Adaptive Outdoor Fall Activities for the Elderly or Disabled

Nature can be enjoyed by all so even if it may be more difficult for you or your loved one to get out don’t let that detour you. A disability doesn’t lessen one’s need for nature and although it can be a bit of a challenge the benefits make it worth the effort. There are just a few things you will need to consider before making it an enjoyable experience: accessibility, accommodations and adaptive equipment.

Benefits of Being Outdoors

Studies have shown that just the act of being in and observing nature can benefit our mental and physical health. Most of us know that the sun delivers vitamin D, which regulates calcium absorption, lowers your risk of developing soft or fragile bones, and offers a protective effect against cancer, diabetes and multiple sclerosis. But did you know that recent studies have shown a few other noteworthy properties of sunlight that include:

• Pain killing properties
• Increased subcutaneous fat metabolism
• Daytime sun exposure improves evening alertness

Additional benefits of being outdoors include elevated mood, decreased feelings of depression and anxiety, improvements in self-esteem and it just plain feels good!

Accessibility and Accommodations

First you will need to know where to find places with proper accessibility for persons with limited mobility. Look at the website or call ahead if you are unsure of the accommodations. State governments have great resources that provide access to the great outdoors.

For a list of wheelchair accessible trails by state, visit the traillink.com website.

For information about accessibility in parks and historical sites see:
101Mobility.com
tripsavvy.com

A list of outdoor activities including fishing piers and platforms can be found at the Disabled Sports USA website.

There are many places that provide organized outdoor recreation for any ability, search the internet for places in your area.

Adaptive Equipment

Being in the field of Occupational therapy, I know there is no problem that can’t be solved with some kind of special piece of equipment or gadget. Adaptive equipment can range from “reacher” gadgets that can help you play a yard game to adaptive fishing equipment that makes it possible for people with all abilities to fish.

Outdoor Activities Ideas for Disabled Adults

From something as simple as sitting by a waterfall to participating in an outdoor activity, just ten minutes in the outdoors is mind changing. A change of scenery or a new adventure can rejuvenate mind, body and soul.

Visit a pumpkin patch
Go apple picking
Find and enjoy accessible trails
Watch the stars
Sit by a waterfall
Go fishing
Go target shooting (guns/archery)
Find nearby horse riding for the disabled
Visit and learn about the natural history of a place

Get out and feel the breeze and the sun, snow or the rain, nature is a natural high.

By Janet Sander, COTA

10 Ideas for End of Summer Fun

Do you need some things to do to stretch the last few weeks of summer? If you have already done all the typical summer activities like visiting the zoo, camping, going to the water park, etc., you may be asking what else is there to do? Even if the vacation fund is drained there are things to do without spending much, if any money. Doing something different, no matter how small, can make the best summertime memories.  Here are some ideas for for you to try:

1. Take a night hike – Ever consider hiking in the dark? Make sure to check the lunar calendar and the forecast first. A full moon or at least a partial moon will give you enough light to see even if your flashlight should fail. For a little more fun turn your flashlight off on purpose and see how far you can go. Don’t forget to check the forecast though, a cloudy night might put you in the dark even during a full moon. You may also want to take a device, such as your cell phone, to collect sound samples. You may be surprised by what you can hear in the night. What a fun adventure especially if you go properly prepared and keep safety at the top of your list!

1. Make homemade bug spray – Find a recipe that works for you either with oils or herbs (Find homemade recipes at www.theprairiehomestead). Have a fun time making it and have an even better time staying protected from the bugs!
2. Go night swimming – light the torches and have a relaxing swim – no sunscreen required! Better yet, enjoy the time with friends. Tips for the The Perfect Post Dusk Swim Party.
3. Make homemade ice cream – whether you use an old-fashioned hand-cranked ice cream maker or an easy to use electric one, making ice cream can turn into a fun family experience that will be remembered for years to come.
4. Make homemade root beer – Then root beer floats!

1. Feed the ducks – but don’t give them bread! Bread is not healthy for ducks and can even be harmful. But there are plenty of leftovers you can give to the ducks so you can have fun and feel good about it too! Ultimate List of Duck Treats
2. Outdoor night games for kids – playing games is fun for kids at any time but there is something special about playing outdoors at night. Some games to play: Kick the Can, Flashlight Hide and Seek, Ghost in the Graveyard.
3. Make a lemonade stand – it’s not about making money; it’s about having fun!

1. Volunteer – find a place close to home where you can give back to your community.
2. Find a drive-in movie or even better, create one in your backyard – hang up a white sheet, connect your laptop to a projector (for a fun cheap way you can make your own projector, see below).

Homemade projector

Items needed:
Small box
Magnifying glass
Tape
Cell phone
White sheet or garage door

Directions
Cut out a hole in the box the size of the magnifying glass. Put the magnifying glass in the hole and secure with tape. Place the phone in the box so that the screen faces the magnifying glass. The video should be playing upside down on the phone screen in order to project correctly. Point toward sheet or garage door to project!

Is a Blue Moon really blue?

A Blue Moon is defined in the Farmer’s Almanac as the third full moon in a season that has four full moons. This is the original definition and by using it there can be no more than one blue moon in any year. In some years as in 2017 there will be no blue moon.

That can be a little difficult to grasp but to add to the confusion there is an alternate definition of Blue Moon that came from a misinterpretation of the original definition. With the newer definition of Blue Moon it said to be the second full moon in a month.

When using the two different definitions to calculate Blue Moon dates, we come up with very different answers. Although with both definitions it is still a rare occurrence so the saying that something that doesn’t happen very often is said to happen “Once in a Blue Moon” holds true for whichever definition you care to use. For example, using the original definition, blue moons occur on:
May 18,2019
August 22, 2021
Aug 19, 2024

And using the more modern definition, blue moons occur on:
January 31, 2018
March 31, 2018
October 31, 2020
August 31, 2023

So no, a Blue Moon isn’t actually blue. The name may have started because in the past people named full moons according to seasons, such as Moon before Yule, Moon after Yule, Easter Moon or Egg Moon so when a year with a 13th full moon came around it would throw off the seasonal naming. So the odd full moon would be called a Blue Moon. The other explanation is thought to be due to the fact that the Christian calendar uses full moons to determine certain religious dates such as Easter. So when there is a 13th moon calling it something else, like a Blue Moon, could have helped keep things straight when referring to religious dates.

Blue moons may look like any other moon but no matter what you call it a full moon is rather spectacular in it’s own way. If you can get out of the bright lights of the city on a cloudless night, a full moon will light up the landscape like it’s the middle of the afternoon. And watch out, it just may change your outlook for the better!

Below are full moon dates for 2017:
January 12, February 11,
March 12, April 11, May 10, June 9, July 9, August 7,
September 6, October 5,
November 4, December 3

References

http://www.moongiant.com/Blue_Moon_Calendar.php

http://www.space.com/15455-blue-moon.html