I think it is safe to say that we all have been intimidated and scared since the COVID-19 pandemic began. So much information and discussions to absorb that it has almost reached a point where I try to avoid the news and social media platforms at times. There are times where I just don’t want to leave the house for fear of what might happen if my husband or I were to come in contact with someone who has the virus or is a carrier and doesn’t realize it.
All of this has given me time to think; however, about the senior citizens who live in our area, our own parents, and the fact that my husband and I are staring senior citizen status in the face.
Keeping Active
Even with restrictions in place, there have been some great ways to keep active. Daily walks, working in the yard or garden, dancing around the house while cooking dinner, bicycling, it just takes some imagination!
My dad and I are somewhat alike in that we don’t like being idle and having nothing to look forward to. For me, it’s been my bike rides around the neighborhood. For my dad, it has been his daily walks and outlining his game plan hunting season in his head.
He’s always been a quiet individual, so it is no surprise that he prefers crossbows over firearms. He’s been checking out his favorite hunting spots and walking 2 to 4 miles every day. He checks for strong, sturdy trees with low branches where he can set up a stand, or checks on several stands he and his friends have built in the woods over the years. He scouts out various locations he’s used before, and checks for animal tracks to see what may or may not have been through the area lately.
Provided there isn’t a horrid second wave of the pandemic arriving during the beginning of hunting season, I’m sure he’ll be out there watching and waiting!
Seniors for Seniors
While my husband and I are still able to move about and do things for ourselves, I know that there are seniors in our area that do not have that luxury. We have taken time out of our day to check in our neighbors, run errands for them, or just pick up a few items at the store to drop off.
Even during a pandemic, as human beings, we need contact with each other. We need to laugh together, help each other, enjoy each other’s company.
This brings to mind a great program called Seniors for Seniors by Spectrum. Mature companions who provide elderly companion services to others who share common experiences and foster genuine relationships close to their own age. I know of several seniors in our area that would greatly benefit from a service like this – either as being the one providing services or being the one to receive services. If you would like more information about the program you can find it here – https://spectrumhealthcare.com/services/seniors-for-seniors/.
Cannabis and Seniors
During the first few months, I was reading everything I could get my hands on. As happens when I go off on a reading binge, I get some hair-brained ideas and one was whether or not marijuana or CBD products could be used as a means of fighting the coronavirus. It’s readily available, and not something we would have to spend billions developing or researching.
I have used several different brands of CBD products, most I initially tried due to their cannabis promotion and packaging, but there have been several (like Receptra) that I have really enjoyed using and that work great – for me and our pets.
The global legal marijuana market is expected to reach $146.4 BILLION dollars by the end of 2025. If it is not legal in your state to partake of personally, you can still build yourself a nice nest egg over the next five years by buying stock in legitimate companies and products. Either way, cannabis and being a senior is the next hot ticket for ensuring you have a great time – one way or another.
The coronavirus hasn’t been the end of the world, even if it did give most of us a pretty big scare and an even bigger wake up call. With some ingenuity and compassion, we’ll get through this together!
