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By Jan Larraine Cox
As we progress into summer months in Florida amidst the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, seniors especially want to remain as healthy as possible at home. Have extra batteries, water, canned food, and a manual can opener on hand in case there’s a power outage during storm events. Program National Hurricane Center into your cell phone: www.nhc.noaa.gov/ to keep up to date.
Keeping the mind active at this time is especially important, too, for seniors. On the computer or smart phone, there are many brain games available. A few top favorites include Words with Friends, Crossword Puzzles, Sudoku numbers games, action games like Angry Birds’ Best Arcade and Sim City, where you can build your own extraordinary city.
Once library programs are fully functioning again, even more opportunities will abound to keep the mind engaged such as trivia nights, cuisine demonstrations, dance instructions, music performances, films and book presentations which highlight the relevance of historical events on our present issues.
In addition, libraries offer computer classes and consultation on smart phone use that are open to seniors.
De-clutter to Keep Yourself Safe
To better prepare us with the safest environment in which to live, we need to make a consistent resolution to de-clutter. The floor is not even a temporary storage option for books and magazines. One wrong move could land you on the floor, having slipped on reading material, hopefully without a broken bone.
Professional organizer Barbara Reich recommends sorting clutter into three piles: Keep, Toss and Donate. “Tackle what makes you most bonkers first. After that your anxiety level will drop exponentially and it’s amazing how motivated you are to keep going,” she says.
Categories of paper to definitely recycle are old bank statements, catalogs and very old manuals. Most of this information can be easily accessed online, so ditch them! Also, donate the items that you thought “may come in handy someday”.
Books can also be gifted to a grateful family member or donated to your local library branch for their next fundraiser. Allow others to learn from the books you have garnered so much knowledge from. The authors would want you to share their insights with your friends and relatives.
Senior Safety
But, in case your best efforts to declutter fail and you do trip and lose your balance at home, there are certain ways to fall to lessen the blow:
Stay bent: fall with bent elbows and knees to lessen the impact and don’t become rigid. Protect your head by turning it to the side or tuck your chin to your chest. If possible land on your butt or thighs, not bone; land on muscle! Roll into it, and spread the impact.
If you belong to AARP, it’s wise to call their 24/7 registered nurse helpline at 888- 543-5630 if you feel as though you are injured. They will keep a record of your call and their advice will possibly avoid an ambulance call and visit to the hospital.
