With the beautiful fall weather upon us, grab a scarf and a blanket and invite your activity partner to find a nice quiet place to connect with nature. This could be a nearby park, your backyard, walking trail, lake or even the beach.  As you are surrounded by nature, be mindful of what you hear, smell, see, and feel. Take a few minutes to enjoy the beauty. After you have spent several minutes outdoors, discuss with your activity partner how you feel. Do you feel relaxed? Does being in this particular setting bring back any memories from your past?  You can also explore the sounds of birds in the trees or textures of leaves, rocks, sand or pine cones. Relax and enjoy the many gifts of nature and each other’s company. 

This time of year offers so many inspiring ways to stimulate our senses! An outing to a pumpkin patch is a great way to connect to the cool, crisp air, community and the various colors and shapes of pumpkins. The textures of gourds offer another fun way to explore the sense of touch. Gather a variety of gourds and small pumpkins and place them on the table. Explore the bumps and unusual designs that make them imaginative and curious. Ask you activity partner to choose their favorite and share why. And don’t forget the apple cider to engage that incredible sense of flavor and taste!

With children now well into the school year, hand tracing is a fun way to remember those youthful days. It’s also a special way to help loved ones hold on to special memories (pun intended).

Start by inviting your activity partner to place their hands on a large piece of paper. Once placed, begin to trace their hands. If you want to get fancy, ask what color fingernails they’d like to have! Then encourage your activity partner to name ten things they treasure most in their life. , Write one treasure on each finger of their hand tracing. Display the finished design in visible area where those valuable memories can been seen and revisited frequently!

This can also be a fun intergenerational activity for parties and family gatherings, done with any activity partner, young and old alike!

A special painting experience is happening at the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, on Wednesday, October 9th from 1 PM to 3 PM. Created for people living with Alzheimer’s and other memory care afflictions, this hands-on art experience is designed to engage participants in a creative and instinctual process while forming a sense of community. Previous art experience is not necessary. If you have questions or require accommodations, please contact Emma Moore, Assistants, caregivers and companions do not pay a fee and are welcomed as participants or observers. Instructed by Tiffany Paige Ramirez with The Hummingbird Project in Sacramento.

Seniors came out to celebrate seniors at the Cameron Park Community Center on September 12th, and The Hummingbird Project was a proud supporter of the event! A stage packed full of local ukulele players entertained the audience with classic numbers, and smiles and chair dancing was abound!

Music, community and delicious snacks offered an afternoon full of Joyful Moments!