Aged to Perfection

You can still make Father’s Day special for your dad, even if your annual tradition has been cancelled. With keeping social distancing rules, you can safely visit your dad or you can gift him a special gift.

Here are a few ideas on how you can celebrate your dad on Father’s Day!

1. Enjoy the beautiful weather outside by golfing

Golf courses are now open in the region! Make sure to reserve your tee time by calling your favourite golf course. The trick is to plan ahead!

2. Go on a walk

Going one a walk is not only great exercise but also the perfect time to reconnect with your dad. Be sure to be mindful of the warmer weather. It may be best to go on a morning or evening walk when the weather is a bit cooler. 

3. Consider gift certificates

The physically demanding activities of home maintenance are likely difficult, so provide your loved one with a gift certificate for regular home maintenance chores such as grass cutting, garden upkeep, window washing, snow shoveling, etc.

4. Look into homemaking and household assistance

Household chores can also become quite burdensome. Your loved one will greatly appreciate a gift certificate for housekeeping. 

5. Purchase personal items

Residents in long-term care use their own preferred personal care items such as hand soap, lotion, toothpaste, etc. A care package of your loved one’s favourite items is always appreciated! The scent is strongly linked with memory and emotion; selecting a favourite scent can induce positive memories.

6. Get creative and create a fun family photo wall

Photos are one of the ways to personalize your living space, be reminded of your closest friends and family, or commemorate a favourite event. For someone with advanced dementia, adjust their environment to match their internal reality. Have photos to match their strongest memories.  Select pieces that bring comfort or joy and spark a memory. 

7. Buy a cozy quilt or a weighted blanket

Having a cozy item such as a small blanket or lap quilt is always comforting. It can be left on the bed or on a chair in your loved one’s room. If your dad has trouble sleeping, you should consider a weighted blanket. Weighted blankets are therapeutic by providing deep pressure stimulation to reduce anxiety, relieve pain, improve mood, ease stress, and fight insomnia.

Your dad might be feeling isolated during these times so don’t cancel your Father’s Day plans. Instead, make it extra special for him. Comment below and share with us unique gift ideas and how you’re going to celebrate Father’s Day.

We hope you have a wonderful Father’s Day. Happy Father’s Day to all of the dads, grandfather’s and great grandfathers out there!

After a long winter indoors the sunshine and longer days are a treat! We all feel bright and cheery when the sun is shining and that's because pleasant weather improves mood. Studies have shown that "being outside in pleasant weather really offers a way to reset your mindset." People who spent 30 minutes outside on a sunny day improved their mental health and mood! It's time to go back outside to enjoy the warm weather safely.

Here are 4 outdoor activities to try this spring!

1. Get to gardening

This is the perfect time to get your garden summer ready! You can clean up the yard and start planting beautiful flowers like daffodils, hyacinths, tulips, or violas. If flowers aren't your thing, you can get an early start on your vegetable garden and plant tomatoes, carrots, onions, and much more. For older adults where mobility is a challenge bring gardening indoors with indoor planters and pots. Try repotting an easy-care plant such as a cactus or succulent. You can enjoy gardening safely inside!

2. Go on a walk

You can cure the winter blues by going on a daily walk in the spring! Walking outside has shown to increase creativity, reduce stress, and improve concentration. When you're walking outside, you're enjoying what mother nature has to offer - the sunshine, the birds singing, the green grass and the budding flowers. There are beautiful parks and trails in the Waterloo region! You can head to Waterloo Park, Victoria Park, or the Walter Bean trail to enjoy the fresh air. Local parks are a great option for older adults because they have paved paths for walking assistive devices.

3. Play an outdoor game

As we get older, we lose the art and joy of play - especially playing outside. In our hectic lives, we should take time to play because it offers relaxation, stimulation, fuels our imagination, improves problem-solving abilities and emotional well-being. Play could be sharing jokes, throwing a ball around, blowing bubbles, or a fun yard game, like ring toss. It's easy to play outside! Whatever game you like to play inside - take it outside! If your elderly loved one likes playing card games, play outside on a comfortable picnic bench.

4. Bird watching

If you're looking for a new hobby, you should consider bird watching. You can learn more about birds and also practice the art of slowing down. When birding, you're task involves waiting patiently and still for the birds to appear. It contrasts our hectic daily lives of being on the go!

As the birds return for spring, you can head to bird-watching areas to be surrounded by nature. A great local birding spot is the Grand River. They have "hot spot" recommendations listed on their website. Bird watching can be also done in the comforts of your backyard or local park. At home, you and your elderly loved one can set up a bird feeder and watch the birds, or you can sit on a bench at the park to watch the birds.

From birding to gardening and everything in-between the goal is to be outside to enjoy the sunshine. This spring commit to 30 mins of outdoor activity on a sunny day! It can be as simple as sitting outside on the front porch or walking a nearby trail. It's time to go back outside to enjoy the sunshine and warm weather!