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Sharing Life: Let’s Sit Together

Posted on: March 23, 2017

Let’s Sit Together

[clickToTweet tweet=”Encourage one another across the life span. Engagement. Validation. Play. Share life!” quote=”‘each person has hidden treasures waiting to be discovered and that someday I too will want someone to sit with me.'”]

Living in a household of eight, with both my grandmothers, I was exposed to the beauty of books, playing games, laughter and learned to appreciate the value of generational strengths. My family showed me the power of engagement in activities of daily living, meaning every one had tasks that made our family “village” run. MomMom Bertha was the laundry Queen, made a killer pound cake and reveled reading my English compositions and giving feedback. Meanwhile, Grandmom Marie breaded the smelts, darned socks and a voracious appetite for news and reading made her a wonderful conversationalist.

Then there was my Great Aunt Hilda, the Aunt whose house you always wanted to visit, because she had a totally pink bathroom, down to the Rosemilk soap and fluffy shag rug yet more than that was the life of the party and lived life out loud. She loved to connect with people through jokes, music and games.  Aunt Hilda always made people feel welcomed, wanted, connected.  She was a guiding star in my life. I accompanied my Aunt on Sundays to visit my great Grandmother in a nursing home and would see folks who appeared lonely and my Aunt encouraged me to go and sit with folks. This experience revealed that each person has hidden treasures waiting to be discovered and that someday I too will want someone to sit with me. That pivotal point cinched that serving elders would be in my future and thirty years later here I am in the best profession on earth!

I am deeply grateful to my Mother who supported my various senior communities with donations, book suggestions or loaned family antiques when we hosted the annual country fair. And to the many pioneers who helped to pave the way for this profession, specifically Anne D’Antonio-Nocera, Nancy DeBolt, Cat Selman, Dr. Peckham, Mary Miller, Nadine Touhey, and my best team leader and mentor Pam Keely.  Every elder I have been blessed to serve has gifted me with wisdom, humanity and invaluable life lessons . As Thomas Edison said “the secret to success is making your vocation your vacation.” I view each day with curiosity because the human spirit is not linear rather ever changing. May we encourage one another across the life span, continue advocating for quality eldercare and the power of engagement and the importance of play with gusto!

Filed Under: Activity Profession, Family Care Partners, Life Span

LOVE is Ageless: Five Tips for Navigating Life Together

Posted on: February 23, 2017

Connections sums it up. As humans we are wired to be connected.  Don’t stop now.

Create a Village:     Let people know that your loved one is changing.  Life is meant to shared. Tap into existing friends, family, neighbors, church family who extend a helping hand.

Don’t be a super hero:     accept help offered or ASK for help. It can be scary with so many family roles shifting.  Your elder can still make decisions and now you may be the one to implement. When cognition changes, involve your loved one in conversations. Please don’t talk about a person present as if they were invisible. Think no conversations about me, without me.

Create moments of JOY….simplicity is best.  Enjoy time together. Open scrapbooks, walk in the park., enjoy an ice cream cone, adapt a family favorite game. Activities are everywhere J

Organize legal affairs:     Too many people wait until crisis emerges and then reactive thinking happens. Be prepared and open to hard conversations. The more difficult matters are discussed (treatment options, body changes, adapting living situation for better functioning (safety),final wishes, life celebration/funeral arrangements can be healthy when openly discussed.  When organized this opens time up to BE with your loved one.

Adjust, flex and discover more:     as loved ones change, change with them. If memory changes show up, don’t correct your loved one or act impatient.

Explain and involve children into the process:      This informs, decreases societal myths about aging and cultivates sensitivity and compassion.

We fear what we don’t understand and fill in the spaces, often with incorrect information. Share your care journey with others. Listen to their experiences, swap resources and enjoy life’s journey.

Filed Under: Family Care Partners, Life Span

Anchors Across the Life Span

Posted on: December 27, 2016


Activities, leisure, recreation, hobbies in life appear simple, perhaps small, however digging deeper, one finds a rich inner world.  These interests define us, show our multi layered dimensions, and speak volumes even when we are not speaking. Revealed are color preferences, competitive or collaborative nature, knowledge base, rhythm, sense of humor, curiosity, vulnerability. And this is only the short list!  Plato said “you can learn more about a person in a hour of play than in a year of conversation.”

I LOVE it when someone joins a game activity and states “I play to win.”

Clearly proclaiming, game ON! ” Play BIG or go home. BAM!

While others join the game to socialize and collaborate.

Again, individuality matters.

Activities provide opportunities to learn, flip on the mind/ body recall and sensory system.  Don’t forget activities are available during every season of life and must NOT stop.  JAMA of Psychiatry released an article linking leisure time and depression showing that “…being physically active three times a week reduces the odds of being depressed by approximately 16%.” 

I hope that you find that as motivational as I do. 

So what about an anchor? Consider its function.  Weight, stability, guidance.

It also keeps a craft from drifting due to wind or current, can be temporary or permanent and vary in design and weight. My favorite activity anchor is power walking, during any season here in Pennsylvania. It resets my switch and I am ready for the winds of life and wherever they may blow.

I believe that activities across the lifespan become our human anchors and for that matter, lifelines.   

Until we meet again, stay brilliant!

Nancy Richards

Founder, CEO Activity Pathways

Your mentor for impactful leadership &

creating meaningful connections through the power of activities.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Activity Profession, Life Span Tagged With: activities, curiosity, humor, individuality, life span, vulnerability

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Recent Posts

  • Learning Lab
  • Sharing Life: Let’s Sit Together
  • LOVE is Ageless: Five Tips for Navigating Life Together
  • Playfully Frozen
  • BRAVO! Activity Professionals Week

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Activities are a Natural Bridge…

Person centered wellness activities are a natural bridge. Bringing people together in a place & time sharing, life’s journey, soul to soul.

Recent Posts

  • Learning Lab
  • Sharing Life: Let’s Sit Together
  • LOVE is Ageless: Five Tips for Navigating Life Together
  • Playfully Frozen
  • BRAVO! Activity Professionals Week

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Offices located in Ambler, PA 19002

215-872-1657
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