a daily basis, you at least know that if something did happen or if you had a question or you weren't feeling well that day, that you could reach out to that person and they would be available to help. You know, having that support is really critical.
David: Yeah, that gives you a huge piece of mind to say, all right, there's a snowstorm coming. Who's going to help me get the, what is it, the milk and bread? I got to get the milk and bread. The milk and bread. Who's going to help me with that? But it really is a great piece of mind to know. You're not trying to figure out who's gonna help me in this situation. So figure that out now. Figure out who is that emergency, that's a great point of who is that person that you can call when you need help.
Christina: I think if you're thinking about an aging loved one that you care about, right? If you're thinking about that person and you know you're there for them, but maybe you just saying it out loud to them and say, listen, you have my number, you can call me at any time for any situation, just to be able to say that out loud to that person can really make all the difference.
David: Yeah, I think that's great for neighbors too. Like if you know that you have an elderly neighbor that may need some help just going knocking on their door and saying, hey, here's my number, or if you need anything, I'm here to help support you. That means a lot, it really does. It really does. Yeah. And then lastly, and we've kind of talked about this throughout. But looking at those seasonal activities, so revisiting that it's a special time of year There's a lot of a lot of things going on a lot of different holidays that people are celebrating So what are those traditions? What are those celebrations that you're having get them on the calendar? and celebrate this time celebrate this time together.
Christina: I feel like I think about reminiscing is a great way to like kind of talk about your past and things that you enjoyed and it's great to reminisce with an older person, because they have so many amazing memories that some of them become part of your memories. And so you're asking the question, what is your favorite memory or what do you enjoy about this holiday? And even it's just one small thing to be able to bring that item to them or to bring whatever that if it's a Christmas, if it's a song that they're thinking about, if it's a fragrance, I think sometimes I've actually, because I think you have to use your senses that brings reminiscing back. So if there's a certain fragrance or that reminds you of something, I think that's part of when we think about isolation, it's like really bringing, allowing that person to really talk about their happy memories when it comes into the holidays.
David: Yeah, one of the things that made me think of was one time I was in a memory care community and I took the book, it was the night before Christmas. And I read it to our residents that were in this memory care community. And it was so amazing to me because I would read it and it was the night before Christmas and all through the, and I would pause and they would finish the sentence. Not all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a, and I would pause. mouse, right? And so it just was so, I loved that because these were, these were seniors that had dementia, but they, they picked it up just like that. These, these traditions and knowing the stories and, oh, I love that suggestion about reminiscing. That's that muscle memory. It's amazing.
Christina: I love that as well. Well, gosh, we've got a lot of great ideas that we've shared Viewers today, I hope you all take a couple of these nuggets and think about the seniors that are in your life and ways that you can really help them during these next few months, not even through the holidays, but even getting into January and February where in some of our states, not personally mine, but in some of our states, it gets a little chilly. Actually more people go out in February, February in Florida.
David: Yeah, well, we'll get to our next episode. In our next episode, we're gonna be talking about some tips on how to help seniors stay safe during the holidays. So we have some really great tips on decorations, what decorations are safe, how should you be doing decorations? So yeah, we've got some really great tips. So we'll hope you toon in for our next episode!
Thank you for joining us in Episode 6 of 'LIFE Conversations with Senior Helpers,' where we explored ways to reduce isolation among seniors in the winter. We hope these suggestions inspire you to help the seniors in your life stay active, connected, and joyful during the colder months. Stay with us for more episodes that provide essential guidance and thoughtful approaches to senior care.