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38 SPOTLIGHTS
Tips for Enjoying Those Last Days of Winter
BY SUZANNE WARING
A recent Montana newspaper article on
the opinion page encouraged readers to be
like the citizens of Finland and look at the
long dark days of winter with a “positive
winter mindset.” Apparently the Finn’s view
of those long, cold snowy days, when sunlight
has disappeared for hours on end, as a time
to feel the coziness of home that cultivates
contentment, happiness, and togetherness.
I don’t know about you, but I, and many
others who live in the north, would find this
Finnish coziness great for maybe a week.
We are now a good three months into
winter weather, and it is getting tedious
and tiresome. We best take the crux of that
Finnish viewpoint further, to explore how
we employ that positive winter mindset.
Here are six, small daily habits to help make
the rest of winter palatable.
BRING OUT THE WARDROBE YOU ENJOY
I love wool socks. In winter I don wool
socks that come up above my ankles. The
socks are soft, colorful, and warm, keeping
my feet especially cozy from the cold.
Years ago when I moved to the north
where it gets really cold, a new friend advised
me to enjoy the winter by having several
coats, for added variety in winter wear.
She was right, and I have been collecting
coats ever since (just ask my husband!). To
accompany those coats, I have found inex-
pensive, washable, bright-colored gloves at
the box stores, so I have an affordable pair
for every coat. I keep the gloves in their
corresponding coat pockets, and I never
have to hunt for or steal a pair from another
coat. Were I to lose a glove, a replacement
isn’t expensive.
Daily Check-In Services for Seniors Living Alone
BY JIM MILLER
(SAVVY SENIOR) Several different types of
check-in services, along with some simple
technology devices, can help keep your
loved one safe at home while providing you
some peace of mind.
CHECK-IN APP
If your loved one uses a smartphone, a
great solution to help ensure their safety
is Snug (SnugSafe.com), a free app that can
check in on them every day to confirm
they’re OK. Thousands of elderly folks who
live alone use this app. Their loved ones can
be notified quickly, so they can receive help
in minutes, rather than days.
Here’s how it works. After downloading
the app, the user chooses what time(s)
throughout the day they’d like Snug to
check in. Snug sends a push notification
CONTINUED ON PAGE 39
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS • FEBRUARY | MARCH 2023
Soup is always more flavorful the sec-
ond day. Maybe that’s because it’s already
prepared. What is your comfort food for the
long dark days of winter?
COMMUNICATE
Communicate via telephone, media, or,
best of all, with a letter. When I see a letter
in the mail, amidst all the advertisements
and catalogs, I’m ecstatic. I understand
I have to write a letter to receive one, so
winter is a great time to sit down and wright
some letters.
PLAN AT LEAST ONE SHORT TRIP
To help fight the winter blues, the author has a pair A person needs at least a short trip
of mostly bright-colored gloves match her many
winter coats. She stores the gloves the pockets of toward the end of winter to look forward to.
their corresponding coats, reducing the risk of losing We often go to a hot springs resort, stay all
them. Photo by Suzanne Waring. night in the motel, and swim in the pool. It
is invigorating to go into the outside pool
GET OUTSIDE because of the contrast of temperatures. But
My grandson loves to ski. He can’t wait that may not be your preference for a short
for snow. When he comes in from skiing, trip, so be creative in planning.
his face is animated as he describes what HAVE A TIME- AND THOUGHT-
kind of snow he skied in (yes, there are CONSUMING PROJECT
different kinds of snow from icy to pow- Every winter I plan a project that will
dery). Following his lead, I try to get outside take days to complete. One year I cleaned
almost every day. the storage areas of the dark corners of
My husband has a saying, “There’s no our basement. Another time I organized
such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable our financial records and sorted out what
apparel.” So I dress appropriately with my needed to be shredded.
various coats. I also try to follow the title This year I’m going to put up a card
of the book, Never Let the Weather Interfere, table and sort out photographs that have
when I am preparing for an outside activity. been lying around here and there. I plan
ENJOY COMFORT FOOD to organize them into books. Once you get
Steaming food is as important as apparel into a project like this, it becomes thought
for enjoying those gray winter days. I cook consuming, and those winter days will
differently when the windows slam shut and zoom past.
the furnace comes on. Soup for the evening There’s more to winter contentment
meal in the winter is a soothing way to end a than sitting by the window and saying, “Let
busy day. To have a healthy soup simmering it snow.” The ultimate goal for creating a
on the back burner of the stove and sending positive mindset for the long dark days of
out inviting aromas invokes that Finnish winter is to wake up every morning and
contentment, especially for those coming look forward to what you have planned for
in out of the cold. the day. MSN
Several different types of check-in services, along with some simple technology devices, can help keep
your loved one safe at home while providing you some peace of mind. © Jose Miguel Sangar, Bigstock.com.