Senior Center News, Sept. 8, 2020

North Central Senior Center, Sept. 7-11

Editor’s note: The Havre Daily News did not receive this until after print deadline Friday.

Menu by Earlene DeWinter

Subject to Change

Monday — Holiday — Closed

Tuesday — Salad, baked ham, au gratin potatoes, corn, rolls, peach kuchen

Wednesday — Oven-baked fish, rice pilaf, broccoli, bread pudding

Thursday —  Hamburger Stroganoff, buttered noodles, beets, fruit

Friday — Soup, chef’s choice, dessert

The Senior Center’s doors are still closed to the public. We are providing limited services. Help is being given over the phone when possible.

Remember to wash your hands frequently and thoroughly. Maintain your personal space. Stay hydrated, especially with this heat. Do outside activities when it is cooler.

With people getting out and moving around more, remember to use all precautions. If you do not feel comfortable going out, protect yourself and stay home as much as possible. If you do any traveling, especially out of state, remember the 14-day self-quarantine.

Scams are getting worse. Some are being very forceful in trying to get your information. Don’t give them any information. Protect your Medicare by read your quarterly Medicare Statement. Some agents are being sneaky in having things billed to you without you or your doctor realizing it. Also, there will be no new Medicare cards with chips … this is another scam. No matter what, do not give personal information out over the phone unless you are sure of the source. If you inadvertently give them any information, contact the Senior Center for the tip sheet to protect yourself.

There are some people going door to door trying to get money for organizations. Do not give it to them. If you want to give to that organization contact them directly and / or mail it in to the local agency.

The Senior Center is providing medical transportation only for now. Remember to call ahead for Friday’s appointments.

Congregate folks: We continued to provide meals at the Hill County Senior Center while being closed. If you would like to pick up a meal, please be sure to call the Center before 10 a.m. to order a meal. Pick up — grab-and-go — meals may be acquired at the center at noon Monday through Friday. If you would like to, you may order a meal for one day or meals for the entire week. Please let us know which meals would be preferred ahead of time as it would be beneficial in preparation so we are aware of how much food to fix each day.

With the individuals we’ve lost the last few weeks, I do have some openings for commodities for the Hill County area. Call 265-5464 for an application.

Montana Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255) RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673 Tumbleweed Runaway and Family Crisis Program: 259-2558 (local) 1-888-816-4702 (toll free)

Friendship Line by Institute on Aging — The Friendship Line is both a crisis intervention hotline and a warm-line for non-emergency emotional support calls. It is a 24-hour toll-free line and the only accredited crisis line in the country for people aged 60 years and older, and adults living with disabilities. Toll-Free Line: (800) 971-0016

For those seniors getting frustrated with staying home and needing someone to talk to you can call 1-877-688-3377 for Montana’s Warm Line.

61 Fun Things to Do at Home

Here is a list of some fun things that you can try at home. Remember that every family is unique and will have their own preferences regarding how to spend quality time together. The following activities common ones that many households enjoy. Here are some more activities.

12. Declutter the House

Every house is home to random junk that is not sorted out because of lack of time. At first, the idea of decluttering your house as a family activity might seem less fun than other ideas, but if you do it wholeheartedly, you will not only have a lot of fun, but also enjoy some emotional moments with your family.

Decluttering your house means going through all the stuff that you don’t use anymore, which means that you will have to go through the old toys that you had when your children were small, the DVDs that you used to watch on movie night and maybe even the personal belongings of family members who are no longer with you. This will lead to lots of emotion and nostalgia, which is always great for bringing people together.

In addition, decluttering your house together is an easy way of getting rid of the junk that you had been wanting to dispose of, but just couldn’t find the time. 

13. Have an Indoor Picnic

You want to enjoy a small picnic with your family, but neither the weather nor your daily schedule is allowing you to go out and enjoy a nearby park. How about having a picnic indoors? Instead of having s’mores, you can have ice cream sandwiches made in your very own kitchen. The best part is that you don’t have to wait for a long weekend for this picnic, as you can have it at any time you want.

To get a glimpse of how an indoor picnic should look like and how to set it up, meals included, check out this post from Chowhound at https://www.chowhound.com/food-news/204368/indoor-picnic-tips-tricks-recipe-ideas .

The best part of having an indoor picnic is that you can have it at any time you want.

14. Scavenger Hunt

Scavenger hunting is a fun activity enjoyed by people of all ages. Regardless of how old your children are or even if you don’t have children, you can easily enjoy this classic evening of fun. Set out some clues and a treasure, and let the games begin.

15. Try a New Craft

Sewing, crochet stitching and other related activities are all fun activities to try at home as a family. There are many kits available on the market that help people get into new crafts, so choose one with your family and dive in!

16. Have a Fun Family Meeting

Family meetings are generally held to discuss serious matters with your family members, assign daily duties, and talk about progress in school. These meetings are often dreaded by younger family members, as they are scared of the wrath of their parents or siblings. However, you can make these meetings fun.

This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be having serious discussions with your family, but it is important for your family members to realize that they can have discussions on light topics with you too, and that there doesn’t have to be an angry fight just because the family is sitting together at the dining table talking. Family meetings generally bring all members closer to each other and allow them to discuss their problems. If you add an element of fun to them, these meetings will prove to be even more successful.

17. Play Charades

Charades are a great way to enjoy an afternoon full of creativity and laughter. Fill a bowl with assignments and gather the family for an hour of acting, guessing, and fun.

18. Have a Costume Party

Costume parties are often limited to Halloween, but why should you have to wait for a holiday to dress up? Get the family together for an evening of dress-up, or  throw a themed party where all the guests will have to wear costumes that have the elements of a particular era.

No need to purchase extravagant, real costumes. Just grab a cloth or an old dress and do some styling.

19. Video Chat with a Family Member

In today’s global age, many families have family members who have gone abroad for studies or a job. And almost all of them have video chats with their families back home. Because of the difference in time zones, it can be difficult for all family members to gather around the laptop and talk, but you can decide on a specific day to talk to your loved one. Clear your schedule, ignore the time and gather around the webcam to talk as a family.

20. Carve Pumpkins

Pumpkin carving is a fun activity that you can do at your home with your family. Fall is pumpkin season, but pumpkin carving is not limited to Halloween. Regardless if you are taking part in Halloween festivities or not, grab some pumpkins and knives and dig in.