Welcome to Like Us Just Plus, empowering younger generations to have easier & more meaningful connections with the elderly.
Here you will find creative advice and thought-provoking ideas to help you get inspired, tackle challenges and feel more deeply connected with elderly people in your life. After all, old people are a lot like us, just plus extra years lived.
Poke around the tabs above ^^ to get going on the things that matter to you, and always reach out with your own questions or stories.
Feel free to hang out with me on YouTube and Facebook, too. Enjoy!
Like Us with... Food!
You can talk about food easily.
We all eat food.
We all think about food.
We all have an opinion (or two or ninety) about food.
Let's talk about food! Next time you're with an old person, ask them what they had for breakfast. Ask if that's what they have every day. Or do they mix it up? What was their most memorable breakfast?
Or, you can zoom out a bit. Maybe you don't talk about today, maybe you talk about fundamentals. Maybe you have an opinion about something you saw online recently... tell them about it. Ask their opinion. Ask if they ever met someone who had a strong opinion about food and what that opinion was.
Ask about their favorites. Favorite dessert, favorite cuisine, favorite restaurant, favorite recipe, favorite quick meal, favorite frozen food, favorite drink. Favorite food in winter time, favorite food on a hot summer day. Favorite candy, favorite vegetable, favorite meal from their childhood, favorite snack (do they snack?).
Food conversation can be endless. And we all eat, so it's common ground. Talk about food!
Tweet me with ONE MORE food question idea @carolynheard - I'd love to get a tweet from you :):)
We all eat food.
We all think about food.
We all have an opinion (or two or ninety) about food.
Let's talk about food! Next time you're with an old person, ask them what they had for breakfast. Ask if that's what they have every day. Or do they mix it up? What was their most memorable breakfast?
Or, you can zoom out a bit. Maybe you don't talk about today, maybe you talk about fundamentals. Maybe you have an opinion about something you saw online recently... tell them about it. Ask their opinion. Ask if they ever met someone who had a strong opinion about food and what that opinion was.
Ask about their favorites. Favorite dessert, favorite cuisine, favorite restaurant, favorite recipe, favorite quick meal, favorite frozen food, favorite drink. Favorite food in winter time, favorite food on a hot summer day. Favorite candy, favorite vegetable, favorite meal from their childhood, favorite snack (do they snack?).
Food conversation can be endless. And we all eat, so it's common ground. Talk about food!
Tweet me with ONE MORE food question idea @carolynheard - I'd love to get a tweet from you :):)
Tips for Teaching Elderly How To Use Technology
Today I share my top 5 tips for teaching seniors how to use technology - regardless of what they're trying to do, these tips will help you have the most successful session with them!
Introducing the LUJP Facebook page!
Visit us on Facebook >> Like Us, Just Plus <<
Hi everyone! Welcome. SO excited to get this project live for you! The mission is simple: To help you find "better"...
Posted by Carolyn McRae on Monday, January 25, 2016
Before you say 'hi' to elderly, do this
Let yourself be calm.
Relax tension in your body.
Slow down your cadence.
Take a few breaths.
Clear your mind and open your heart.
Let a deep sense of calm wave through you.
This is thee absolute best way to enjoy & get the most out of your time with an elderly person. You will be amazed. You'll avoid all frustration, pain, discomfort, awkwardness, unease, or fear when you have a true, deep calm in both your body and mind.
It may take practice, depending on the current state of your body or mind, but be patient with yourself. It works. It will change everything.
Relax tension in your body.
Slow down your cadence.
Take a few breaths.
Clear your mind and open your heart.
Let a deep sense of calm wave through you.
This is thee absolute best way to enjoy & get the most out of your time with an elderly person. You will be amazed. You'll avoid all frustration, pain, discomfort, awkwardness, unease, or fear when you have a true, deep calm in both your body and mind.
It may take practice, depending on the current state of your body or mind, but be patient with yourself. It works. It will change everything.
Like Us with... Friends!
We all experience friendships. It’s part of life.
Most of us start making friends as early as our toddler years, and continue to develop friendships during our childhood, teens, college years, adulthood and beyond into retirement and old age. While friendships come and go, the stories, lessons, adventures, and feelings of those friendships stay with us. Stories about friendships can always make for interesting and meaningful conversation between you and an elderly person.
Think about this. The definition of what 'friend' means or what you expect out of friendships morphs as our age, experiences, surroundings, priorities, and/or interests change throughout life. An older person can easily have a lot to share on the topic of friendship. They’ve lived more, seen more, learned more, and experienced more, so their stories of friendship are bound to hold bits of wisdom and insight we can all learn from.
As an added bonus, you have your own friendships today, and may have curiosities or questions you'd ask a person with experience. Perhaps you find yourself needing to handle challenges, or make the most out of an already-great friendship, or help your kids . Presenting your circumstances to an elderly person and asking for their perspective is not only a great way to get a little help, it's also a meaningful way to connect with them and make them feel like they helped someone that day.
Here are a few prompt ideas to get a conversation going in this direction:
- How do you define a good friend?
- What is the most meaningful friendship you’ve ever had?
- What made it so meaningful?
- What is your greatest memory with a friend?
- Do you remember the kinds of games you and friends would play?
- Have you played any of those games recently?
- If I brought the materials, would you teach me how to play?
- Did you have a friend in your life who taught you a lot about ______? (love, their career, confidence, being a parent, cooking, etc!)
- Growing up, what did you and your friends like to do to celebrate New Years Eve?
Enjoy! xxC
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| So many friends! Here's a photo of some of the gals who came out to celebrate my sister's bachelorette party. Friends of all ages and from all different parts of her life. So amazing! |
MY FAVORITES! // Movies, Documentaries & TV about Elderly
Hello again! I hope you're enjoying this day.
Below is a full list of my most favorite movies, documentaries and TV shows that feature older people. Many of these made me cry at one point (for good reasons too!), so if you're inclined to get emotional during movies like me, grab a couple tissues :)
They're all great for their own reasons, so I've included the trailers for you to take a quick peek.
Below is a full list of my most favorite movies, documentaries and TV shows that feature older people. Many of these made me cry at one point (for good reasons too!), so if you're inclined to get emotional during movies like me, grab a couple tissues :)
They're all great for their own reasons, so I've included the trailers for you to take a quick peek.
Enjoy :) xxC
In no particular order...
Last Love (Movie available on Netflix)
Grace and Frankie (TV series on Netflix)
Burt's Buzz (Documentary available on Netflix)
Iris (Documentary available on Netflix)
The Elders (Documentary available here on Vimeo)
I update this list as I go, so there's more to come!
If your favorite documentaries & movies are not listed yet, feel welcomed to share them on Twitter or by contacting me here :) We'd all love to hear your thoughts!
Like Us with... Exercise!
You have an opinion about exercise. You love it, dread it or something in between. You like how it makes you feel after, but sometimes have a mental block in going out to do it and often procrastinate. Maybe you enjoy walking with a friend or your dog every morning, but really dislike running. Or maybe you completely love running. Maybe you feel incredible whenever you swim. Perhaps you played sports at one point in your life and now really miss it. Perhaps just the thought of exercise makes you want to take a nap or watch Netflix. Or perhaps exercise is an integral part of your normal routine and a value you hold in life. No matter what your opinions, thoughts, feelings are...
Elders have their opinion, too. Perhaps they love it and see it as vital to their wellbeing. Maybe they live on their own and make a point to walk around their neighborhood every morning, or live at a retirement home and attend a weekly water aerobics class. Or maybe they've become less physically able over time and now find it frustrating to perform even the most basic movements. Maybe their idea of exercise is stretching. Maybe it's lifting grocery bags. Perhaps exercise brings them joy and a sense of strength, youth. Perhaps it's something they wish to do more of, or get better at. No matter what their opinions, thoughts, feelings are...
Talking with elders about exercise is incredibly interesting, and I suggest you start to. Elderly people, like us, have a lot to say about exercise. Sharing stories from the past, current routines, questions on their mind, opinions they've heard from others, lessons learned over time... All of it is interesting to talk about, and something you can easily relate on. Regardless of whether your opinions or approaches are similar or not...
Conversations about exercise can lead to many things. Maybe you learn something new. Maybe you hear a story that helps you see them in a new light. Maybe you gain a new appreciation for your younger body. Perhaps you decide to take a walk the next time you are together. They may help you, you may help them, or both. The point is to open this dialogue and see where it brings you.
For more, here's a quick video of my OWN thoughts and inspiration for how else you may want to discuss exercise:
For more, here's a quick video of my OWN thoughts and inspiration for how else you may want to discuss exercise:
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| Here is a photo of me attending a group exercise class with my Nana :) She was much happier to attend it with me by her side! |
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