Keeping Seniors Active and Engaged During the Winter

Ready or not, the chilly, dreary months are upon us. The festivities of the holiday months can help everyone stay busy and positive. However, once the dust settles after New Year’s, it’s easy for seniors to really feel the “winter blues” until daffodils and tulips begin to show their colorful faces a few, long months later.

Seniors’ Health During the Winter

It can be tough to find – and keep – motivation to stay physically fit when the temperatures drop and sun isn’t shining. It’s important for people of all ages to stay active year-round, especially seniors. Here are some ways to encourage seniors to stay active during the cooler months:

• Find an exercise buddy to stay accountable
• Choose a fun activity – such as chair yoga or group gardening
• Focus on the physical and mental benefits to stay motivated
• Get the right clothing to stay warm from the cold temperatures and dry from sweat
• Play a fun, upbeat music playlist to keep you motivated
• Plan your regular exercise – such as right after lunch, five days a week
• Try an indoor workout—like mall walking, stair-climbing or a senior workout on YouTube

 

Using Dining to Keep Residents Engaged During the Winter

Encouraging those who are able to come to your dining hall can help boost their mood through social interaction. Plus, once seniors are out of their rooms, they may be more likely to participate in other community activities. Here are some ways to encourage seniors to make their way to the dining hall and not take their meals in the rooms all winter:

• Add social activities in the dining hall before or after mealtimes, such as bingo or puzzles
• Decorate the dining hall with seasonal décor, such as for Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Valentine’s Day
• Put on some music, such as holiday tunes

 

Help Seniors Stay Aware of Scams During the Holidays

According to the Senate Special Committee on Aging, fraudsters cheat seniors out of nearly $3 billion each year (Source: CNBC). While fraudsters are active year-round, there are special holiday-themed scams that attempt to defraud seniors during the holiday season. Some of the most common scams during the holiday season are:

• Charity scams: During the winter holiday season, many people make end-of-year donations to charitable organizations. As we are all inundated with requests for charitable donations, seniors should take steps to ensure the organization is legitimate before sending any money. Use the tax exempt organization search from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to determine if a non-profit is registered with the IRS.
• Grandparent scams: In this scam, a fraudster contacts a senior pretending to be a family member – typically a grandchild – saying that they have an emergency of some sort that requires the grandparent immediately send them money. The grandparent scam plays on the senior’s emotions of feeling sympathy for their grandchild and not wanting to leave them in a lurch. If you or a senior you know are contacted for money, call another family member to verify the story and gather more information before sending any money.
• Online shopping scams: These encompass a wide variety of scams, all with the goal of capturing credit card or other payment information to steal money. An online shopping scam may involve a fake shopping website, a marketing email that seeks payment information in exchange for an irresistible shopping deal or other similar scenario. Here’s the bottom line: if an online deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Plus, always make sure you’re shopping on legitimate online sites.
• Social security and IRS scams: Receiving an email or a letter in the mail from the government can feel stressful. Seniors who receive a notice from Social Security or the IRS may opt to quickly take the requested action – just to ensure their Social Security benefits aren’t affected and that they don’t have any issues with their taxes. However, it’s important to take steps to verify that any government notice is legitimate. The government will never call demanding immediate payment, for example.
   

Sodexo Seniors is here for our clients and their residents year-round. We provide support and tips for helping to keep your residents healthy – mentally and physically.