Summer with the Senior Citizens

Spending the summer with the senior citizens can be more trying than with just the kids. Since the adults already know the hinges they like and things they don’t they tend to be much more picky. On top of all that getting them to pay attention to how hot it is can be difficult. Here are 5 tips for dealing with the senior during the summer.

1. Have a Plan

I cant’t begin to tell you how important it is to have a plan. Why? Because senior citizens get bored quicker than children do. With a child you can easily distract them for a few minutes. A senior already knows all those tricks.

2. Sunscreen…Sunscreen…Sunscreen

Think of their skin like a baby’s. Most seniors grew up during a time sunscreen wasn’t used often. I have to remind Ma and my uncle a million times a day to put on sunscreen when they go outside. You would think they would know to do this but they don’t.

3. Hydrate…Hydrate…Hydrate

If keeping sunscreen on them is hard you will laugh at the way they refuse to drink water. They need to stay hydrated yet these two will go outside in the middle of August, which is like a hundred degrees, and work in the yard for hours. In sweat pants and long sleeves. I stand in the yard yelling at them to come inside and cool off. Ma will say let her have a coke and I swear I want to strangle her. A coke! I almost have to force the water down their throats. I have tried everything under the sun. Finally I had to have their doctors tell them they must drink the water and to stay out of the sun.

4. Early is Better

The earlier in the day we do things, the better. Why you might ask? Because after around noon they start with their naps and daily walks. If I even think of interrupting those I’m in trouble. They take like two or three naps a day. I asked the doctor and he said it is fine not to mention it doesn’t interfere wit their sleeping at night. They also take a dozen or more walks a day. These aren’t long walks but it gets them moving and out of the house.

5. Don’t Forget the Meds

My seniors take a lot of different medications. In fact, my uncle just started taking Humira which must be refrigerated. I have a cooler just for medications and like fifty different alarms on my phone so they can be reminded to take them. When we are traveling I make sure they bring all of their medications in their proper bottles. That is important in case something happens.  Both like to use those daily little plastic thingys but when traveling I won’t let them.

 

Being ready for the summer with seniors is important. Without a plan in place I think I would go crazy. They both love to run off and do things. I swear one of these days I’m gonna have to have an Amber Alert because they walked off from in the store. They refuse to carry and/or use their cellphones and I swear they enjoying giving me a hard time. I have learned that I just have to put my foot down and treat them like their were two all over again.