Fall Breeze & Autumn Leaves - Help your senior loved one enjoy the changing season.

Fall is a season known for its harvest times and turning leaves. The days offer warm sun, and the nights grow cool and darker as we transition into winter. There are several reasons to get outdoors and enjoy the autumn weather, as well as some preparation for the winter months to come.

Preparing the garden

Gardening is a hobby for many seniors and a perfect activity for us to assist with. Let's have a look at some of the tasks that need to be completed in Autumn to prepare for the frost and snow ahead. 

  • Take a walk around the garden and look at how all the plants did over the summer. Track whether individual plants were successful or not as well as identify which plants have outgrown their space and need to be divided.

  • If there are any bare areas that could use soil amendment, add mulch.

  • Check the overall health of plants - be on the lookout for diseases and damage.

  • Fertilize the lawn with slow-release, all-natural fertilizer; these nutrients allow grass to store food in the form of carbohydrates during the winter months.

  • Remove annuals from the garden - you can save seeds from most annuals and plant them next year.

  • Invite birds into your yard by feeding them; they do a great job of keeping the insect population down, which means you don't have to spray or dust as often to control pests.

If any of this list sounds intimidating, Foothills Home Services are available for 24 Hour Live-In Senior Care or daily Personal Care & Senior Support, offering help in all areas of life. We are happy to provide support with all the gardening tasks and, of course, offer companionship while your senior loved one puts this hobby on the shelf until spring! Contact us today to devise the perfect care plan for the senior in your life. 

It's the perfect time to get outside!

After the heat of the summer, it can be a relief when it finally starts to cool down! Fall is the best season weather-wise; the sun shines, offering just the right amount of warmth as trees that were once green turn into beautiful hues of red, yellow, and orange; why not spend some time outside with your senior loved one?

  • Go for a walk

  • Visit a corn maze

  • Take routine tasks outdoors -  puzzles, reading, card games

  • Visit a pumpkin patch

  • Check out some of these local outdoor attractions in the Foothills. 

Millarville Farmers Market - Open Saturdays until Thanksgiving weekend. Keep an eye out for dates to watch Half Marathon Horse Races and Family-Friendly Rodeos! 

Calgary Fam Yard - Harvest lights, pumpkin patches, and a petting zoo, a day of fun for the whole family! Gather the kids and grandparents and start making memories.

Saskatoon Farm - Open daily throughout the fall, offering u-pick, a restaurant, bakery, and garden center, the saskatoon farm is a must-see foothills attraction. Keep an eye out for pop-up markets.

Holiday Time!

Autumn is chock full of holidays, giving the perfect excuse to include your senior companion in your family life.

Thanksgiving - October 10th gives a chance for families to give thanks for a good harvest and other fortunes in the past year over a traditional dinner of turkey, potatoes, and veggies - don’t forget the cranberry sauce! Fans of the teams in the CFL buckle up for the Thanksgiving day classic matches while others may take a fall walk or stay in the warm doing puzzles or watching movies together.

Halloween - A wonderful time for grandparents to watch the kids in delight. If the weather is warm enough this October 31st and your senior loved one is able, why not walk with the kids and watch their happy faces receiving candy? If, like many Halloweens before, it may be much too cold to be out, perhaps have your senior companion come over and hand out candy with the family and carve a pumpkin!

Day of the Dead - On November 2nd in Canada, families gather in cemeteries and decorate the graves of loved ones past with brightly coloured sand, marigolds, candles, and offerings of food and drinks. Families and friends bring along lawn chairs, sip beer, and listen to music from a nearby mariachi band!

We're here for you

If you envision a change for your senior loved one, whether assistance needed is as simple as housekeeping, grocery shopping, and meal prep or more substantial such as bathing assistance, medication administration, or even round-the-clock live-in attention, Foothills Home Services is here to create with you a custom care plan for your loved one! Give the gift of a fresh start as the seasons change with Foothills Home Services, where assistance and companionship are at the core. Reach out today!

Amanda Nelson

Amanda is passionate about growth, big-picture ideas, and putting together strategic marketing plans for businesses that want to scale.

Amanda’s philosophy is to love what you do, to never say no to new opportunities without hearing them first, and to treat others as she would like to be treated.

She is forward-thinking and intuitive when it comes to what a business needs to level up its marketing game. Amanda is a single mother to a spunky boy, she is obsessed with plants (210+ houseplants), and loves relaxing at home after a fulfilling day of work.

https://www.theartofb.ca
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What to Expect from Foothills In-Home Caregivers

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Recognizing Depression In Our Senior Loved Ones