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February and March are odd months, no matter where you live in the country. They can bring milder weather and the chance to get outdoors. But they can also bring wild late-winter winds and even an ice storm—even in Fort Worth.
But for seniors in the Bethesda Gardens assisted living community (or those considering a move to assisted living), these odd months between the shortest day of the year and the first blooms of spring can be active times of anticipation. Here are just a few things you can do to get ready for the coming spring.
If you're on the cusp of making the move to an assisted living community this year, the months leading up to spring can be a great time to start planning. You may be spending more time indoors due to wintry weather, which gives you time to consider your options, discuss them with loved ones and start going through your home and things to decide what you want to bring with you if you do make the move.
Moving to an assisted living community during early spring provides a couple of other potential benefits:
• The warmer weather makes for a more pleasant time for moving activities, but early spring temperatures are often milder than those you'd deal with during the summer months.
• While we support vibrant, active lifestyles year round at Bethesda Gardens, spring can be a time of new social opportunities and activities because it's easy and more enjoyable to get outside.
• If you want to prepare your home and put it on the market, getting it ready by summer lets you list it during the season when more house buyers traditionally look for properties.
Whether you've moved into an assisted living apartment already or you have a different type of living situation, one way to get ready for spring is to swap your wardrobe.
Many people in Fort Worth may not have a lot of swapping to do. The winter weather isn't so extreme that you can't use some of the same pants or tops throughout the entire year, for example, and you might have some go-tos that you rely on through every season.
If you're dealing with a smaller living space, though, you may find it more efficient to pack away clothing that only works in certain seasons. So, you might want to bring out the sleeveless tops and shorts and start packing away the holiday sweaters and heavier coats.
This also gives you a chance to review your wardrobe for the upcoming season and see if anything is missing or needs replacing. The stores stock clothing items for each season well before the season arrives, so shopping for spring in late winter can help you find exactly what you want easily.
Spring cleaning may or may not be something you're long acquainted with—and you might love it, hate it or have no feelings either way. But here's the great news if you decide to become a resident of Bethesda Gardens in Fort Worth, TX: Housekeeping and laundry services are among the many lifestyle amenities we offer.
That means spring cleaning takes on a different—and possibly more enjoyable—light. Instead of actually cleaning—no baseboard scrubbing or window washing, for example—you can spend time giving your apartment a freshening.
That might include tasks such as clearing out and organizing paper files, reorganizing bookshelves, changing the covers on your throw pillows, swapping out bedding or shower curtains or anything else that gives you a spring-clean feeling.
While you're at it, you might want to bring a few spring vibes to your space with decor or plants. Swap out the wreath on your door, add a few Easter decor items to tables or shelves or just put a flower pot in a window so you can enjoy the upcoming burst of floral color inside or out.
You may also want to make spring-related tools and utensils easier to grab. A small umbrella or a rain coat can help ensure you can join in on outings or run errands in spring showers without getting too wet, and gardening tools might be helpful if you want to take part in planting on the grounds or keep your own window or patio garden in pots.
Winter is a great time to anticipate the coming of Easter for seniors of faith. Whether or not you take part in traditions such as Epiphany or Lent, the time between Christmas and Easter is as much a time of coming as the Advent season is.
Seniors of faith may want to study the life of Jesus, leading up to his death and Resurrection, during this time. Residents in a faith-based assisted living community such as Bethesda Gardens can also take part in group Bible studies and worship events, potentially including special services for the season.
