9 Independent Living Skills for Seniors

Isolation and loneliness are not new concepts to those who work in the field of aging. And, as a result of the COVID pandemic, almost everyone, regardless of age, experienced some form of isolation and loneliness. Many of us were separated from family, friends, and coworkers for so long that the isolation left a nearly permanent mark. As a senior service provider, Cultivate has seen, firsthand, the negative effects isolation has had on our senior clients. We have also seen the power of healing that the volunteers provide when they take time to build connections with our clients. According to the CDC, loneliness and social isolation in adults can lead to serious health conditions beyond the effect it has on mental health. The senior population has been disproportionately affected by isolation for years, and it is only in the aftermath of the pandemic that much of the population can begin to understand. Society saw a surge in volunteerism during the beginning of the pandemic because many people were struggling with the loneliness of quarantine while becoming very aware of the fact their neighbors needed help. However, that surge ended, and non-profits are finding a significant reduction in the number of new volunteers. Many forget that just because most of the population is no longer quarantined, this does not mean that the issues of isolation have disappeared. There are different ways that the community can get involved to help reduce isolation and loneliness in seniors. This work can start by reaching out to family, friends, and neighbors. You never know how much of an impact your time and words can have on someone. Volunteerism is also a good way to reach people who need the most help. Often the volunteers get as much out of their experience as those they are helping do. Whatever you choose, remember that we all know what it feels like to be lonely, and we all have the power to relieve the loneliness of others. Editors Note: This article was submitted by Carly Marquis. Carly is the Director of Volunteers with Cultivate and may be reached at 303-443-1933 or by email at cmarquis@cultivate.ngo.

Written by: Patti Chenis, WEC Team SupervisorContemplative Practices/ meditation/mindfulness are beneficial ways to strengthen our wellbeing, resilience, and develop a fuller capacity to recognize the healing power in ones heart to work with stress and difficult challenges.Mindfulness is knowing what you are doing as you are doing it. It is bringing awareness to your present moment lived experience. Bringing our attention to breathing is one of the most widely used objects of meditation and anchor for our attention. Continually coming back to the attention and awareness of our breath brings a sense of precision, (being in the present moment-connecting to our life force of breath) gentleness, (allowing whatever is arising e.g. thoughts, emotions, sensations to be as they are without judgement and returning to our awareness of breath) and openness ( being curious about the richness and fullness of our experience).Mindfulness can be developed as a formal practice on meditation cushion, chair, standing up, lying down or walking meditation. The point of meditation is to remember to bring mindfulness (that conscious awareness of being in our present lived experience) into daily life, so you could say any aspect our lives can be a mindfulness practice.Her are some thoughts about bringing mindfulness, loving kindness, self-compassion and compassion into daily life.Deep Conscious BreathsTaking some deep conscious breaths in the morning or whenever you feel stressed, anxious, overwhelmed or want a fresh restart in you daily life. Before you do something stress- full, step back and take some deep breaths; research shows deep breaths calm the nervous system.MovementWalking (especially getting out and enjoying nature), yoga, tai chi, qigong, dancing to your favorite music, laughter (full belly laughs can do wonders for the spirit-try it), singing your favorite song(s); crying (allow yourself to feel the release that crying can bring e.g. tears of sadness, joy) whatever gets your energy moving and flowing.Self-compassion and compassion practicesDispel the myths that self-compassion is selfish or that we are not worthy of love and wellbeing. Research show that offering words of loving kindness to oneself changes our brain and improves our resilience, strengthens our immune system and increases our capacity to be of benefit to others. When we feel resourced and have a sense of well-being our capacity to work with stress and difficult emotions is greater.Good morning Practice:Good morning (put your name here) I love you. You can repeat this in the morning or anytime during the day to interject some good will toward oneself or someone else in your life if it is difficult to say this about yourself at first.Compassion is not only feeling empathy and emotional connection to the suffering of others but also wanting to relieve that suffering. It is the courage to open our hearts to our own suffering as well as that of others and that we are all interconnected, in the same boat so to speak. We can offer words of care and loving kindness to ourselves, mentors (someone who has been kind to us) friends, strangers, difficult people, as well as to all beings as we open our heart of compassion to include all. May I and all beings have happiness, well-being, safety, health and live at ease and in harmony.

Ensure safety for your loved ones at summer events with home care assistance, preparing them for a fun, safe, and secure day in the sun and weather. As summer begins to wrap up in many parts of the country, now is the time for many families and communities to have their big summer events. From all-day outdoor concerts to sports tournaments to county fairs, there are plenty of fun activities that may keep you and your loved ones out in the sun and heat for hours upon hours.  Safety begins at home with the Home Care Assistance Provider If your loved one wants to attend one of these all-day events, safety begins before she even leaves her home with home care assistance. Preparing for the day can prevent many health or safety concerns that could arise. Taking a bit of time before walking out that door to prepare for the day is a great way to get off on the right foot.  Dress appropriately Dressing for the weather and bringing clothing items in case the weather changes is important to enjoying a long day outside. If a daytime event will go into the evening, make sure your home care assistance provider packs up some clothes for the temperature difference. If rain is in the forecast, having a poncho or umbrella packed, even if the sun is shining when she walks out that door, will prevent getting soaked later.  Pack up Essentials Any summer outdoor activity should have your loved one bringing her own sunscreen, bug spray, lip balm, and water bottle to help her stay protected while outside. Even with her home care assistance provider helping her apply sunscreen before she leaves, she will still need more to reapply later. Dont count on someone else having some to spare.  Bring Someplace to Sit Big events often have plenty of tables and chairs, but sometimes, all of them get taken early on, leaving participants no option but to stand or sit on the ground to enjoy the show, the concert, or the games. Make sure you have a portable chair for your loved one to sit on in case this happens. A blanket can be another option if your loved one is comfortable with sitting on the ground but that can often be difficult for older individuals.  Provide opportunities to Rest Walking around a huge theme park or fairground can get exhausting, no matter how much fun it is. And while the younger ones with you could go on for hours and hours, remember that your elderly loved one may need more frequent rest periods, but are afraid to ask for them and slow down others. Offer plenty of time for rest throughout the day, even considering breaking up your group into two parties where one goes ahead, and one stays back to rest.  Avoid Constant Sun Sitting on a bleacher watching the grandkids play in a softball tournament can also put your loved one in harms way for sunburn, heat exhaustion, and dehydration. Plan for breaks in the shade or inside a local building frequently. It may mean missing an inning or two, but it will help your loved one stay safe during a long day outside.  Cut it short if you have to Plan ahead of time if your loved one needs to leave early and go home to rest. Talk to her home care assistance provider about a possible pick up from the venue or being available if she needs to go home early. That way when she leaves, youll know shell be well taken care of.    If you or an aging loved one are considering Home Care Assistance in Broomfield, CO, please contact the caring staff at Talem Home Care & Placement Services today. Call (720) 789-8529 At Talem Home Care of Broomfield, we provide passionate, understanding, and flexible caregivers in Broomfield, Arvada, Aurora, Boulder, Brighton, Commerce City, Denver, Erie, Firestone, Lafayette, Lakewood, Longmont, Louisville, Northglenn, Sherrelwood, Thornton, Welby, Westminster, Wheat Ridge and surrounding areas in Colorado.