I couldn't think where to post this. It didn't seem to fit anywhere and I finally settled on here.

I'm doing some volunteer work for an organization for elders. They wanted me to come up with 52 topics that seniors/elderly and family members would like to read about. It can be current event things, health related, or anything you think might be of interest to them. I think this is for their newsletter. I may even be writing some of the stories. I came up with 55 last week for them but I am still trying to brainstorm and come up with more, since I figured all the ones I gave them may not be ones they can use. I gave them things like when to take the keys away or when to give up the car keys, H1N1, Medicare, cooking for one/eating alone, yoga for seniors and traveling.

Anyone got anything? I would like to give them a few more when I go on Wednesday. I thought this would be a good place to find some good ones.

thanks.

How about these:

Kitchen safety? My grandma always left her burners on, and there were scary things in her fridge that she warmed up for dinner. Not a good idea.

Different types of beds and chairs that make sleeping and getting in and out easier and more comfortable.

Gifts for grandkids - - money, gift cards, presents or?

Estate planning

Funeral arrangements

Elder friendly local activites and sight-seeing locations

Ways for the seniors to stay involved in their community, be it the Lions Club, Kiwanis Club, reading to kids at school, library programs, making blanets for homeless, letters to soldiers, etc.

Safety for those that live alone. Alarms for wrist or necklace, security systems, pre-programmed phones for help, etc.

Animals/pet care -

Photography, scrap booking, putting memories into a video or other fun, secure media form for the next generations


Hope these help! Let me know how it goes.
Kathy

Check out this link:

http://www.nabbw.com/display_associate.php?associate_id=6&column_id=640

Scroll to the bottom. Barbara has written over 30 aritcles that may be of some help.

Thanks!! Good ones, Kathy. I think I gave them a few of those, but there are some I hadn't thought of. I made the list while I was in their office and put it on their computer. Now, I don't remember what I already thought of.

I checked out that link, Dotsie. She has some good columns. I like the one about getting rid of stuff for myself. since I've been home, I've been trying to get rid of some stuff. I spent two weeks going through hundreds of photos, putting some in empty albums I bought and never filled, (at least 4 so far), giving some to the kids and tossing duplicates, bad photos and those of people I worked with years ago and don't even remember. I haven't finished the project, but I put a dent in it and I have a hard time getting rid of stuff.

1. Safe driving (very sensitive subject for those who can still drive).

2. A hugely, unrecognized issue is DEPRESSION. Many elders internalize society's view and projections about age. They feel unwanted. There is a definite lack of engagement -- they are silent and invisible to many.

I highly recommend researching Japanese-English forums and websites where people over certain age are actually revered, where aging is seen as a positive, where people are connected, where wisdom is valued.

Further to your mention of photos, LABEL them! We think we will never forget who the people in the pictures are, but we all know that we do forget...my Mom left behind boxes of photos we'd never even seen before, very old ones, probably of ancestors 2-3 generations ago, but we don't have a clue who they are, because none of them are labelled. Maybe mention that? Or writing out a book of favourite family recipes? There are some family favourites my Mom never wrote down and now I wish I had those recipes.