July is the National Picnic Month of America and for you as a Caregiver, the actual date does not matter. Having a picnic does! It is another of our suggested activities that can become a wonderful way to share something different and thus memorable. You may need to do the picnic on bedcovers, the living room floor, outside in the yard, in a nearby park, or even at the beach. The location will be determined by the condition and abilities involved.
Be sure to address the necessities
sun protection (hat, sunscreen or position the picnic in the shade)
wind protection (seniors get cold much more easily than we do)
incontinence supplies (don’t make finding a bathroom an event-killer)
comfortable pillow for seating (comfortable is important)
simple finger foods (chicken bites, musubi, pre-sliced steak, cut fruits, lightly roasted vegetable sticks (no celery, carrots, or hard vegetables) applesauce, whatever sounds good and is easy. Always keep in mind what consistency is important and if spoonable items are needed – present them in colorful disposable cups!
beverages (straws can help)
ice cream or something else that is out of the normal
Keep your outing short enough not to overly exhaust your loved one. A little exhaustion is OK and be sure to take some selfies or have someone else take some pictures. If you are dealing with dementia, the event may seem to have been forgotten right away – that is OK. Blow up some pictures and put them up somewhere and plan another picnic for another not-too-far away memory-making day.