May is coming to an end, and we are ready for summer. How can you enjoy the summer with your aging parents and keep them safe and happy too? It seems like it should be an easy task; however, the heat and over ambition of what your mom or dad can actually do can take a toll. On the other hand, the summer is a great time to get out and enjoy time together and you just don’t know where to start. Quality time in the outdoors is never a bad thing! Below are some fun tips to keep your aging loved ones engaged and positive during the summer.

6 Tips to Keep Aging Parents Engaged During the Summer

1. Venture to a Farmer’s Market! 

What better way to enjoy the summer than a Farmer’s Market. There is a buzz of activity and fresh foods that beg for you to taste. This is a great way to get outdoors and enjoy some healthy food options as well. Why not take a morning or afternoon and see what the local farmer’s market offers. It is enticing to try some new food options or get some deals on fresh produce. Not to mention, it can be very social which is great for aging parents and you as well. So hit the road and meander to a farmer’s market and you might get some live music too! 

2. Set Up a Family Book Club

Setting up a family book club can be a blast for everyone. Each month pick a new book and let each family member choose a book. You can even include younger kiddos such as grandchildren and have your book club meet more often. It is fun to discuss the latest books and you will all increase your brain health too! Get started and maybe you will find this summer get-togethers will grow into a yearly gig everyone will enjoy. 

3.  Keep Active Together 

When the weather is nice, it is much easier to get out and gather with family and friends. Keeping active together can be a family stroll to the park and a picnic or a new outdoor game. There are many options that get you moving and laughing together. You can  go to the zoo together. The walking is fun and the zoo is educational too. Sunshine and light exercise is a great way to stay active and healthy both mentally and physically. Also, you get that amazing vitamin D outside.

4.  Explore in a Nature Walk

GO GREEN! Yes, walking and exploring in nature has physical and health benefits to your aging parents or spouse. First getting out and moving is great and gets the blood flowing and your mood brighting! Also, experts have shared that time in nature decreases depression and has restorative effects on brain health. It is a blast to enjoy all that nature offers, and it is a great opportunity to do it with family or friends and enjoy social time as well as the beauty of nature.

5. Family Movie Night

There are so many classic and new movies to watch that you can have a weekly or bi-weekly movie night together. Keep the evening social with a dinner before the film, or you can make fun movie snacks that everyone can enjoy while watching the movie. Summer movie time is the best, and you can all talk and engage afterwards about the movie!

6.  Remember the Sunscreen and Water

At the end of the day or shall I say the beginning of the day, you need to have sunscreen and water. Aging skin is fragile and the sun is wicked, although enjoyable. Remember to use sunscreen often to avoid skin damage and nasty sunburns. Also, we need to keep water on hand. We dehydrate faster than we think in the summer and we need to stay hydrated to avoid the effects of dehydration, such as brain fog, dizziness, fatigue and so on. Get some water or fruits full of water and your sunscreen before you head out the door. 

Finally remember summertime is a fabulous time to engage with your aging parents or loved ones and enjoy time together.  If you need help with a loved one or parent that seems to need more assistance than you can provide, call Ann at Senior Living Options and she can guide you to the best care and living arrangements to support your aging loved one’s needs. Enjoy your summer!

Author: Ann Jamison

Ann Jamison is an experienced senior advisor who has successfully worked with hundreds of families to help them find the best care and home-like environment for themselves or their loved ones. Prior to launching Senior Living Options, Ann was an eldercare advisor for a national placement agency and served as sales director at a senior living community. Thanks to her 25-year career in advertising sales and marketing, Ann is able to discern between hype and reality for her clients. Ann recognizes that there are objective factors that need to be weighed when making a life-changing decision, but she can also assess the important softer attributes by getting to know her clients and by using the gut instincts that can only come through extended experience.