If you feel like you haven’t spent enough time enjoying this fantastic season yet this year, don’t worry. We have just four simple and enjoyable ways to help you get outside and in that amazing New England fall foliage! 1. Take Your Exercise Outdoors We all know how important it is to exercise our bodies — especially those of us who have jobs requiring us to sit down and stare at a computer all day. But, more often than not, motivating ourselves to get out, go to the gym, and do a workout is not nearly as enjoyable as we’d like it to be. Luckily, there is an easy solution that allows you to both exercise and enjoy the fall weather simultaneously! You can try walking or biking on one of Massachusetts’ rail trails if you tend to enjoy walking, running, biking, or other more aerobic activities.
If, on the other hand, you’re more of a gym-equipment type, you could still take advantage of the beautiful fall season by going to a park with outdoor fitness equipment such as cardio walkers, sit-up benches and vertical ladders. Many communities in Boston offer outdoor gyms where you can easily mesh your workout time with some much-needed outdoor time. Find one in your neighborhood here. Exercising keeps you healthy and saves the time and costs of doctor’s visits and medicines from your neighborhood pharmacy, not to mention the pains of illness. 2. Take A Trip to the Park with Your Kids Maybe bringing your exercise routine outside doesn’t sound great to you, or perhaps you simply would rather make your outdoor time family time. If you’ve got kids (who probably can’t get enough of being outside in the fall), a nice family trip to the park might be an excellent option for you. There are parks all over the city — from smaller parks in residential neighborhoods to larger, more public parks — and you can be sure to find one that is just right for you and your family. Your children can enjoy the slides, swings, climbers, play structures, and when they are hungry, you can serve healthy sandwiches in a picnic shelter or on the lawn. 3. Go on a Walk with Your Parents Speaking of family, don’t forget about your parents! A quick visit to your parent’s home can not only make their entire week but also help them enjoy the beautiful weather outside. As we age, it can get more challenging (or less desirable) for us to go out and walk around, but it is still crucial for our bodies to get movement. So, stop by your parents and get them to go out on a little walk with you to enjoy the fall foliage. If you are genuinely too busy, you can also hire an in-home caregiver to do this, so they can still get out and move around before it gets too cold. 4. Go Camping If you’re a camping fan or have an RV, you can completely immerse yourself in the stunning New England fall foliage by heading to a campground. Even if you’ve never tried it before, you can find a perfect leaf-peeping campground that will have you enjoying the fall season in no time! Make sure you bring a propane tank for heating and cooking while you’re there so you can enjoy some lovely warm beverages and delicious camp cooking! The fall season is arguably the most beautiful season in Boston. With the colorful and vibrant fall foliage, crisp weather, and delicious warm treats and beverages, most of us look forward to this time of the year. But, it can be all too easy to miss out on the glorious season if we’re busy with work and classes or even distracted by our screens. So, take advantage of the four activities listed above, and don’t miss out on this beautiful season! Easter is this Sunday, April 17 — just a short bunny hop away! Whether you’re celebrating this holiday for a religious reason or because of certain traditions your family holds, check out the following ideas that can help you plan for a fun and memorable Easter this year. Have an Easter Egg Hunt Easter egg hunts are one of the most popular traditions held on Easter. What could be more fun than running around outside on a beautiful, spring day and searching for colorful eggs that have prizes or candy inside? Looking to add something extra special to your Easter egg hunt this year or just want to change it up? Try writing activities such as “go for a bike ride together as a family” or “family game night” on pieces of paper and put them in the eggs. Let the kids redeem the activity they’ve found and enjoy spending some quality time together as a family! If you’re hosting an Easter egg hunt for your kids outside, don’t forget to purchase some bug spray so that you can keep those pesky bugs away. Also, be sure to grab some allergy medication in case anyone struggles with spring allergies. Dyeing and Decorating Easter Eggs
Another popular tradition that has been a part of Easter celebrations for decades is dyeing or decorating hard boiled eggs. Whether you’re using an Easter egg dyeing kit or prefer to use your creativity by using items from your kitchen or home, your family and friends are sure to make memories with this fun tradition. Want to get extra creative this year? Purchase some pretty spring stickers to place on the outside of your eggs to give them that extra pop! You may be able to buy them from a nearby community pharmacy, where you can conveniently get some Easter gifts and cards as well. Spend Time Outside Invite your family members or friends over for a barbeque. If you are cooking on a propane grill, make sure to have a propane tank handy so that you are able to heat the grill and cook your food. If you have kids, head over to your community park playground and have a picnic under a tree or picnic shelter! Whip up some traditional Easter food such as ham, deviled eggs, candied carrots and your favorite vegetable. Whether you’re planning to have people over your house or meet up at a local park, make sure your table linens are clean and ready to go. If you’re short on time, or just prefer to have a professional clean your table linens, schedule a laundry delivery at your local dry cleaner in Boston. Enjoy spending time with your family this Easter and getting outside for some fresh, spring air! Gardening is a great way to make your yard look nice, but it’s also much more than that. Gardening is good for the mind and for the body. It’s also a lovely activity to do with your older loved one. The two of you can bond, and you’ll both reap the physical and mental benefits.
Gardening is good, safe exercise. Many older adults do not get enough exercise. They may not be capable of going for a jog or even a long walk, but gardening is an approachable activity, even for adults with limited mobility. If you garden alongside your older loved one, you can let them handle what they can, and then pick up the slack. For example, you can let them put plants in the dirt while you do the more demanding activities — like raking and mulching. If your loved one has an in-home caregiver, you can also suggest gardening as an activity for the two of them to do together. Drop off any supplies they may need, like pots and potting soil. Gardening has other health benefits. In addition to being good exercise, gardening is a great way to get some vitamin D. Deficiencies of vitamin D are common in people of all ages, but especially in older adults who do not go outside very often. In exposing their skin to the sun for just a few minutes a day while they garden, your loved one can raise their vitamin D level. Like vitamins and supplements, this is good for bone health and mental health and it is free! Just make sure you have the right supplies on-hand for safety as you garden. Visit a pharmacy nearby to stock up on sunscreen, first aid kits, and wound care kits. Gardening creates dirty clothing. Your senior loved one’s new gardening habit may create a lot of dirty laundry. Clothing may get soil stains when you’re out playing in the dirt! Sunscreen stains can also ruin your clothing. I always take my stained clothing to the local dry cleaner near me. They know what they are doing when it comes to stain removal! In any case, it’s good idea to have a laundry pickup service take care of your loved one’s laundry. This will take the burden off them and lead to a better quality of life as they age at home. If you are looking for a fun, safe way to get some exercise with your loved one, try gardening. You’ll have a lovely time out in the fresh air, and in the end, your yard will be that much more beautiful. St. Patrick’s Day is typically an occasion that calls for big parades and parties in the streets. But since most of us have still not received vaccinations against COVID-19, social distancing is still vital — which means this St. Paddy’s Day will feel a little different. There can still be plenty of fun, safe ways to celebrate the luck o’ the Irish! Here are a few ideas.
1. Plan a Camping Trip With the weather growing warmer, this is the perfect time to plan a camping trip. Buy some sunscreen at the pharmacy, as you can sunburn even when it’s cloudy. Bring along a propane tank and a small grill, and enjoy a weekend in the woods. Here are a few fun ways to work a St. Patrick’s Day theme into your camping trip:
2. Have a Costume Party on Zoom Have everyone in the family make their own St. Patrick’s Day costume. You can dress up like leprechauns, rainbows, pots of gold, or even as a cabbages! Host a family Zoom call so everyone can admire each other’s customers from a safe distance. You could even have a costume content. Reward the winner with some Irish tea or a Guinness (depending on age). 3. Bake Green Cupcakes This is the perfect St. Patrick’s Day activity for families with kids. Mix up a vanilla cake mix according to package instructions, but add about a half teaspoon of green food coloring to the batter. Bake and cool the cupcakes, then top them with green frosting. You can also make green cookies and green soda simply by adding a few drops of food coloring. 4. Practice Irish Dancing Irish dancing is lively, lighthearted, and fun — just what we all need right now! Look up some Irish dancing routines on YouTube, and do your best to follow along. It’s okay if you don’t master the steps. The goal is to have fun. Hopefully we’ve inspired you to have some safe St. Paddy’s Day fun during these unusual times. At the end of the day, don’t sweat the cleanup. Save time by using a laundry delivery service, and revel in the luck and joy of the Irish a little longer. Spring will be here before we know it! This season represents a fresh new start. The warm air, budding trees, and birds chirping are all so enjoyable after a chilly winter. So, how can you prepare for the arrival of this rejuvenating season? Start with these suggestions. 1. Clean Your House
Spring cleaning is an age-old tradition. And indeed, this is the perfect time of year for a thorough, deep clean. Most people like to go room by room, as this makes it easy to divide the whole-house cleaning across a few days. Some important cleaning tasks to include are:
2. Re-Organize Your Closets How much stuff has accumulated in your closet that you no longer use? Spend a day sorting through your clothing. Donate anything you no longer need to charity, or throw it away if it is torn or stained. This is also the perfect time to take winter clothes out of your closet and put your summer clothing in. Take your winter clothing, coats, and comforters to the dry cleaners before packing them into storage for the spring. 3. Restock Your Medicine Cabinets Go through your medicine cabinet, and get rid of any expired medications. Then, head to your local pharmacy, and purchase items to restock your cabinet. Make sure you have basic medications, such as pain relievers and anti-nausea drugs, on-hand. Stock some basic first aid supplies, like Band-Aids and antibiotic cream, too. You can even pick up your Rx refills at the same time to save yourself a trip. 4. Check Your Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors Spring is also a good time to check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Look at the date on the back to see if the device is due to be replaced. Also, change the batteries to ensure that if there is an emergency, the alarm will alert you as intended. This is particularly important if you use propane for heating or cooking at home. The arrival of spring marks a season of renewal and the perfect opportunity for a fresh, new start. With a clean home, an organized closet, a well-stocked medicine cabinet, and safe smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, you’ll be well prepared for springtime. |
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