During the hot and humid New England summer months, it’s often advisable, for seniors especially, to stay indoors and keep cool. However, this shouldn’t mean that you have to sit idly by, waiting for the heat to pass. Here are four fabulous ideas for having a fun, creative, and productive summer without the risk of overexertion.
- Do a little shopping at a mall or spend some time at a local bookstore. Cozy up in a comfy chair with an iced coffee or treat and relax while lingering over a book or magazine. Tatnuck Bookseller and Café in the Westborough Shopping Center is a mere six miles away, and is a charming, family-owned bookstore that frequently holds events such as Writers Workshops, book readings, and more. Their café has an extensive menu of sandwiches, soups, pastries, coffees, and other refreshing drinks; and their gift gallery is full of truly inspired gift ideas, collectibles, ladies accessories, and more.
- Plan outings to local museums and indoor cultural events. The Worcester Art Museum is currently featuring the exhibit “Art Since the Mid-20th Century”, which chronicles the past seven decades and includes iconic works by such artists as Grace Hartigan, Alex Katz, Jackson Pollack, Joan Mitchell, and Andy Warhol. The Cantor Art Gallery at the College of the Holy Cross is presenting the exhibition “As Far as the Eye Can See”through August 16, 2014. This exhibition features artwork by over 20 artists with disabilities living in Central Massachusetts. This summer at the Worcester Historical Museum, learn the public and personal stories behind a selection of artifacts in their collection in the revealing exhibit “Stories They Tell”. For the city of Worcester’s full cultural calendar, click here.
- Set a goal to learn something new. It is great for the brain! Learn a new craft, take an art class, or learn and practice a new game. On Tuesdays, Southgate at Shrewsbury holds our “Knit & Stitch” classes; Wednesdays are our bridge and ladies’ poker clubs; Thursdays are our acrylic painting class and men’s poker; Fridays, we also have bridge, in addition to cribbage. Our program calendar is recognized for its standard of excellence, offering endless opportunities for you to enrich your mind and spirit.
- Connect with technology! Social networking, online support groups, and informational resources can all be very useful. Set up Skype or a similar service for video chatting with family and friends at a distance. Get more proficient with that tablet or iPad. From games that promote brain fitness to apps that track health information, a tablet can have a variety of positive impacts on seniors’ lives. View photos, listen to music, read, learn languages–plus the devices are lightweight, their touchscreens are easy to use, and font sizes can easily be adjusted for improved reading.
At Southgate at Shrewsbury, the warm summer breeze carries a sense of wellbeing in the air. We are committed to the health and happiness of our residents, and believe that the heat should not prevent keeping the body active and the mind engaged. For more information about the daily activities schedule here at Southgate, our social calendar is available here.
