Tips for Summit Seniors for Having Backyard Picnics with the Family
Summit Seniors: Have a Backyard Picnic with the Whole Family!
Prepare for the Elements The beauty of hosting a picnic in your backyard is that you can control a variety of factors. Choose a shaded spot on even terrain to protect your Summit senior parent from overheating or falling. You’ll also want easy access to the backdoor for bathroom trips and in the event the weather suddenly turns. Of course, if your parent has a condition that makes picnicking outside too difficult, you can always plan a picnic indoors, or simply take them for a picturesque car ride.
Select the Right Seating In addition to looking for a spot with even terrain, you’ll also want to think about what sort of seating will provide most comfort to your Summit senior parent. In most cases, a table is preferable to eating on the ground as getting up and down can pose a challenge to seniors with limited mobility. A camping or card table is easy to transport in and out of doors and hits at a good height for seniors in wheelchairs. We recommend chairs with backs over benches.
Plan the Menu When cooking food for your picnic, remember that the focus of the day is on spending quality time together—you, your Summit senior parent, your kids, and other extended family. Choose simple, healthy foods; you don’t need to plan a gourmet meal. If your parent has difficulty chewing, take corn off the cob and meat off the bone, but do this in the kitchen rather than out in front of guests, which might embarrass your parent. Chunks of watermelon make a sweet treat to cap the meal. Finally, keep water glasses full as seniors are more vulnerable to heat stroke and exhaustion.
Organize Fun and Games Soft background music creates a relaxing atmosphere. You might find some of your Summit senior parent’s favorite music online for a personal touch. If you don’t have a portable speaker, simply putting your smart phone in a bowl will help amplify its sound. A deck of cards and games of Go Fish or Rummy help pass the time, but sometimes the best fun is unplanned, like simply letting grandparents engage with their grandkids by telling stories or describing the shapes in passing clouds. Don’t stress yourself out trying to plan the perfect day. Keeping things simple will allow you to enjoy yourself, too. BrightStar Care of Summit proudly provides Home Care and Support for Seniors, including 24 hour in home care and support in independent and assisted living communities. We provide all levels of home care from Companion Services to Skilled Nursing, Medical Staffing, Home care, In-Home Skilled Nursing, In-Home Physical Therapy for Pediatric, Adult and Geriatric Patients, and Companion and Personal Care for Elders with Alzheimer’s or Dementia. We also provide Home Child Care, Sitter and Nanny services for Children and Support for New Mothers. We Support Veterans as a partner of the VA/Veterans administration provider network and are a Home Care Provider for the U.S. Department of Labor, Division of Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation. We Accept most Long Term Care Insurance benefits. We provide Hospice care, Live-in care, CNA, Caregiver, RN, LPN, RN Supervision, Compassionate Care, and have Compatibility Guarantees. We are an ALS Society partner, Alzheimer Association member, and we provide care for developmentally disabled children and adults and individuals of all ages with mental health and behavioral health diagnosis. Other services inlcude safe discharge and transportation from the hospital or rehab facility, Post Op care both short and long term, Pre Operation and preparation help and assistance, and client monitoring for out of town family members. Our service area covers Summit Territory: Cranford, Garwood, Kenilworth, Springfield, Union, Vauxhall, Elizabeth, Roselle, Roselle Park, Hillside, Elizabeth, and Summit in Union County, NJ.