There is no greater treasure we will cherish more like our mothers. They dazzle with us on a beautiful day and brighten us up even more when days get cloudy. Growing up, they allow us to have our own space to explore. However, as we busy ourselves with finding careers, we tend to forget they too, are getting older.
So, let’s spend more quality time with our moms. Go out, create experiences and revive memories with them. To you whose mothers are in a professional care setting like ours at Trinity Care, here are a few suggestions on how you can make your mom feel special.
- Bake pastries
Aside from satisfying your mom’s sweet tooth, baking pastries also has a significant therapeutic value to their mental health. In a 2013 BBC report, Dr Mark Salter, a consultant psychiatrist working in east London, said baking and cooking are good occupational therapies that help patients develop planning skills, short term memory and social skills. Backed up with this scientific research, we can be certain that kneading those doughs and piping those icings would be both enjoyable and healthful for our mothers. There is also no need for you to worry whether a kitchen would be readily available for your bake-time bonding. Adult day care centers like Trinity Care Adult Day Care Center in Morrow Georgia offers activity programs that keep our moms active. Some of these customized programs include baking, painting woodworking, social clubs, indoor games and much more.
- Make a memory box
According to an article in Psychology Today, a study done at Loyola University reported that “thinking good memories for just twenty minutes a day can make people more cheerful that they were the week before.” As our mothers get older, the more they seem to long for the “good old days.” You could make use of nostalgia as a tool in sharing a cozy afternoon with your mom. However, details about your fond memories seem to get fuzzier for your aging mother. One easy way to help her remember is to gather old photos, memorabilias from special events into a box that you and your mom can decorate. You can also ask for other family members to join you in making this simple project into a meaningful one.
- Spend the day at the salon
Did you know that a day at a salon-spa can help people live longer? In her wellness journal, Abby Germain, founder/CEO of Rejuvenate Salon and Spa, a wellness center designed for senior-living and assisted-living communities, cited that older people who are happy, even for a little while, have a 35% lower risk of dying than those who were least happy. This finding was backed up by a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, wherein seniors— including men—reported that having healthy, attractive hair and well-groomed nails is important to feeling good, while therapeutic massage, facials, body wraps, peels and other types of spa services improve how they feel and how they feel about life.
If you’re hesitant that commercial salons couldn’t cater to your mother’s need for extra assistance, ask nearby adult day care centers if they offer salon services. Trinity Care Adult Day Care Center in Morrow Georgia for example, is equipped with a unisex beauty salon which is staffed by outside beauticians capable of handling the special needs of seniors.
- Walk in nature
Maintaining mobility and independence is perhaps a major dilemma for most aging parents. Researchers at the Department of Physical Education at San Diego State University found out that sedentary lifestyles can result in muscle loss and significantly lowered aerobic capacity. Since most aging mothers tend to live this kind of lifestyle, it would be helpful if you encourage her to go out and walk leisurely in a natural environment. In fact, a University of Minnesota research shows that green and “blue” spaces (environments with running or still water) are especially beneficial for healthy aging in seniors. Mark Fenton, editor of the Boston-based Walking Magazine, adds that the elderly have some special physical concerns that can be helped with regular exercise like walking. He highlights that walking gives an improved sense of self-worth and sense of purpose. It also reduces the likelihood of clinical depression.
With these suggestions, we hope we can help you make your day with mom extra special. If you need a hand, visit us at Trinity Care. Our services are uniquely designed to meet the needs of every individual based on their strengths and weaknesses. For more information, please contact us, to develop a customized plan of care based on your loved one’s medical condition.
