Motivation to Get Out and About

Posted by Errol, Alumni Mentor @duvie, Mar 16, 2018

Hello Everyone,
There are many reasons why someone has less of a desire to get out of the house for a well deserved outing if only to enjoy the day.
Maybe seeing loved ones that they don't get to see as often as they would like. Maybe fishing, visit to local park, take in a movie,
whatever suits their needs to get some relief from the depression, if only for a few hours.

Perhaps it's the constant pain, feeling exhausted, worrying about bathroom availability, being on oxygen, weight gain/loss, needing wheelchair, or scooter.
I would like to hear from others how they are able to help motivate their patient or loved one to enjoy some of the life they still have.
No one knows when the lord will call so we need to take advantage of the remaining time.

How do YOU help with motivation? What activity can YOU suggest that may encourage someone to do something to make the day more enjoyable than staying home?

I know there must be some patients as well as some caregivers that could use time away from home.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Just Want to Talk Support Group.

"Chunk it down!" Pick any goal (walking around the block; cleaning the dishes in the sink, etc.) and just do it for 5 minutes, just 5. Then you will have some sense of accomplishment and then see if you can do another 5 minutes only, and if can, before you know it, you've accomplished something. Even if small, it's an accomplishment nonetheless!! Feel better!!

REPLY
@stressedmesseddepressed

"Chunk it down!" Pick any goal (walking around the block; cleaning the dishes in the sink, etc.) and just do it for 5 minutes, just 5. Then you will have some sense of accomplishment and then see if you can do another 5 minutes only, and if can, before you know it, you've accomplished something. Even if small, it's an accomplishment nonetheless!! Feel better!!

Jump to this post

Yes, even 15 mins at a time can give you a sense of accomplishment, but when you have things "barking" at you in every room and you're in a lot of pain and can't stand, etc. it can feel like Mt. Everest!

REPLY

Great topic to start, @duvie. I added it to the Caregivers group too, and would like to tag @IndianaScott @harriethodgson1 @shirleymac and @camussen to join this conversation on encouraging your loved one to get out and about. Caring for someone often means being isolated indoors.

REPLY

Hello Everyone, The home health nurse has been trying to encourage Lilbit to get out of the house if just to enjoy the day.
Probably wouldn't have gone to any extra places if not having to get dressed for a Dr's visit.
After the Dr visit we went to a local mall here in the New Orleans area where they have another location for the Cafe Du Monde.
The Cafe Du Monde is a famous place in the French Quarter by the river caty corner from Jackson Square where visitors can sit and enjoy a fresh cup of coffee with an order of Beignets. Beignets are considered a type of rectangular doughnut served long ago with powdered sugar.
I never know why it always seems to happen, but when we get around the white powdered sugar we are both wearing black, lol.
Not a good combination when it's hard to keep the powdered sugar from getting on your clothes, HaHaHa. Guess that's why we have washer & dryers.
We both left our phones at home in a rush to get to the Drs so no pictures to show the nurse.

However, we stopped at the house, picked up our phones and headed to the little "Town of Lafitte" closer to the gulf named after the famous local pirate, "Jean Lafitte" who helped Andrew Jackson during the Battle of New Orleans by supplying cannons, ammo, black powder, and men to help defeat the British. It's only a short distance away and we went there to see a new Fisheries Market Pavilion recently built complete with a small covered dock.
We parked in a handicapped parking in space with a sign that read, but it was a strange outing with nothing going in our favor.

REPLY
@duvie

Hello Everyone, The home health nurse has been trying to encourage Lilbit to get out of the house if just to enjoy the day.
Probably wouldn't have gone to any extra places if not having to get dressed for a Dr's visit.
After the Dr visit we went to a local mall here in the New Orleans area where they have another location for the Cafe Du Monde.
The Cafe Du Monde is a famous place in the French Quarter by the river caty corner from Jackson Square where visitors can sit and enjoy a fresh cup of coffee with an order of Beignets. Beignets are considered a type of rectangular doughnut served long ago with powdered sugar.
I never know why it always seems to happen, but when we get around the white powdered sugar we are both wearing black, lol.
Not a good combination when it's hard to keep the powdered sugar from getting on your clothes, HaHaHa. Guess that's why we have washer & dryers.
We both left our phones at home in a rush to get to the Drs so no pictures to show the nurse.

However, we stopped at the house, picked up our phones and headed to the little "Town of Lafitte" closer to the gulf named after the famous local pirate, "Jean Lafitte" who helped Andrew Jackson during the Battle of New Orleans by supplying cannons, ammo, black powder, and men to help defeat the British. It's only a short distance away and we went there to see a new Fisheries Market Pavilion recently built complete with a small covered dock.
We parked in a handicapped parking in space with a sign that read, but it was a strange outing with nothing going in our favor.

Jump to this post

Well, like I said, just one of those days strange things happen. Finally post a pic and it decides it's tired and wants to lay down. I'm sorry but don't know how to rotate it. Hope everyone else had a fantastic day.

REPLY
@stressedmesseddepressed

"Chunk it down!" Pick any goal (walking around the block; cleaning the dishes in the sink, etc.) and just do it for 5 minutes, just 5. Then you will have some sense of accomplishment and then see if you can do another 5 minutes only, and if can, before you know it, you've accomplished something. Even if small, it's an accomplishment nonetheless!! Feel better!!

Jump to this post

Hello @stressedmesseddepressed, your right sometimes one doesn't necessarily need to leave the house.
There are always things that need to be done at home. Even small chores give someone a way to exercise without purposely doing so in the traditional sense. It should be a joy of accomplishment and relief that at least 1 chore is done for awhile.

REPLY
@stressedmesseddepressed

"Chunk it down!" Pick any goal (walking around the block; cleaning the dishes in the sink, etc.) and just do it for 5 minutes, just 5. Then you will have some sense of accomplishment and then see if you can do another 5 minutes only, and if can, before you know it, you've accomplished something. Even if small, it's an accomplishment nonetheless!! Feel better!!

Jump to this post

Good point. Thank you!

REPLY
@duvie

Hello Everyone, The home health nurse has been trying to encourage Lilbit to get out of the house if just to enjoy the day.
Probably wouldn't have gone to any extra places if not having to get dressed for a Dr's visit.
After the Dr visit we went to a local mall here in the New Orleans area where they have another location for the Cafe Du Monde.
The Cafe Du Monde is a famous place in the French Quarter by the river caty corner from Jackson Square where visitors can sit and enjoy a fresh cup of coffee with an order of Beignets. Beignets are considered a type of rectangular doughnut served long ago with powdered sugar.
I never know why it always seems to happen, but when we get around the white powdered sugar we are both wearing black, lol.
Not a good combination when it's hard to keep the powdered sugar from getting on your clothes, HaHaHa. Guess that's why we have washer & dryers.
We both left our phones at home in a rush to get to the Drs so no pictures to show the nurse.

However, we stopped at the house, picked up our phones and headed to the little "Town of Lafitte" closer to the gulf named after the famous local pirate, "Jean Lafitte" who helped Andrew Jackson during the Battle of New Orleans by supplying cannons, ammo, black powder, and men to help defeat the British. It's only a short distance away and we went there to see a new Fisheries Market Pavilion recently built complete with a small covered dock.
We parked in a handicapped parking in space with a sign that read, but it was a strange outing with nothing going in our favor.

Jump to this post

Hi @duvie - I've had that happen to me also. All you need to do is crop the photo so that it's more square than rectangular. When it's a lot wider or taller it sometimes will automatically rotate the image. Try it!

John

REPLY

Hello @johnbishop, I have to find out how to crop pictures from the grandkids when they come. This old fart never learned about all the things computers can do and working with my hands in construction never required any computer knowledge. I tried to edit with rotating the picture in mind but Connect apparently doesn't have that option nor the ability to change your mind or add additional pictures. At least I haven't found anyway yet.
If not maybe a few of the members won't mind looking sideways. I seemed to have better results with pictures when I had my Windows computer instead of this Chromebook. Thanks for responding. Maybe you have some outings to mention also.

REPLY
@duvie

Hello Everyone, The home health nurse has been trying to encourage Lilbit to get out of the house if just to enjoy the day.
Probably wouldn't have gone to any extra places if not having to get dressed for a Dr's visit.
After the Dr visit we went to a local mall here in the New Orleans area where they have another location for the Cafe Du Monde.
The Cafe Du Monde is a famous place in the French Quarter by the river caty corner from Jackson Square where visitors can sit and enjoy a fresh cup of coffee with an order of Beignets. Beignets are considered a type of rectangular doughnut served long ago with powdered sugar.
I never know why it always seems to happen, but when we get around the white powdered sugar we are both wearing black, lol.
Not a good combination when it's hard to keep the powdered sugar from getting on your clothes, HaHaHa. Guess that's why we have washer & dryers.
We both left our phones at home in a rush to get to the Drs so no pictures to show the nurse.

However, we stopped at the house, picked up our phones and headed to the little "Town of Lafitte" closer to the gulf named after the famous local pirate, "Jean Lafitte" who helped Andrew Jackson during the Battle of New Orleans by supplying cannons, ammo, black powder, and men to help defeat the British. It's only a short distance away and we went there to see a new Fisheries Market Pavilion recently built complete with a small covered dock.
We parked in a handicapped parking in space with a sign that read, but it was a strange outing with nothing going in our favor.

Jump to this post

Here's the photo made a little smaller, cropped and rotated.

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.