It’s time for New Year’s resolutions once again! Starting a new year reminds us that we can start new activities, re-focus our energies on new goals, and develop a brand new attitude for the coming year. It’s common at this time of the year, in particular, to focus on New Year’s resolutions to improve our personal relationships. Working with older adults and their families, here at Woodland Ridge we are keenly aware of how relationships can change with the declining physical or cognitive health of a loved one, and we understand the challenges these changes bring.
If you want to make New Year’s resolutions involving the older adults in your life and you’re looking for uplifting ways to re-shape how you think of interacting with your loved ones as their needs change, we can help! Since January 18th also happens to be Winnie the Pooh day, we’re sharing some wisdom from author A.A. Milne and some of his beloved characters as we take stock of what’s important to us and re-think how we can improve the time we share with our loved ones. We bet you can’t read these tips for New Year’s resolutions—featuring quotes from Winnie the Pooh–without smiling!
Resolve first to remember what brings you together so that you don’t worry about the little things.
- “Some people care too much. I think it’s called love.”
- “A day spent with you is my favorite day. So today is my new favorite day.”
- “A little consideration, a little thought for others, makes all the difference.”
Resolve to meet your loved ones where they are in this moment—both physically and mentally—so you can make the most of your time together.
- “You can’t stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.”
- “It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn’t use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like “What about lunch?”
- “If the person you are talking to doesn’t appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear.”
- “Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them.”
Resolve to acknowledge what makes your loved one comfortable and make a point to appreciate your loved one’s uniqueness.
- “I don’t feel very much like Pooh today,” said Pooh. “There there,” said Piglet. “I’ll bring you tea and honey until you do.”
- “Whatever his weight in pounds and ounces, he always seems bigger because of his bounces.”
- “Winnie the Pooh finds comfort in counting his pots of honey, and Rabbit finds comfort in knowing where his relations are – even if he doesn’t need them at the moment.”
Resolve to appreciate what’s going well because something could always be worse.
“It’s snowing still,” said Eeyore gloomily.
“So it is.”
“And freezing.”
“Is it?”
“Yes,” said Eeyore. “However,” he said, brightening up a little, “we haven’t had an earthquake lately.”
Resolve to take care of yourself too!
“Let’s Begin by taking a smallish nap or two.”
Resolve to accept changes that you cannot control.
“By the time it came to the edge of the Forest the stream had grown up, so that it was almost a river, and, being grown-up, it did not run and jump and sparkle along as it used to do when it was younger, but moved more slowly. For it knew now where it was going, and it said to itself, “There is no hurry. We shall get there someday.” But all the little streams higher up in the Forest went this way and that, quickly, eagerly, having so much to find out before it was too late.”
- Eating Right is Eating Well - March 15, 2019
- Ginger – March Resident of the Month - March 1, 2019
- Tracy Williams – March Employee of the Month - March 1, 2019
