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Don’t Let Boredom Get You Down
For those of us fortunate to have avoided COVID-19, the lockdown is causing another chronic problem, especially among seniors; boredom. Now boredom may not seem like a big deal when there are so many other things going on in the world, but it can have real consequences. Seniors who experience boredom are more likely to suffer from depression, a condition that affects both mind and body.
So how can you beat boredom during lockdown? Here are some recommendations, activities, and resources to help get you active and engaged!
Start a Virtual Book Club
Reading is a no-brainer when it comes to beating boredom, so we’ll go a step further. Try starting a virtual book club. Not only will you get to read new books or revisit your favorite reads, but you can stay in touch with your friends. Socializing is more important than ever, especially since many of us are stuck at home.
Don’t worry about technology either, setting up a virtual book club is easier than it sounds – and you can do it for free! Online chat tools like Zoom, Google Hangouts, and Facetime offer their basic services for free. All you need is a smartphone, tablet, or computer with an internet connection. We also recommend a good pair of headphones with a built-in microphone, so it’s easy to hear everyone. Nothing will pass the time like chatting with friends and maybe drinking a little wine too!
Explore Local Parks
If you are able to leave home and you’re looking for something safe and socially-distant, try exploring your local parks. Upstate New York is full of beautiful parks large and small.
Parks offer many options for walking, hiking, or biking – activities all made better by nature. This is a good way to be active and exercise. Plus, it’s easy to social distance when you’re outside, so this is a relatively low-risk activity if you take proper precautions.
Before you go, double-check to see if the park you’re visiting is open. Some parks are closed due to coronavirus. Don’t forget to bring water, hand sanitizer, and a mask too! Now, go explore and see what you can find.
Foster a Pet
Nothing brings joy into someone’s life like a new cat or dog. Pets are lovely companions who help prevent loneliness, but they require a lot of commitment. Consider pet fostering, where you take in a pet temporarily until you can find a loving family to adopt it. You get the entertainment and affection of a pet, but you don’t have to commit to keeping it for its entire life. Plus, you’ll help a lot of other people find joy in new pets.
Getting started as a pet foster is simple. Make sure you have a suitable home for a pet and get in touch with a fostering service. There are countless ones out there, such as Cause for Paws. These organizations often help cover the cost of taking care of a foster pet too.
Now that you’ve read through our ideas, hopefully, you feel inspired to make the most out of these strange times. So get up, get active, and go beat your boredom!
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