12 GOOD HABITS TO DEVELOP IN 2015 | Sharon Village Care Homes

We’ve all heard tips on how to break bad habits, but we don’t often hear about forming good ones.

Here are 12 habits you may want to develop in the New Year.

JANUARY

A brand new year stretches before you. It’s a time of new beginnings—no matter how many New Year’s you’ve rung in.

Developing healthy habits is on many people’s list of resolutions. It’s never too late to add this to your list. This month, as you’re able, seek to be more active. (Be sure to check with a professional who knows your specific limitations.)

FEBRUARY

Mention February and many people think of Valentine’s Day. Of course every month is a good month to express our love for family and friends, but why not do so in a special way this month? And if you have the opportunity to befriend someone who’s lonely, it will do you both a lot of good.

MARCH

Physical activity goes hand in hand with healthy eating. Eating well can help you think more clearly, feel more energized, and have a more positive attitude. Pay attention to the effects of the foods you eat, and seek to make good choices.

APRIL

Springtime . . . the crocuses and tulips are blooming, chasing away the monochromatic colour scheme of winter. Plants make a great addition to any room. If you don’t have a plant on your windowsill, this is a great time to get one. If you don’t have much of a green thumb, try a cactus or other type of succulent. They require very little attention and yet add life to your surroundings.

MAY

Plants are great . . . and so are pets. While it may not be possible to keep a dog or cat, you may want to consider getting a fish or two. They add a splash of colour (pun intended). It’s fun and relatively easy to care for them. And many people find it relaxing to watch them swim around their bowl.

JUNE

Each year thousands of new books hit the shelves. June—any month really—is a great time to visit the local library or bookstore and select a book that interests you. If you’re not able to get out, you can order books online. Large print and audiobooks are helpful options for those who have difficulty with their eyesight.

JULY

Not everyone is able to get away on holidays, but this is a great time of year to do vacationy-type things. Day trips can be a lot of fun. Or maybe you want to plan a little get-together with a vacation theme. Brainstorm with a few of your friends and see what ideas you come up with. Who knows? You may even want to make this a regular event?

AUGUST

The days are often sunny and warm. Wouldn’t it be great if people used these words to describe you as well? Make it a habit to be caring and upbeat, and it’s bound to happen. See if you can do something nice for someone every day this month. It doesn’t have to be extravagant. Even a smile or kind word can go a long way to brighten someone’s day.

SEPTEMBER

Dubbed in recent years “the most wonderful time of the year” because children are heading back to school, September reminds us of the excitement of learning new things.

Why not take a course or learn a new hobby? It’s never too late to learn something new.

OCTOBER

Thanksgiving rolls around this month. It’s the perfect time to compile a gratitude journal to share with family and friends . . . or simply to keep for yourself. Even if it was a challenging year, try to think of all the things you have to be thankful for and make note of them.

NOVEMBER

Time to revisit your eating and exercise habits. Have you been more active? Have you sought to eat well? Even if you have, maybe it’s time to try something new—just to make sure you don’t get bored. Have fun and enjoy!

DECEMBER

And whoosh, another year comes to a close. (Boy, that was fast!)

It’s that time again, time to look back over the year and see what new habits you’ve formed and decide which you are going to work on in the year ahead.

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A DIFFERENT KIND OF RESOLUTION LIST | Sharon Village Care Homes

The dawn of a brand new year seems like the perfect time to make a list of resolutions. However, the typical list may no longer be relevant. Some things still apply, but others do not.

Why not consider a different kind of list?

In 2015, I will …

Connect with Family More Often

For one reason or another, you may not have many opportunities to spend time with family. Thankfully, in this day and age, there are many options to getting together in person. Set a regular phone date—and stick to it. If you have access to a computer, schedule regular Skype chats. The wonderful thing about Skype is that you can see those grandbabies and great grandbabies grow up even if they live thousands of miles away. And since the majority of what ends up in our mailboxes these days goes straight into the recycle bin, it’s almost guaranteed that an old-fashioned letter will bring a smile to the recipient. (Just a hint: Be honest about how much staying in touch means to you.)

Preserve My Memories

There are a number of ways to do so. Keep a journal of your thoughts and memories. Don’t worry if your entries aren’t chronological. Almost anything can trigger a memory. It’s best to capture it as soon as possible. Looking through old photos is a wonderful way to reminisce. You may want to put together a photo album of favourite moments. You may even want to incorporate the two and put together a scrapbook of captioned photos.

Learn Something New

Visit the local library and check out books on the Recently Added shelves. Grab one (or more) that catches your eye. Sign up for an online course. (There are several available at no or minimal charge.) Order a series of CDs or DVDs that explore a topic you’re interested in. (You may want to check out Great Canadian Courses.)

Take Up a New Hobby

In the same vein, perhaps it’s time to take up a new hobby. Remember it’s about having fun and expanding your mind—not about doing it perfectly right from the start. Do you love that painting right outside your room? Why not try painting one of your own? Admire that infinity scarf your daughter was wearing? Maybe it’s time to pick up a ball of yarn and some knitting needles. (These days, they have extremely large crochet hooks and knitting needles with patterns for quick projects. This may be right for you if you struggle with dexterity and/or like to see something come together quickly.) Are you a music lover? There are music teachers who are willing to come to you and there are courses online as well. Always been good with words? Maybe it’s time to take up writing: poems, short stories, a full-length novel, your memoir.

Laugh More

There is a proverb that reads, “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.” Illness, loneliness, depression … they can all make it seem like you have no reason to be merry. There is no denying that it’s difficult sometimes, but the payoff for laughing more might surprise you. Read humorous books. Watch sitcoms and funny movies. Hang around people who make you laugh. Go ahead; be silly. You may just bring a smile to someone’s face—maybe even a full-fledged laugh. And making others happy often splashes back and does the same for us.

Stretch the Parameters of My Comfort Zone

If you’re an introvert and spent most of your life surrounded by familiar people and places, making new friends and trying new things may seem just too difficult. There is no denying that breaking out of your comfort zone—or simply expanding the parameters—will be challenging. But it is so worth it!

Get Active

Exercise has so many benefits. Improved lung capacity. The ability to sleep more restfully. The ability to think more clearly. Because of the release of endorphins, exercise even improves your outlook. Though you may not be able to do what you once did, try to do a little more each week. (Be sure to get guidance from a professional who knows your limitations.)

Develop an Attitude of Gratitude

Sometimes the challenges of getting older are like a heavy weight. Nothing lifts that weight like deliberately looking for things to be thankful for. It’s a great idea to keep a Thankfulness Journal. When you’re down, you can open it and remind yourself just how much you have to be grateful for.

Pay It Forward

And there’s nothing quite like doing something nice for someone else. Resolve to look for the opportunity to do so each and every day.

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THEN AND NOW | Sharon Village Care Homes

Here are a few suggestions to rekindle happy memories of the holiday season—and make new ones.

The Tree

Coat, hat, mitts … check, check, and check. Trudging through snow up to your thighs saw in hand … check. Finding the perfect tree … check. Dragging it home only to find it is much too big to fit into the living room … and check. (Trees always look much smaller in the woods.)

Even if this is a familiar scenario, it is likely a distant memory. But chances are, if you can remember doing this, there are happy memories associated with the entire process. The lights. The baubles. The tinsel. And sitting back to admire your handiwork with a homemade cookie in one hand and a mug of hot cocoa in the other.

While you may not have room for a tree—even a small one—you likely have a dresser where you could place a miniature artificial tree. And if you prefer “the real thing,” you may have a corner where you can tuck a small, potted evergreen, which can be planted outside in the spring.

You can decorate the tree with tiny baubles and bows available at most department and dollar stores. You can even find candy canes just the right size to add the finishing touch.

This tiny replica can serve as a reminder of those happy memories from long ago.

The Decorations

Bows. Ribbon. Garland. Mistletoe. Artificial snow in a can.

A visit to the neighbourhood dollar store can spark any number of ideas to decorate even the smallest space.

How about … window clings, a pint-sized Christmas village, snowman mugs.

A few well-place additions can brighten up your room in no time.

The Lights

From the lights on the tree to the bulbs outlining each window … from the outdoor floodlights casting a warm glow to the flicking candles … this season shines like no other.

Some miniature trees are pre-lit. All you have to do is plug them in. You may not be able to outline your window with multi-coloured lights, but you may be able to hang a lit star or snowman to bring a smile to passersby—as well as yourself.

And thanks to creative ingenuity, there are now battery-powered candles that are so realistic-looking it’s hard to believe there is no open flame.

As the sun sets earlier and earlier, these lights provide a nice alternative to harsh fluorescents … and can stir up warm and happy memories.

The Music

While not everyone gathered around “the old piany” and sang carols, seasonal songs are piped into stores and restaurants and evoke an emotional response from people of all ages. Music is a powerful tool and awakens memory centres in the brain like nothing else can.

Whether listening to favourites from your past or discovering new favourites, why not make music part of the season?

The Movies

Peruse the DVD aisles in any store at this time of year, and you’ll find rows and rows of holiday classics. It seems everyone has their favourites.

Maybe it’s time to pop in a copy of “A Christmas Carol,” “White Christmas,” or “Miracle on 34th Street.”

Perhaps just thinking about the movies you watched with your children brings a smile to your face. Go ahead and watch “A

Charlie Brown Christmas,” the original “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” or the Burl Ives’ classic, “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Enjoy!

The Cards

Not too long ago, the holidays meant mailboxes stuffed with greeting cards. Displays of cards made wonderful additions to the decorations.

With the advent of e-cards that are sent on the computer—and the ever-increasing price of individual and boxed cards—fewer and fewer physical cards are sent each year.

One of the most wonderful things about the season is bringing a smile to someone’s face. Just think how big those smiles will be if your loved ones go to their mailboxes and find a card with a personalized, handwritten note inside.

May you bring many smiles this holiday season … and may you have countless reasons to smile yourself.

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BOREDOM BUSTERS – Part 2 | Sharon Village Care Homes

When we’re no longer able to go where we used to go and do what we used to do, it’s easy to slip into a funk and let boredom get the best of us. However, as you may have read in “Boredom Busters – Part 1,” there are several things we can do to keep boredom at bay. Below are a dozen more things you may can choose from to do just that.

Watch TV

It’s easy to mindlessly watch the television and just let the hours slip past. However, TV can also have many benefits: keeping up with world events, revisiting happy memories as you watch reruns and old movies, laughing at situation comedies—both old and new, and exercising your memory as you follow new shows with ongoing storylines.

Read a Book

Even better than watching the story unfold before you is reading about it. Reading requires more interaction with the information than does watching television. Let the author paint the picture with words. You can make note of facts and quotations that you want to remember and look back at them later. There are books written about any topic you can imagine.

Listen to an Audiobook

Local libraries often have extensive audiobook sections. If you have difficulty reading a book for any reason—or even if you’re more of an audio learner than a visual learner—audiobooks provide a great alternative.

Write a Story

You don’t simply have to watch, read, or listen to the stories created by others. You can come up with your own. You can use a journal, a computer, or a voice recorder to share fiction, memoir, or other nonfiction. Even if you are the only one who ever reads or listens to your stories, it can be a great way to overcome boredom. Who knows? Others may also be interested in what you’ve written.

Write a Poem

You don’t have to be a storyteller or a novelist to write a story and you don’t have to be a gifted poet to write poems. Poems are a wonderful way of sharing big ideas with only a few words. One of the best ways to be inspired is to read the poetry written by others.

Write a Letter

Social networking, emailing, texting … they’re all great ways to keep in touch with others, but there are many people who would love to receive a letter—even a brief note—in their mailbox.

Record a Favourite Memory (audio or written)

What happy memories stand out to you? By recording them, you will have them to read or listen to when you’re feeling down. Plus, your memories may stir happy memories for others as well.

Take Up a New Hobby

There’s nothing like a hobby to overcome boredom. If you’re unable to pursue the hobbies you used to enjoy—or if you simply want to try something new—ask around. When you hear about something that sounds interesting, give it a try.

Exercise

It’s important to keep moving as much as possible. Attend an exercise class. Go for a walk. (Remember to get medical clearance before changing your level of physical activity.)

Make a Friend

No matter how old you are, you can still make new friends. Strike up a conversation. Who knows? You might discover you have shared interests or simply enjoy one another’s company. Cliché as it sounds, the best way to make a friend is to be a friend.

Paint a Picture

You may be an artist from way back or you may feel like you don’t have an ounce of creativity. It doesn’t matter. You can purchase paint-by-numbers, attempt realistic paintings, or use your favourite colours and simply put brush to canvas and produce an abstract that reflects your feelings. Have fun!

Take a Photo

From cell phones to small, handheld digital cameras; from expensive equipment to the new instant cameras … there are many ways to take pictures. Photographers find it’s a whole new world when they’re viewing life through the lens. You may too.

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