Healthy Living

New England is known across the world for its gorgeous fall colors, and Boston is no exception. As temperatures begin to drop, it is also high time to prepare for the colder winter ahead. Here are a few tips on getting your home and life more organized as you welcome the fall season in Boston.   Clean Up Your Yard Boston is famous for its stunning fall foliage, with vibrant shades of red, orange and gold. People travel from far and wide to witness the glorious colors, as the trees change from hues of green, and living in Boston gives you prime viewing of seasonal splendor. However, falling leaves also need cleaning up to reduce the attraction for pests. Fall is also the time to get your vegetable patch in order for next spring. Give your grass one final mow before the winter, feed the lawn, rake up dead leaves, trim back dead tree and shrub branches, power wash the deck and plant fall flowers. Take time to de-clutter your yard and clean your gutters, too. If removing debris and lea...

Getting ready for the oncoming festivities and winter holidays can definitely be a hectic time. Winter in Boston is always magical, but when you’re in the mood to start preparing right away for what’s to come, here are a few tips to get you started. Get Essential Chores Out Of The Way Whether you’re preparing for the holidays or are planning to hold a party pretty soon, it’s crucial to have a list of essential tasks. Without having a list, you might end up forgetting important things like having  fresh and clean tablecloths for parties  or not having any snacks for your guests to munch on. I t ’s best to start compiling this list as soon as you decide to get prepared because it gives you more time to add any tasks that might have slipped out of your mind. Don’t let the Boston chill get to your head or your festivities when you’re prepared ahead of time! Look Your Best For the Holidays Winters are undoubtedly a time for parties, family gatherings, and much more. When you’re gea...

Mother’s Day is coming up on Sunday, May 9th. This is a wonderful opportunity to show your mom just how much you care and return some of the love she has shown for you over the years. If you’re still planning your Mother’s Day celebration, here are a few ideas to inspire you. 1. Help mom take a load off. Sometimes, moms just want a break. Giving her a break for Mother’s Day could be something she really appreciates. Arrange for a laundry pickup service to pick up her laundry while you take her out to lunch or to the mall. If your mother is caring for her mom or dad, then consider hiring a respite care service to take over her duties for a day. You could even arrange to have the service come once a week for the rest of the year, giving your mom more time to herself in the long term. 2. Cook a meal for her. Your mother has prepared thousands of meals for you throughout your lifetime, so why not cook for her for a change? Go over to her house so she doesn’t have to drive. Bring ...

  It was back in January last year when the first cases of COVID-19 were reported in the U.S., and in March 2020, the WHO declared the outbreak a pandemic. We are now one full year into the pandemic. It has been a hard year for everyone, but especially for our frontline workers, the elderly and their caregivers. We may be suffering from COVID fatigue but it is important that we remain vigilant and stay safe. I have some tips to share as we find our way through these difficult times. Plan for Vaccination Make a plan to get your COVID-19 vaccine, and help older adults in your life make a plan to get  their  vaccine. Find out if you can get vaccinated at your favorite  local pharmacy ; many are administering vaccines to at-risk individuals. Your local health department is another good resource to find vaccination sites in your area. If you live in Massachusetts like me, you can go on MA DPH website for clinics/sites that are currently ...

Caring for an aging parent can be both complicated and rewarding. Having a little extra help can make all the difference. It’s important to take care of yourself, as well. Being a family caregiver can be both emotionally and physically exhausting, so here are some tips for caring for an aging parent at home. Cooking Simple Meals Part of holding on to your dignity as you age is remaining as independent as possible. So even if your parent needs significant assistance with living by herself or himself at home, there are ways to make it so that they can do some of the everyday tasks themselves. For example, on weekly grocery trips, be sure to pick up food items that they may be able to prepare themselves. Prepping ingredients beforehand and labeling them in containers in the fridge is always a great way to lend some assistance without overstepping. Laundry and Cleaning Laundry and cleaning are chores that require physical exertion, so it is best to get help with these tasks as much as poss...

Summer is here, but the COVID-19 pandemic is still with us. Most of us are still leery of flying, so vacationing overseas or out of state is not under consideration. Although we are in phase 2 of re-opening and many restaurants and shops are now open, our safest activities this summer would be outdoors, especially in parks and beaches, with social distancing, of course. One place I’d like to visit with my family is the Minuteman Campground in Lexington, which is just 30 miles northwest of Boston. There, you can enjoy a quiet, spacious campsite among the tall pines. The campground has tent campsites, RV campsites and cabins. The RV sites have picnic tables , Wi-Fi, laundry, fire pits and electricity hookups, so you won’t need propane for RV generator . For fun, the campground provides kids playground, swimming pool, basketball, volleyball and more. As long as the family is outdoors, you always should be prepared with insect sprays and sunscreens, first aid kits and wound care supplies...