The holiday season is here again bringing peace, love, joy and utter befuddlement: What do I get Mom this year? Don’t panic. The best gift to give your parents and grandparents is showing you care.

Halloween isn’t just for little kids anymore and neither is dressing up. In 2015, 64 percent of adults 18 and older planned to participate in Halloween festivities, and adults spent $1.2 billion on costumes just for themselves. It isn’t at all shocking, though. While make-believe and pretend are sometimes seen as childish games, adults also feel the need to express themselves. In an article on Halloween, consumer anthropologist Robbie Blinkoff said, “It's a way for people to try to be more themselves." Costumes can represent who the person is on the inside.

Finding an outfit that perfectly reflects the “inner self” can be difficult and a wheelchair can add to the costume complexity. However it’s not impossible. If you, a parent or grandparent uses a wheelchair and wants to be in costume this Halloween, here is a list of costume ideas that accommodate wheelchairs. 

Crisp cool air, brightly-hued leaves and shorter days are signs that autumn has arrived. Although we may regret the end of summer, seniors, toddlers and everyone in between can have fun with these family-friendly fall activities.

Falling leaves and pumpkins of all sizes are inspiration for these fall-themed projects:

What is your favorite thing to wake up to in the morning? Is it rolling over and seeing your special person snore quietly? Maybe it’s the excited giggles from your child or grandchild? Is it the sun peaking over the horizon?

Let’s be honest; it’s probably none of those things. Those greeting cards and movie moments are mostly a sweet mirage. Waking up, in reality, can be difficult, especially when you are trading the warmth of happy dreams for the busy daily demands of life. One way to make the morning brighter is to drink a fresh-brewed cup of coffee. Coffee can help pull people out of a sleepy stupor and energize them to face the day.

This article from Deseret News features an excerpt from an upcoming book by Linda & Richard Eyre on how boomers can live their life to its fullest. Covering seven key decisions boomers should make to ensure their golden years are happy, productive and fulfilling, the steps are general enough that anyone can benefit from.  

There’s no better time to plan a vacation for the family than right now. Not only are temperatures rising, but we’re smack-dab in Mother’s Day and Father’s Day territory, an opportune time for a little parent-grownup kid bonding. Going on a journey to somewhere fresh and new with a loved one will demonstrate that no matter how old you are, there’s always something new to learn about those you care about most.  

Now that spring has arrived you’re probably going to be more active, as well you should be. But even though the ice is finally melting, the increase in physical activity also means the increased likelihood of losing your balance and potentially incurring serious injury. 

For seniors that live alone, pets can provide valuable emotional support and increase the quality of life. The type of pet that may best benefit an elderly individual depends on the ability of the individual to take care of the pet. For many, cats or smaller animals may provide company without the need for regular exercise that dogs require. Even fish may provide a welcome distraction from daily worries and help to promote positive emotions.

You know times are changing when everyone who used to hide even seven gray hairs is now doing their best to grow them all out!  Talk about 50 shades of gray!  There are at least that many shades and tones, genuine and fake, seen on heads everywhere today.