Care Partner Support Archives

Please Note:
We ask that you make sure when you participate virtually in exercise programs you take care to create a place that is clutter-free and safe for you. Make sure you have proper footwear and the area is clear.

Also, please only participate as much as your body feels comfortable – this is intended to be a program to gently move your body – so don’t push yourself beyond what feels okay. If you’d rather not participate but want to just be here and watch, that is totally fine too!

Dec 12 – 18

Gratitude Garden

Read

A Powerful Reason To Give Gratitude During The Holidays And Into The New Year from sixtyandme.com.
Click here

 

Try

Letter: Express gratitude this holiday season! Write a hand-written letter to a person you are particularly grateful to have in your life this year. Be detailed. Express all the wonderful qualities about this person, and how they personally have affected your life for the better.

Listen

The Science of Gratitude by New York Public Radio.
Click here

Quote of the Day:

 

Brain Power Centre

Try

  • The Chemistry of Cookies by Stephanie Warren. Presented by TED-Ed. Click here
  • Check out this list of recipes for the 30 best Christmas cookies, from Ahead of Thyme. Click here

Move

10 Minute Standing Abs And Core Workout by Senior Fitness With Meredith.
Click here

 

Adventure Avenue

Explore

Explore Google Earth’s Voyager, and travel to different parts of the world from your living room!
This week, check out Ice and Snow from Space!
Click here

Try

Check out the astronomy picture of the day from NASA.
Click here

 

Creativity Corner

Listen

  • Carol of the Bells – Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  Click here
  • Who is Santa’s favourite singer? Elf-is Presley!
    Elvis Presley – Blue Christmas (RCA Victor Records 1957). Click here

Try

Try your hand at digital art with sketch.io

 

Education Station

Watch

Why Do We Kiss Under the Mistletoe? By Carlos Reif.
Presented by TED-Ed.
Click here

Move

Senior Fitness – Standing Cardio Exercises For Seniors Using Dumbbells by Senior Fitness with Meredith.
Click here

 

 


From everyone at AlzSWP, have a safe and happy holiday! We will see you with new Self-Care Activities in the New Year

December 12 – 18

Gratitude Garden

READ

How Gratitude Changes You and Your Brain from Greater Good Magazine

Click here

 

WRITE

  • Take a break from your day-to-day stresses, cozy up with a blanket, pour a warm cup of tea, and reflect with the following journal prompt
  • One of the best experiences of my life was… I am grateful for that experience because…

 

TRY

  • Five Minute Mindful Breathing from Epworth HealthCare
  • Relax your body, quiet your mind, and focus on the present:
  • Click here

 

Inspirational Quote of the day presented by @beamingdesigns on Instagram

Brain Power Centre

PLAY

  • Upload your own photos and make a personalized online puzzle at im-a-puzzle.com
  • or play the daily jig saw!

 

WATCH

  • Could we build a wooden skyscraper? By Stefan Al, presented by TED-Ed
  • Click here

 

LISTEN

  • Start listening to the classic short novel ‘The Stranger’
  • L’Étranger is a 1942 novel by French author Albert Camus. Its theme and outlook are often cited as examples of Camus’s philosophy, absurdism coupled with that of existentialism.
  • Click here

Adventure Avenue

WATCH

READ

  • Click here
  • Looking for some ideas to start living more sustainably? Read 100+ Simple Tips To Live a More Sustainable Lifestyle by Michael Ofei

Ideas on how to use less plastic by mindfulofthehome.com

WATCH

  • Check out the National Geographic picture of the day
    Click here
  • Learn about the beautiful, but surprisingly deadly, Islands of Europe with this documentary from National Geographic Click here
  • Inspirational Quote of the Day presented by Pinterest

MOVE

  • Full Chair Workout – No equipment from More Life Health Seniors
  • Click here

Creativity Corner

CREATE

  • Get creative with Mondrian and me: Click here and make paintings in the famous style of Piet Mondrian. The screen will be blank so just start to click on the screen by using your mouse.

 

WATCH

  • Deconstructing Mondrian: The Story Behind an Iconic Design by the Wall Street Journal
  • Click here
  • Finally, discover the work of Mondrian:
  • Click here
  • From Google Arts and Culture: “Pieter Cornelis Mondrian, after 1906 Piet Mondrian, was a Dutch painter and art theoretician who is regarded as one of the greatest artists of the 20th century. He is known for being one of the pioneers of 20th-century abstract art, as he changed his artistic direction from figurative painting to an increasingly abstract style, until he reached a point where his artistic vocabulary was reduced to simple geometric elements.
    Mondrian’s art was highly utopian and was concerned with a search for universal values and aesthetics. He proclaimed in 1914: “Art is higher than reality and has no direct relation to reality. To approach the spiritual in art, one will make as little use as possible of reality, because reality is opposed to the spiritual. We find ourselves in the presence of an abstract art. Art should be above reality, otherwise it would have no value for man.” His art, however, always remained rooted in nature.”
  • Learn more about his life and art through the Dallas Museum of Art
  • Click here

Education Station

WATCH

  • Click here
  • Yes, scientists are actually building an elevator to space by Fabio Pacucci, presented by TED-Ed
  • Sending rockets into space requires sacrificing expensive equipment, burning massive amounts of fuel, and risking potential catastrophe. So in the space race of the 21st century, some engineers are abandoning rockets for something more exciting: elevators. What would it take to build such a structure? Fabio Pacucci explores the physics behind modern space elevators.

 

TRY

  • As we approach the end of the year, put time in perspective with this graphic
  • Click here

 

Please Note:

We ask that you make sure when you participate virtually in exercise programs you take care to create a place that is clutter-free and safe for you. Make sure you have proper footwear and the area is clear.

Also, please only participate as much as your body feels comfortable – this is intended to be a program to gently move your body – so don’t push yourself beyond what feels okay. If you’d rather not participate but want to just be here and watch, that is totally fine too!

December 5 – 11

Gratitude Garden

WATCH

  • How mindfulness changes the emotional life of our brains by Richard J. Davidson, presented by TEDx Talks
  • Click here
  • “Why is it that some people are more vulnerable to life’s slings and arrows and others more resilient?” In this eye-opening talk, Richard Davidson discusses how mindfulness can improve well-being and outlines strategies to boost four components of a healthy mind: awareness, connection, insight, and purpose.

 

READ

  • 22 Mindfulness Exercises, Techniques & Activities For Adults from positivepsychology.com
  • Click here

 

Inspirational Quote of the Day presented by Pinterest

Brain Power Centre

PLAY

  • Check out freerice.com
  • And test your trivia knowledge for a good cause! For each right answer, 5 grains of rice are donated to the UN World Food Programme!

WATCH

  • Click here
  • Nature’s fortress: How cacti keep water in and predators out by Lucas C. Majure, presented by TED-Ed

Adventure Avenue

WATCH

READ

  • Click here
  • Looking for some ideas to start living more sustainably? Read 100+ Simple Tips To Live a More Sustainable Lifestyle by Michael Ofei

Ideas on how to use less plastic by mindfulofthehome.com

Creativity Corner

EXPLORE

  • While many museums have recently had to close their doors, many now offer a virtual experience!
  • Explore the Vatican City museum from your home
  • Click here
  • Featuring famous fine art exhibits like the Sistine Chapel and Raphael’s Room

TRY

  • Walk and Groove for Seniors with Paula Bickford
  • Click here

LISTEN

 

Education Station

WATCH

  • The Science of Spiciness by Rose Eveleth, presented by Ted-Ed talks
  • Click here

 

TRY

  • Can you handle the heat? Check out these 100 spicy dinners to put a spring in your step:
  • Click here
  • There’s nothing like a bowl of spicy goodness. From a spicy pumpkin soup to Sri Lankan spicy lamb curry, these recipes are sure to provide maximum flavour and keep your tummy full, too!

PLAY

  • Finally, test your spice IQ with this quiz: Click here
  • How many could you name?

November 28 – December 4

Gratitude Garden

TRY

  • Interested in  doing mindfulness meditation but don’t think you have the time? Here are 9 mindfulness exercises you can do in a minute or under.
  • Click here

 

MOVE

  • Here is a quick meditation exercise to focus your mind. Use this time to reflect on your week and relax.
  • Click here

WATCH

  • ‘The Gratitude Experiment’ from watchwellcast Click here
  • ‘Studies say there are two simple words that are scientifically proven to make you happier and healthier: “Thank you.” On today’s WellCast, we’re doing the gratitude experiment and putting this theory to the test. Does being grateful really help your wellbeing? Tune in to find out.’

 

Inspirational Quote of the Day Presented by Pinterest

Brain Power Centre

PLAY

  • Check out the Daily Word Search from the Smithsonian Magazine
  • Click here
  • Updated Daily!

TRY

  • Click here
  • Can you solve the famously difficult green-eyed logic puzzle? By Alex Gendler, presented by TED-Ed

 

MOVE

  • Full-Body Gentle Stretch Routine for Seniors and Beginners by the Fit RV

Click here

 

Adventure Avenue

TRY

EXPLORE

  • Explore Google Earth’s Voyager, and travel to different parts of the world from your living room!
  • This week, track the Rain Birds with the nature conservation foundation Click here
  • ‘The pied cuckoo is believed to announce the arrival of the rains in north India. See how the migration of this bird matches the onset of the Indian monsoon.’

WATCH

  • BBC Earth 50 Top Natural History Moments
  • Click here

Creativity Corner

LISTEN

  • Short audiobook ‘My Old Man’ by Ernest Hemmingway -performed by Frank Marcopolos
  • Click here

 

TRY

  • Learn to Draw #3- Shading Techniques with SchaeferArt
  • Click here
  • “Shading helps create more realistic-looking drawings and sketches by revealing the shadow and light of any given scene. For shading, we must understand and observe what we are seeing and turn it into a black and white image in a drawing. Interpreting the scene’s light and shadow into different values. It helps to first simplify this process by separating shadow from light. And then move into middle-grey values.”

LISTEN

  • Click here
  • 80s Greatest Hits – Best Oldies Songs Of 1980s

 

Education Station

MOVE

  • 10 Minute Standing Abs And Core Workout by Senior Fitness With Meredith
  • Click here

TRY

  • What are french fries called in France? Test your general Knowledge with this quiz:
  • Click here

LISTEN

  • Ology (ol·o·gy): a subject of study; a branch of knowledge. Pick an ‘ology’ episode from the list down below and learn more about an area of interest!
  • Click here
  • “Volcanoes. Trees. Drunk butterflies. Mars missions. Slug sex. Death. Beauty standards. Anxiety busters. Beer science. Bee drama. Take away a pocket full of science knowledge and charming, bizarre stories about what fuels these professional -ologists’ obsessions. Humorist and science correspondent Alie Ward asks smart people stupid questions and the answers might change your life.”

 

November 21 – 27

Gratitude Garden

WATCH

  • The Power of Meditation from BBC
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QYOiRsKAyg

TRY

  • Here is a quick meditation exercise to focus your mind for the upcoming week. Use this time to reflect and relax.
  • Click here
  • Meditation For Inner Peace – Yoga With Adriene

Inspirational Quote of the Day presented by Pinterest

Brain Power Centre

PLAY

  • Try out brain games like Sudoku from websudoku.com with hundreds of problems to choose from

 

WATCH

  • This Tool Will Improve your Critical Thinking by Erick Wilberding
  • Click here
  • Presented by Ted-ED

 

 

Adventure Avenue

WATCH

  • Check out this interactive graphic of the 1300 satellites orbiting earth!
  • Click here

EXPLORE

  • Explore Google Earth’s Voyager to travel to different parts of the world from your living room!
  • This week, check out our Fragile Earth, and see the mesmerizing changes that have taken place in the last several decades.
  • Click here

 

 

Creativity Corner

LISTEN

  • Bruce Springsteen – Dancing In the Dark
  • Click here

 

  • Short audiobook ‘The Night Librarian’ by Jane Jago
  • Click here
  • ‘Working as the night librarian in a library full of magical books comes with its perks, but also its heaping spoonful of issues.’

 

WATCH

  • Your Daily Dose of Laughter from The Far Side
  • Click here

Education Station

WATCH

  • Can you solve the jailbreak riddle? Presented by TED-Ed
  • Click here

LISTEN

  • If you’ve ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Check out the podcast ‘Stuff You Should Know’ from iHeart Radio, and pick any episode!
  • Click here

 

Inspirational Quote of the Day presented by Pinterest

 

November 14 – 20

Gratitude Garden

TRY

  • Here is a gratitude challenge for the following week. Work through as many activities as you feel, or challenge yourself to try them all by next Monday!

WATCH

  • Click here
  • The Power of Gratitude – a speech by Oprah Winfrey

 

Brain Power Centre

LISTEN

  • Click here
  • Short story audiobook “The Boat”, a Classic Canadian short story written by Alistair MacLeod (1936-2014), originally published in 1968.

MOVE

  • Click here
  • JustDance Light for Seniors with Paula Bickford

PLAY

 

 

 

Adventure Avenue

WATCH

  • Virtually ‘hike’ through Canadian Forests, with this perfect background video while you go about your day!
  • Click here

TRY

  • Try out this recipe for Baby Kale Salad!

 

Creativity Corner

WATCH

  • Follow along with these drawing lessons from SchaeferArt on youtube
  • Click here
  • Learn to Draw #04 – One-Point Perspective

LISTEN

  • Click here
  • Check out this modern Beatles medley from Walk Off The Earth that’s sure to impress!

Education Station

WATCH

  • Click here
  • The surprisingly long history of electric cars presented by TED-Ed
  • By the end of the 19th century, nearly 40% of American cars were electric. But these vehicles had a few major problems — early car batteries were expensive and inefficient, and the vehicles were twice the price of a gas-powered car. And so for the next several decades, gas-powered cars dominated the market. Can electric cars reclaim their place on the road? Daniel Sperling and Gil Tal investigate.

 

TRY

  • Check out this Amazing fact generator, and learn something new everyday!
  • Click here

 

 

November 7 – 13

Gratitude Garden

READ

  • Click here
  • A Simple Mindful Gratitude Exercise from mindful.org

TRY

  • Here is a mindful chair yoga meditation to focus your mind for the day.
  • Click here
  • Mindful Chair Yoga: A Beginner’s Practice with Closing Meditation ( 15 min total)

 

Inspirational Quote of the day presented by Pinterest

Brain Power Centre

PLAY

  • Check out the Daily Word Search from the Smithsonian Magazine
  • Click here
  • Updated Daily!

 

WATCH

  • 7 Riddles that will test your brain power
  • Click here

 

MOVE

  • 10 Minute Home Workout For Seniors by The Body Coach TV
  • Click here

 

Adventure Avenue

WATCH

  • Click here
  • What Will Happen to Your Body If You Walk Every Day by BRIGHT SIDE

EXPLORE

  • Explore Google Earth’s Voyager to travel to different parts of the world!
  • Click here
  • This week explore the Enchanted Forests:
  • Click here

Creativity Corner

LISTEN

  • Short story audiobook ‘The Lamp’ by Agatha Christie
  • Read by Christopher Lee
  • Click here

WATCH

TRY

  • Click here
  • 4  Easy Art Projects to Help You Relax & De-Stress | Sea Lemon

 

Education Station

LISTEN

  • Listen to Radiolab’s short podcast, ‘Lost and Found’
  • Click here

Synopsis:

  • In this episode, we steer our way through a series of stories about getting lost, and ask how our brains, and our hearts, help us find our way back home.

After hearing about a little girl who gets lost in front of her own house, Jad and Robert wonder how we find our way in the world. We meet a woman who has spent her entire life getting lost, and find out how our brains make maps of the world around us. We go to a military base in New Jersey to learn about some amazing feats of navigational wizardry, and are introduced to a group of people in Australia with impeccable orientation. Finally, we turn to a very different kind of lost and found: a love story about running into a terrifying, and unexpected, fork in the road

 

TRY

  • Where would you find a stalagmite? Test out your general knowledge with this quiz from etPunk
  • Click here

October 31 – November 6

Gratitude Garden

WATCH

  • Pink Floyd – Shine On You Crazy Diamond
  • Click here
  • Here is a motivational podcast to start your week:
  • Click here
  • After watching this, your brain will not be the same by Lara Boyd from Tedx Talks

 

 

Inspirational Quote of the day presented by Pinterest

Brain Power Centre

PLAY

  • Upload your own photos and make a personalized online puzzle at im-a-puzzle.com
  • or play the daily jig saw!

 

WATCH

  • Why is this 2,500 year old shipwreck so well-preserved? by Helen Farr and Jon Adams, presented by TED-Ed
  • Click here
  • Discover the unique conditions that make the Black Sea host to dozens of shipwrecks that date back thousands of years.

 

 

MOVE

  • Ten Minute Indoor Walking Workout by yes2next
  • Click here

Adventure Avenue

  • Explore the world with Google Arts and Culture Click here
    • Use the country feature to select a specific location, and explore culture around the world
  • Check out the picture of the day
  • Click here
  • Finally, check out ‘25 Greatest Natural Wonders of the World’ with touropia
  • Click here

 

Creativity Corner

EXPLORE

  • Explore the art of Van Gogh at the Van Gogh Museum located in Amsterdam
  • Click here
  • ‘The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam houses the largest collection of artworks by Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) in the world. The permanent collection includes over 200 paintings by Vincent van Gogh, 500 drawings and more than 750 letters. The museum also presents exhibitions on various subjects from 19th-century art history.’

WATCH

 

TRY

Education Station

    • Listen to Radiolab’s short podcast ‘3 Questions’
      • Click here
      • In this episode we ride along on New York City’s poop train to find out what happens to poop once it’s, well, pooped. Then, we travel to Kenya where legions of athletes, sports gurus, and scientists have tried to figure out why a specific tribe has long-dominated long-distance running. And lastly, we ask why quicksand — once a real fear — no longer scares an 8-year-old

     

    • Learn something new everyday! Take a look at these adorable doodle facts, updated daily: Click here

     

October 23 – 30

Gratitude Garden

WATCH

  • Bob Marley & The Wailers – Three Little Birds
  • Click here

WRITE

  • Take a break from your day-to-day stresses, cozy up with a blanket, pour a warm cup of tea, and reflect with any of the following journal prompts.
    • Write about something you accomplished today, and how you feel now
    • Write about something someone else did to make you happy.
    • Write about something you did to make someone happy today.

TRY

  • Five Minute Mindful Breathing from Epworth HealthCare
  • Relax your body, quiet your mind, and focus on the present:
  • Click here

 

Inspirational Quote of the day presented by Pinterest

Brain Power Centre

PLAY

  • Get your mind working with the Washington Post Daily Crossword: Click here

Updated daily!

 

WATCH

  • Food for thought: How your belly controls your brain by Ruairi Robertson, presented by Ted ED
  • Click here

 

TRY

  • Here is a list of more ‘brain food’ to incorporate in your meal today!
  • What can you make from these foods and what you have in your fridge? Check out Click here

 

Adventure Avenue

  • Just because we can’t travel, it doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate the beauty of the world from home! Let’s take a look at some of UNESCO’s world heritage sites for the next few weeks.
  • From UNESCO: “The Amalfi coast is an area of great physical beauty and natural diversity. It has been intensively settled by human communities since the early Middle Ages. There are a number of towns such as Amalfi and Ravello with architectural and artistic works of great significance. The rural areas show the versatility of the inhabitants in adapting their use of the land to the diverse nature of the terrain, which ranges from terraced vineyards and orchards on the lower slopes to wide upland pastures.”

WATCH

  • Click here
  • Take a Journey Along the Amalfi Coast with National Geographic

EXPLORE

  • Journey through the Amalfi Coast (virtually, of course) with Google Earth Click here
  • Finally, discover images and stories with Google Arts and culture Click here
  • To learn more, check out this page from UNESCO: Click here

Creativity Corner

EXPLORE

  • Artists you didn’t know were friends from Google Arts and Culture
  • Click here
  • Discover the friendships that helped shape the art world!

WATCH

  • Give Yourself Permission to Be Creative by Ethan Hawke, presented by TED Click here

TRY

  • Create pictures using patterns that you create with buttons, pointing and clicking on
  • Click here

Inspirational Quote presented by Pinterest

Education Station

MOVE

  • Click here
  • Seniors Chair Exercise & Seated Elderly Workouts for Balance with HASfit

 

TRY

  • Canadian Thanksgiving has come and gone, but let’s try this word search and reflect on the holiday
  • Click here

October 17 – 23

Gratitude Garden

TRY

  • Take a break from your day-to-day stresses, cozy up with a blanket, pour a warm cup of tea, and reflect with the following journal prompt
    • Write about something that cheers you up when you feel down.
    • List 5 things you are grateful for today.
    • Remember a success you had and write a thank-you speech describing who helped you reach it.

CREATE

  • Try out some relaxing digital ‘Zen Geometry’ at mandalagaba.com and make a beautiful mandala!

RELAX

  • Here is a quick meditation exercise to focus your mind for the upcoming week. Use this time to reflect and relax.
  • Click here
  • Meditation For Inner Peace – Yoga With Adriene
Brain Power Centre

PLAY

  • Test your estimation skills with this virtual version of the price is right: Price is Right: Click here

WATCH

  • Click here
  • Ancient Greece’s greatest popstar by Diane J. Rayor, presented by TED-Ed
  • Synopsis: Over 2,500 years ago, one of ancient Greece’s most celebrated popstars and erotic poets enraptured listeners. The singer-songwriter offered a uniquely intimate perspective on love, passion, and longing, and was the first on record to combine the words “bitter” and “sweet,” to describe the ups and downs of romance. So, who was this revered figure? Diane J. Rayor uncovers the writings of Sappho.

READ

  • Click here
  • Stay Sharp and Boost Your Brain Power with These 7 Tips from Brian Novak

Adventure Avenue

EXPLORE

  • Explore Google Earth’s Voyager to travel to different parts of the world!
  • This week explore Magnificent Waterfalls:
  • Click here

READ

  • How do you find moments of grace, beauty and joy during a pandemic? From National Geographic
  • “Children play, people dance, and lovers kiss—signs of the human spirit that COVID-19 can’t dim. These photos document them”
  • Click here

 

Creativity Corner

EXPLORE

  • Browse through the works of artists with Google Art and Culture: Click here
  • Click on any artist to discover their online exhibits, biographies, facts, collections, and more!

WATCH

  • The strange history of the world’s most stolen painting by Noah Charney presented by Ted-Ed
  • Click here
  • Synopsis: Throughout six centuries, the Ghent Altarpiece, also called “The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb,” has been burned, forged, and raided in three different wars. It is, in fact, the world’s most stolen artwork— and is considered one of the most influential paintings ever made. What exactly makes the piece so special? Noah Charney digs into Jan van Eyck’s masterpiece.

 

Inspirational Quote of the Day presented by Pinterest

Education Station

LISTEN

  • Listen to Radiolab’s short podcast, ‘Things’
  • Click here
  • Synopsis: From a piece of the Wright brother’s plane to a child’s sugar egg, today: Things! Important things, little things, personal things, things you can hold and things that can take hold of you. This hour, we investigate the objects around us, their power to move us, and whether it’s better to look back or move on, hold on tight or just let go.

 

TRY

  • Learn some new useless facts with this generator: Click here

 

MOVE

  • Full Chair Workout – No equipment from More Life Health Seniors
  • Click here

October 10 – 16

Gratitude Garden

READ

  • Click here
  • How Gratitude Changes You and Your Brain
  • New research is starting to explore how gratitude works to improve our mental health

WATCH

  • Click here
  • Why do we love? A philosophical inquiry – Skye C. Cleary, presented by TED-Ed
  • “Ah, romantic love; beautiful and intoxicating, heart-breaking and soul-crushing… often all at the same time! If romantic love has a purpose, neither science nor psychology has discovered it yet – but over the course of history, some of our most respected philosophers have put forward some intriguing theories. Skye C. Cleary outlines five of these philosophical perspectives on why we love.”

Inspirational quote of the day presented by @sistercody on Instagram

Brain Power Centre

BRAIN CHEMICALS

  • There are four major chemicals in the brain that influence our happiness: Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin and Endorphins
  • This week, lets activate our Oxytocin!
  • Instagram @sumbu.official

 

  • Practice physical affection, and give compliments where you can!

WATCH

The power of compliments presented by SoulPancake: Click here

  • And take a compliment for yourself

Adventure Avenue

EXPLORE

  • How many countries of the world can you name on a map? How close can you get to all 196! Try out this quiz: Click here

WATCH

  • BBC Earth 50 Top Natural History Moments
  • Click here

 

READ

  • Click here
  • “Ancient footprints could be oldest traces of humans in the Americas” from Nature magazine

Creativity Corner

EXPLORE

  • While some museums have closed their doors to the public, many have made virtual tours accessible for everyone on the internet!
  • This week, check out some of the pieces in the Musee d’Orsay located in Paris. Featuring stories, collections, and hundreds of individual items to admire!
  • Click here
  • The history of the museum, of its building is quite unusual. In the centre of Paris on the banks of the Seine, opposite the Tuileries Gardens, the museum was installed in the former Orsay railway station, built for the Universal Exhibition of 1900. So the building itself could be seen as the first “work of art” in the Musee d’Orsay, which displays collections of art from the period 1848 to 1914.

MOVE

  • Standing Pilates for Seniors- 30 minutes of exercise to Improve Strength & Build Confidence by The Girl With The Pilates Mat
  • Click here

Education Station

WATCH

  • Toronto Symphony Orchestra: Watch and listen to previously uploaded concerts
  • Click here
  • A brief history of Chess by Alex Gendler, presented by TED-Ed
  • Click here

 

 

TRY

  • Learn basic chess lessons and strategies
  • Click here
  • Can you beat the computer? Try out your own game of chess against ‘Shredder’
  • Click here

 

MOVE

  • Ten Minute Indoor Walking Workout by yes2next
  • Click here

 

October 3 – 9

Gratitude Garden

READ

  • 99 Ways to Add Mindfulness to Your Day
  • Click here

 

TRY

  • 25 Easy Self Care Activities presented by Pinterest

MOVE

  • Try this belly breathing exercise
  • Click here
  • Diaphragmatic breathing, or ‘belly breathing’ has a number of benefits that affect your entire body. It’s the basis for almost all meditation and relaxation activities, which can lower your stress levels, reduce your blood pressure, and regulate other important bodily processes.
  • Click here

Inspirational quote of the day presented by @sistercody on Instagram

 

Brain Power Centre

TRY

  • Check out the classic game ‘Snake’ online, see how far you can get! Use the arrow keys to control your snake to eat the symbols.
  • Click here

READ

  • Click here
  • How Artificial Intelligence Completed Beethoven’s Unfinished Tenth Symphony
  • On October 9, the work will be performed in Bonn, Germany, and a recording will be released

WATCH

  • Click here
  • Tap Into Your Brain’s Stored Power with these Brain Games from National Geographic

Adventure Avenue

EXPLORE

TRY

  • Check out this delicious Baby Kale Salad with Goat Cheese, Cherries, and Lentils
  • Click here
  •  

Creativity Corner

LISTEN

  • Click here
  • Check out the short story audiobook ‘The Three Questions’ by Leo Tolstoy presented by Fab audio books
  • Synopsis: “The Three Questions” is a short story by Russian author Leo Tolstoy first published in 1885 as part of the collection What Men Live By, and other tales. The story takes the form of a parable, and it concerns a king who wants to find the answers to what he considers the three most important questions in life. The thought came to a certain king that he would never fail if he knew three things. These three things were: 1) When is the best time to do each thing? 2) Who are the most important people to work with? 3) What is the most important thing to do at all time?”

EXPLORE

  • Use buttons, pointing and clicking to make art
  • Click here

Education Station

WATCH

  • Choose from these 150 great articles and essays to read online. From ‘Why Women Smile’ by Amy Cunningham, to ‘How the News Took Over Reality’ by Oliver Burkeman, there are countless reads to pique your interest!
  • Click here

TRY

  • In what galaxy is our solar system located? Test your general knowledge with this quiz
  • Click here

 

MOVE

  • 10 Minute Standing Abs And Core Workout by Senior Fitness With Meredith
  • Click here

September 19 – 25

Gratitude Garden

READ

  • Click here
  • A Mindful guide to compassion from mindful.org

 

TRY

  • Here is a quick meditation exercise to focus your mind. Use this time to reflect on your week and relax.
  • Click here

WATCH

  • Here is a motivational video podcast to start your week!
  • Get comfortable with being uncomfortable with Luvvie Ajayi
  • Click here
Brain Power Centre

TRY

  • Play chess online against players, or the computer

LISTEN

  • Check out Radiolab’s Episode ‘Who Am I?”
  • Synopsis: The “mind” and “self” were formerly the domain of philosophers and priests. But in this hour of Radiolab, neurologists lead the charge on profound questions like “How does the brain make me?” We stare into the mirror with Dr. Julian Keenan, reflect on the illusion of selfhood with British neurologist Paul Broks, and contemplate the evolution of consciousness with Dr. V. S. Ramachandran. Also: the story of woman who one day woke up as a completely different person.

Adventure Avenue

EXPLORE

  • Explore Google Earth’s Voyager to travel to different parts of the world!
  • This week, check out some protected conservation areas
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WATCH

  • Check out some of the Live Cam exhibits at the San Diego Zoo!
  • Click here

Featuring adorable penguins, elephants, polar bears and much more!

Creativity Corner

LISTEN

  • Click here
  • Simon & Garfunkel – The Sound of Silence (from The Concert in Central Park)

EXPLORE

  • While many museums have recently had to close their doors, many now offer a virtual experience!
  • Explore the British Museum of London’s ‘Museum of the World’
  • Click here

 

Education Station

WATCH

  • How Fast is the Speed of Thought? By Seena Mathew presented by Ted-Ed talks
  • Click here
  • “Your mortal enemy has captured you and hooked you up to a bizarre experiment. He’s extended your nervous system with one very long neuron to a target about 70 meters away. At some point, he’s going to fire an arrow. If you can then think a thought to the target before the arrow hits it, he’ll let you go. So who wins that race? Seena Mathew examines the speed of thought”

 

MOVE

  • Low Impact Cardio Workout with Senior Fitness by Meredith
  • Click here

 

Quote of the day presented by Pinterest

September 12 – 18

Gratitude Garden

READ

  • Click here
  • 5 Simple Mindfulness Practices for Daily Life from mindful.org

 

TRY

  • Letter: Write a hand-written letter to a person you are particularly grateful to have in your life. Be detailed. Express all the wonderful qualities about this person, and how they personally have affected your life for the better.

WATCH

  • Click here
  • The Power of Gratitude from Psych2Go
  • Can being grateful make you happier and healthier? What are some things you’re grateful for? Do you keep a gratitude journal? Here is a study on how being grateful can help.

 

Inspirational Quote of the Day Presented by Pinterest

Brain Power Centre

TRY

  • Click here
  • Can you solve the monster duel riddle? By Alex Gendler

 

  • Cranium Crunch! Give this Mini Letter Sudoku Puzzle a try. Sudoku are a great mental stimulation activity. See below for the explanation of the activity and then the puzzle for you to try.

Adventure Avenue

EXPLORE

  • Explore Google Earth’s Voyager, and travel to different parts of the world from your living room!
  • This week, check out Most-Loved National Parks. Explore the top 10 national parks in the United States recommended by locals who review places on Google Maps.

MOVE

  • Enjoy the great September weather with your own nature walk!

TRY

  • Check out the astronomy picture of the day

Creativity Corner

LISTEN

  • Click here
  • The Best Jazz Songs of All Time – 50 Unforgettable Jazz Classics

TRY

  • Try your hand at digital art
  • Or check out this tutorial to create ‘Neurographic Art’ with Karyn Kuniyuki

Education Station

WATCH

  • Click here
  • The rise and fall of the Lakota Empire by Pekka Hämäläinen presented by TED-Ed
  • “Trace the rise and fall of the Lakota Empire which, at their height, were the most dominant power in the American West. — In 1776, a powerful empire was born in North America. The Lakotas had reached the Black Hills, the most sacred place and most coveted buffalo hunting grounds in the western plains. Located in what is now South Dakota, control of the Black Hills, or Paha Sapa, marked the tribe as the dominant power in the American West. Pekka Hämäläinen explores the rise and fall of the Lakota Empire.”

 

MOVE

  • Senior Fitness – Standing Cardio Exercises For Seniors Using Dumbbells by Senior Fitness with Meredith
  • Click here

 

LISTEN

  • Listen to Radiolab’s short podcast, ‘Lost and Found’
  • Click here
  • Synopsis:
  • In this episode, we steer our way through a series of stories about getting lost, and ask how our brains, and our hearts, help us find our way back home.
  • After hearing about a little girl who gets lost in front of her own house, Jad and Robert wonder how we find our way in the world. We meet a woman who has spent her entire life getting lost and find out how our brains make maps of the world around us. We go to a military base in New Jersey to learn about some amazing feats of navigational wizardry and are introduced to a group of people in Australia with impeccable orientation. Finally, we turn to a very different kind of lost and found: a love story about running into a terrifying, and unexpected, fork in the road

September 5 – 11

Gratitude Garden

READ

  • Click here
  • Giving thanks can make you happier from Harvard Health Publishing

 

TRY

  • Take a break from your day-to-day stresses, cozy up with a blanket, pour a warm cup of tea, and reflect with any of the following journal prompts.
    • Describe your favorite moment of the day.
    • Write about a random act of kindness from another person
    • Write about something that cheers you up when you feel down.

WATCH

  • Click here
  • 20 Minute Mindfulness Meditation for Being Present from Mindful Movement

 

Inspirational Quote of the Day Presented by Pinterest

Brain Power Centre

  • Here is the brain teaser from last week!
    • The Answer is 6: Multiplication of the numbers across the diagonals is equal in each square. If A B C D are the numbers read clockwise from the left top number. Then A x C = B x  D

    PLAY

    WATCH

    • Click here
    • The rise of the planet of the trilobites by Nigel Hughes
    • Discover the creatures known as trilobites, one of Earth’s most successful early animals, and find out what led to their extinction.

Adventure Avenue

  • EXPLORE
    • Explore Google Earth’s Voyager, and travel to different parts of the world from your living room!
    • This week, test your knowledge on Architecture Around the Globe
    • Click here

    WATCH

    • Click here
    • ‘The Lost Forest’ a Nobel Peace Prize Short from National Geographic
    • An international team of scientists and explorers, lead by Dr Julian Bayliss, go on an extraordinary mission in Mozambique to reach a forest that no human has set foot in. The team, including some of the world’s foremost climate change experts, aims to collect data from the forest to help in our understanding of how climate change is affecting our planet. But the forest sits atop a mountain, and to reach it, the team must first climb a sheer 100m wall of rock. The scientists’ work is based on research conducted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007

     

Creativity Corner

LISTEN

  • Short audiobook ‘The Night Librarian’ by Jane Jago
  • Click here
  • ‘Working as the night librarian in a library full of magical books comes with its perks, but also its heaping spoonful of issues.’

 

PLAY

  • Click here
  • Put together art puzzles from Jig Zone, featuring famous fine art!

Education Station

WATCH

  • This Tool Will Improve your Critical Thinking by Erick Wilberding Presented by Ted-ED
  • Click here

 

MOVE

  • Walk at Home -Low Impact Walking Exercise for Seniors by Gentle Moves
  • Click here

 

READ

  • Click here
  • More Than 80 Cultures Still Speak in Whistles from the Smithsonian Magazine
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