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Rake leaves and burn calories.
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Enjoy a daily walk with an older neighbor
who is mobile.
-
Offer to drive a friend to his family’s
Thanksgiving – or invite him/her to yours.
-
Exchange favorite nutritious recipes.
-
Make sure the fireplace and the furnace have
been cleaned and inspected recently.
-
Mark with white or reflecting tape changes
in floor levels.
-
Give someone information on bus routes and
special senior transportation services.
-
Help with minor auto repairs.
-
Weatherize the house for winter with insulation
and weather-stripping on doors and windows.
-
Secure doormats to the floor surface.
-
Remove an inside door that is not needed
or hard to open.
-
Make sure ramps aren’t slippery.
-
Clean and inspect the gutters or help locate
a gutter service.
-
Fertilize plants and clean up the garden
for winter.
-
Deliver a bag of salt for melting icy stairs
or sidewalks.
-
Take trash or recycling to a curb.
-
Make an emergency survival kit for bad weather.
-
Bring birdseed and fill the feeders.
-
Prepare or share a meal.
-
Offer to pick up and return five rental movies
over the winter.
-
Help with holiday decorations, including
getting boxes from storage and putting them back.
A
little help around the house can go a long way –especially
for an older person who may be challenged by some aspects of daily
living. AARP has come up with a large variety of ideas to help aging
family member, friends, and neighbors continue living on their own.
It is as easy as raking someone’s yard, installing a grab
bar in the bathroom, or fixing a broken step – and it can
all make a difference. See if there is something on the list that
may aid you in making a difference!