Welcoming 2026 With Hope and Purpose in Assisted Living

A New Year, a fresh start, and goals that still matter

As we step into 2026, a new chapter is being opened for many families. At BeeHive Homes of New Mexico, assisted living is seen as a place where life continues to grow, not slow down. The New Year brings hope, reflection, and the chance to set gentle goals that support joy, health, and connection at every age.

Goal setting at the BeeHive Homes of New Mexico assisted living homes

The idea of goal setting may sound simple, but it can be powerful—especially for aging seniors. When small goals are encouraged, confidence is built. When progress is celebrated, purpose is felt.

Why Goals Matter at Any Age

Goals are not only for the young. In fact, they are often even more meaningful later in life.

In assisted living, goals are often focused on daily joy and well-being. These goals help give each day direction and meaning.

Some goals might include:

Staying active with light movement
Reading or learning something new
Trying a creative activity
Spending time with others
Getting outside when the weather allows

When goals are supported, seniors are often seen smiling more and engaging more fully.

How Assisted Living Supports New Year Goals

At BeeHive Homes of New Mexico, goals are gently supported every day. Care plans are created with each resident’s needs in mind. Routines are kept calm and familiar. Encouragement is offered often.

Goals are not forced.
They are supported.

That support helps residents feel safe while still feeling capable.

Looking Ahead With Gratitude

As 2026 begins, gratitude is carried forward. Every laugh, every conversation, and every small success is valued. In assisted living, the New Year is not about changing who someone is. It is about supporting who they already are—and helping them continue to thrive.

From all of us at BeeHive Homes of New Mexico, Happy New Year. May this year be filled with comfort, purpose, and moments that matter in assisted living.

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Memory Care Hitchcock Journey

Finding Home in Hitchcock: A Story of Care and Community

There’s something timeless about small Texas towns, where the past lingers gently in the present, and community has always been the heart of life. Hitchcock, nestled along the Texas Gulf Coast, carries this spirit in every corner. Once a quiet farming town, Hitchcock grew through resilience, hard work, and the closeness of its people. Families here know their neighbors, traditions run deep, and care for one another has always been a way of life.

It’s in this same spirit that BeeHive Homes of Hitchcock was created—a place where seniors are not only cared for but truly cherished.

A Community Rooted in History

The BeeHive Homes of Hitchcock: A Community Rooted in History and Legacy in Texas

Hitchcock’s roots go back to the late 1800s, when the rich soil of Galveston County drew settlers who built farms and small businesses. The town weathered hurricanes, grew alongside the nearby port city of Galveston, and remained a place where people valued connection and perseverance. Today, Hitchcock still carries that balance of small-town charm and Gulf Coast beauty, making it a place where seniors can feel both grounded and at peace.

The BeeHive Homes Legacy in Texas

BeeHive Homes began with a simple idea: that senior care should feel just like home. Over the years, this vision has spread across the country, with homes that are intentionally small, personal, and family-style. In Texas, BeeHive Homes has become a trusted name for assisted living and memory care, with locations built on compassion and community.

The Hitchcock home, opening its doors with just 16 rooms, brings this same legacy to Galveston County. Families in the area now have a place where loved ones can receive the care they need without losing the closeness and comfort of home.

The Need for Assisted Living and Memory Care

As families in Hitchcock and the surrounding Gulf Coast communities grow, so does the need for specialized senior care. Many residents reach a point where living alone is no longer safe or practical, yet they still long for independence and dignity. Others face the challenges of memory-related conditions like Alzheimer’s or dementia, which require patient, structured, and compassionate support.

This is where BeeHive Homes of Hitchcock steps in—offering a home that provides both freedom and care, stability and joy, comfort and safety.

Services Offered at BeeHive Homes of Hitchcock

Residents and families can take comfort in knowing that every service is delivered with kindness, patience, and respect:

Compassion, Care, and Grace in Every Detail

What makes BeeHive Homes of Hitchcock special isn’t just the building—it’s the people inside it. Caregivers here don’t simply provide services; they offer love, grace, and dignity in every interaction. Whether it’s helping with a morning routine, sitting together over a cup of coffee, or leading a group activity that fills the room with laughter, each moment is guided by kindness.

For families, this means peace of mind. For residents, it means a life that feels meaningful, connected, and safe. In the same way Hitchcock itself has always been about resilience and community, BeeHive Homes reflects those values in daily life—where seniors aren’t just cared for, they’re truly at home.

Welcome Home

BeeHive Homes of Hitchcock is more than a senior living community—it’s a story of belonging. It’s where the history of a town meets the future of compassionate care, and where every resident becomes part of a family that cherishes them.

If you’re exploring options for assisted living or memory care in the Hitchcock and Galveston area, we invite you to experience the BeeHive difference. Here, care is not just a service—it’s a way of life.

Vitamin D in the Elderly

Vitamin D!

Vitamin D deficiency is an issue of concern for more than just the elderly.  This important vitamin contributes to good health in a number of ways in your body.  It helps your body absorb calcium and maintain strong bones and teeth.  It also helps to reduce inflammation, builds your immune system, and helps to regenerate cells.  All of these areas can be beneficial, especially for the elderly!  So, how do we make sure that they are getting adequate amounts of this amazing, life-giving vitamin into their systems?

Start with sunlight!

Look up the most beneficial times of year and day to get vitamin D from the sun in your area.  Typically during the summer months our skin can absorb vitamin D from the sun.  During those times, be outside, when possible, during the safest parts of the day.  Be sure to have exposed skin in order to absorb the rays of the sun, but not for such lengths of time as to get sunburnt.

For people who live in extreme Northern climates, they are very aware of how the lack of sunlight can affect their energy levels, their immune systems and their sleep cycles.  Those who work nights and sleep days are also aware of the detrimental affect it has on their lives.  It's not surprising, then, that the elderly are a large group of individuals that struggle with a deficiency of this vitamin in their bodies.  They are often indoors more than out of doors, have slowing metabolisms and have trouble absorbing vitamins and minerals.

Eat up!

A number of foods are fortified with vitamin D, such as milk, but the best food source of naturally occurring vitamin D is found in cod liver oil.  We all know that the stuff is good for us, but some people just can't stomach the taste.  If you are one of those people, but would still like to enjoy the benefits of vitamin D from a food source instead of a supplement, try the cod liver oil that is lemon flavored.  It is also found in capsules.  It may not take away the unpleasant aftertaste, but you should at least be able to swallow it down!  You can also try sockeye salmon and tuna as beneficial options.

Vitamin D3 Pills

Supplement!

If you've tried both sunlight and diet and are still having a hard time getting your vitamin D levels up to par, talk with your doctor about supplementing with vitamin D.  Be sure not to take too much, as too much vitamin D can lead to vitamin D toxicity.  More specifically, vitamin D3 causes hypercalcemia, or excessive calcium levels.  After determining the proper amount to supplement, find out if there are other things that can help increase the absorption rates of the supplement.  Also look for signs that will assure you that it is helping to improve your deficiency. The benefits from vitamin D are so widespread and diverse, they are certainly worth taking notice.  So start today and begin utilizing the natural benefits of vitamin D for yourself and your elderly friends today!

 

Personality Changes and Dementia

A Few Early Signs of Alzheimer's

  1. Lapse in memory that disrupts daily life
  2. Challenges solving problems
  3. Trouble making plans
  4. Mixing up time and places
  5. Problems using words in speaking and writing
  6. Misplacing things and then not being able to retrace steps to locate
  7. Overall decrease in judgement - trouble making decisions
  8. Withdrawal from social activities
  9. Change in mood or personality

 What would a change in personality mean?

Personality is something that we rather take for granted.  It is true that certain aspects of it are inborn, but there are other aspects of one's personality or at least of the persona that they portray, that are learned and practiced over time.  We come to depend upon how well we know a person because their personality remains consistent over time.  We know, for instance, whether they are generally polite or cranky.  We know if they are honest or tend to lie.  We know if they tend to be soft-spoken or loud.  All of these things help us to feel as though we are on solid ground when describing who a person is.  But once dementia or Alzheimer's enters the picture, the ground can begin to shift right under our feet.

Because different types of dementia affect different parts of the brain, the disease may affect personality and behaviors in different ways.  If a person has dementia that affects the frontal areas of the brain, their personalities may seem to shift more drastically.  It's an important thing to ask about at onset so that you can begin to prepare yourself mentally for how you will deal with the changes you may encounter in the coming months and years.  Generally speaking, most individuals with dementia do not completely change their personality.  For instance, a person who was nice and calm would not become violent, unless there were other issues such as hallucinations or drug interaction problems going on, but it can occur.  Most often the changes that occur are an amplification of their former personality.  A soft-spoken person may become even quieter.  An angry person may become very overbearing and upset easily.

As the disease progresses into advanced stages, several of a person's learned behaviors begin to fade.  If they were a voracious reader, they may lose the ability to read.  If they wrote often, they will most likely lose that ability.  If these were important things to them, and particularly if they were activities that you shared with them, it can seem as though you do not know who they are anymore.  We often associate people and our relationships through hobbies and interests.  This can also, understandingly, cause a great deal of frustration on their part.  They are losing things that they consider to be important parts of themselves.  During their lucid moments, if they recognize any of this, it will be frustrating and disappointing to them.

While there is not much that one can do to prevent this from occurring in the advanced stages of the disease, we can begin to prepare ourselves by knowing the likelihood that these changes may occur.  We can also take time while we have it, to enjoy their true personality that we've grown to love over time.  Take every opportunity to spend time with them and support them through this scary time, assuring them that whatever happens, you'll still remember their true nature.  And as you speak of them to others, you'll emphasize who they are rather than the disease to others.  This will do more to maintain their dignity than anything else you can do.  Their life and personality is a gift to us while our love and care is our gift to them.

Dealing with Fear

Fear. That’s probably something that a lot of us are feeling right now. We are living in a world full of unknowns since the recent outbreak of the COVID-19/Coronavirus. While there is reason to be concerned, we should not let fear overtake and overwhelm us. There are many ways to be prepared and to help prevent the spread of this virus. For the elderly, it is a very good idea to be extra cautious. Elderly are reported to be more at risk to complications from this virus then those who are younger than them.

 

 

Take the steps that the CDC has put into the place to keep yourself safe. Some of these steps are:

While it is good to follow the steps above, we need to make sure that we do not go into panic mode. That panic mode comes from a place of fear. It has been proven that living in fear can have significant impacts on your mental and physical health. Some ways that it can affect you are:

-changes in eating or sleeping patterns

-difficulty sleeping or concentrating

-worsening of chronic conditions or diseases

-increased use of drugs, tobacco or alcohol

 

There are many more ways that fear can affect your body. But I think one of the main things we need to focus on are ways to work through that fear and not to dwell on it. If you are living in an assisted living home, you are probably already being quarantined for your safety. Here are some ideas of how to not focus on the fear and to help with any boredom that you might be experiencing:

  1. Shut off the news, media or even Facebook for periods of time throughout the day. Constantly having your mind bombarded with all the chaos can really cause anxiety.
  2. Take care of yourself. Relax, remember to eat healthy, stretch, take a nap, meditate, pray or read your bible. Whatever it is for you that helps you feel peaceful.
  3. Don’t be afraid to talk to people about your feelings of anxiety. Verbally processing things can help sort out all the chaos going on in your brain. If you already struggle with issues of mental health, this is all the more important!
  4. Try to find activities that you enjoy to take your mind off of the current situation. Reading, doing puzzles, making crafts, sewing, playing games, etc.
  5. If you are living in an assisted living home or nursing home and are experiencing a time where you aren’t allowed visitors for quarantine reasons, this is a great opportunity to call people on the phone or even write them letters the old-fashioned way!
  6. Try to find things that you are thankful for in this season. Even if it’s small, try to find one thing per day. This really helps in changing our mindsets from negative to positive!

Above all else, try to reflect on this acronym for the word F.E.A.R. False Evidence Appearing Real. So many times, when we are afraid, it’s because we are constantly going over the what if’s in our minds. Try not to write the script before it happens. Most of the time, the what if’s that we spend so much time worrying about never happen anyway.

 

7 Simple Ways to Help Your Aging Loved One with Diabetes

Let’s talk diabetes. For many, that is a big scary word that most people never want to hear from their doctor. Usually when a diagnosis like this comes, it means that there has to be some dramatic changes in our lives. Most people do not like change, especially people who have gone through many seasons of life. If you have an aging loved one who was recently diagnosed with diabetes, you might be feeling overwhelmed about how to best care for them. Especially if they are living alone or in an assisted living home. How can you help them when you aren’t constantly there to check up on them? Here are 7 ways that you can:

 

 

  1. Open up communication with the staff of the assisted living home and your loved one’s doctor. When you keep communication lines open, it will make you feel reassured that your loved one is getting well looked after, even when you aren’t there.
  2. Go along to their appointments and take notes about anything that the doctor says. Research the disease beforehand, that way you know which questions to ask. If you can’t make it to an appointment find someone that they can trust to take them instead.
  3. Make sure to talk to the nurses at the assisted living home about your loved one’s medication regimen, any diet changes that are needed, and about the level of exercise that the doctor says your loved one should be getting.
  4. Encourage your aging family member in any changes that need to be made to help improve their overall health. This could be as simple as learning how to use a daily glucose test and showing them how to do it. Or helping them understand which medications they need to take and when.
  5. Ask their doctor about which exercise regimen is good for them and either drive them to their exercise classes or PARTICIPATE in it with them. Exercise will help lower stress levels and in turn bring down blood sugar levels.
  6. Another way to help is to get creative with them in the kitchen. With diabetes, doctors usually recommend that they have a good diet full of a variety of vegetables and proteins. Sugary foods and lots of carbohydrates can really hurt a diabetic. This can be a hard one to change, especially if your loved one has spent most of their lives eating processed food. Share the journey of getting healthier with them so they don’t feel like they are all alone in it. Make new recipes together or help them modify some of their old favorites to make them healthier. Another way to help with food is to help stock their kitchen with good healthy snack choices for them to eat throughout the day.
  7. For diabetics having wounds or blisters can really be a cause for concern, especially on the feet. Because their nerve endings are damaged it could be hard for them notice if there is any damage to their feet. If it goes on for a while without treatment, this could lead to serious problems like infection, gangrene or amputations. So please teach your loved one how to regularly check their feet. Also encourage them to wear shoes or slippers that will prevent them from stubbing their toes or falling.

Overall, just try to be there for your loved one. They might not show you that they appreciate it, in fact they might show you the opposite. But try to keep encouraging them that you are only trying to help them keep their independence longer so that they can live the rest of their lives to the fullest.

Water! Why It’s So Important

Our bodies are made of approximately 50% water. It is a well-known fact that in order to keep our bodies functioning properly, we need to constantly be replenishing that supply. On average, we lose about 2-3 quarts of water a day. This can vary depending on the time of the year, your activity level, and if you’re on medications. For seniors, it is especially important to be maintaining good hydration. As we grow older, it becomes easier to forget to drink water, one of the reasons is because our sense of thirst diminishes. Dehydration is actually one of the top reasons that the elderly end up going to the hospital. That’s why it is extremely important for the elderly to drink, drink, drink! Let’s look at more reasons on why drinking water can better your health.

 

  1. Prevent Sickness and Disease

Being dehydrated can actually be a major contributing factor to a lot of the diseases that those in their later years suffer from. Kidney problems, heart problems, diabetes, arthritis, joint pain, headaches, and asthma can all stem from not drinking enough water. Water lubricates the body, which would help your joints. And it also keeps your digestive and urinary systems running smoothly so you won’t suffer from things like constipation, UTI’s, and kidney stones. Water helps your body flush out the nasty toxins that create the health issues listed above.

 

  1. Gives Your Brain and Emotions A Boost

One of the things that happens when our bodies are dehydrated, is that our cells shrink. When this occurs in your brain, it can cause you to have a foggy mind, memory problems, and not be able to make decisions easily. So, drinking plenty of water can help keep your brain sharp! It will help you feel better mentally and emotionally. Studies show that those who drink more water are often in a way better mood!

 

What if you don’t like drinking water? What are ways to keep your body hydrated? I think we have all been there, where we are just sick of drinking plain water. I totally get it! Here are some tips to stay hydrated in other ways!

 

When living in an assisted living or nursing home, it can actually be harder sometimes to stay hydrated. Different things can contribute to this. If the facility is short staffed, it could be harder for the workers to meet everyone’s drinking needs. Or if the resident has any physical impairments that could cause them to need help to eat or drink, it could be harder for them to get enough fluid intake throughout the day. If you do have a loved one in an assisted living or nursing home, please keep checking up on them to make sure they are staying hydrated. Ask the nurse about how they are doing when it comes to their urine output. And about how much they are eating and drinking each day. The nurse should have it all in their charts. Don’t be afraid to ask them questions and stay proactive in your loved one’s life.

 

 

 

Five Superfoods for the Elderly

Our entire lives we hear about how important it is to eat healthy. For most of us, it’s something we hear and always wish we could improve on, but struggle to have the motivation to do so. Instead of thinking of how hard a lifestyle change can be, start thinking of how much better you will feel when you eat food that will actually fuel your body. This is especially true for the elderly. The common mindset among the elderly is that as you get older, you get weaker. While this is true to an extent, it also has to do a lot with the foods that we are putting in our bodies. It is possible for those who are aging to have strong, energetic bodies. I have a great aunt who lives in the Colorado Rockies, she is 86 years old and still hikes them frequently. I can guarantee you that she did not remain fit by frequently indulging in the processed foods that we commonly eat today. Here is a list of five superfoods that can help you maintain a healthy physique as you age:

 

  1. Avocados

Avocados are probably one of the best superfoods on the market. For the elderly they can help with digestion, as they are full of fiber. Avocados are known to be a heart healthy food that contains potassium which can reduce the risk of heart problems, stroke, kidney failure, and can even help lower blood pressure. They are fat soluble, which means that they help your body absorb the nutrients in other healthy foods that you eat with them. There have also been studies that show that the nutrients in avocados can help prevent cancer, relieve arthritis pain, and promote eye, skin, and hair health. You can eat these plain or in soups, salads, and smoothies.

 

  1. Blueberries

Blueberries are another great superfood! They are full of Vitamins C, A and K. They are another heart healthy food that can help in lowering cholesterol. Blueberries also contain flavonoids which can help your night vision and keep your brain sharp! They are yummy to just snack on, put in oatmeal/yogurt, or to use in smoothies!

 

  1. Quinoa

This is one of those superfoods that is lesser known. Quinoa is a grain and is a good source of iron, calcium, fiber, magnesium and protein. These nutrients can help relieve constipation, build strong muscles, relax the muscles, increase blood flow, and is good to help your body eliminate disease causing toxins. Quinoa can be used as a side dish, in salads, as a breakfast cereal, in soups, or in baked goods.

 

  1. Pink Salmon

Pink salmon contains lots of Vitamin D, which is good for bone health. And is a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids which can lower the risk of heart attacks, irregular heartbeats, and lower blood pressure. Omega-3 fatty acids may also reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Make sure you get salmon that is wild caught. It is way healthier and doesn’t contain lots of the toxins that farm manufactured fish do. Salmon can be baked in the oven with olive oil and whatever seasonings you prefer.

 

  1. Broccoli

Broccoli is good for us for many reasons and it’s simple to make, which is a win! Broccoli is full of fiber, helps with metabolism and lowering blood sugar. It can also lower the risk of high cholesterol, osteoporosis, certain cancers and heart disease. It is stocked full of vitamins A, C, B9, and K; all of which will boost your immune system and bones. When you cook broccoli, it is best to steam it so that you don’t lose the nutrients in the boiling water.

 

Whether you are living independently, in an assisted living home or nursing care facility. It is up to you to set the standard for your health. Just making simple changes in what you eat can really help you maintain a more enjoyable lifestyle. If you are a family member reading this with a loved one in an assisted living or a nursing care facility, try to encourage your family member by helping them buy healthy foods and coming up with creative ways to eat them.

Nursing Homes and Loneliness

Okay, let's all just admit it, nursing homes can be rather depressing.  The visitors notice it, the staff notice it, & the clients do not mince words about it.  Long hallways with group dining rooms at each end make one think of hospitals.  Even if there are colorful decorations on the walls, the comparison is impossible not to make.  It is, of course, a nursing care facility.  The clients wouldn't be there unless they had need of that nursing care.  And so, with the holidays in full swing, I want to address the inevitable topic of loneliness in nursing homes.  It is there, if you're brave enough to face it.  But does it have to be? I don't think so.  I'd like to address the staff, families with loved ones who live in a facility like this, and finally the clients who live there because it takes all three of these to make care homes less lonely and more like an actual home.

First: staff.  Your shoulders already carry a great burden.  You walk each day into your workplace knowing that someone you've grown to love may have passed on in the night.  It can be easy to begin to distance yourself emotionally from the patients in order to protect yourself from further hurt, but please don't.  You are often the only smiling face that they see in a day & maybe the only face.  If the faces you see are so limited in number, it means a great deal whether they are wearing a smile, a grimace or a stern frown.  Greeting them and asking about their family is very important.  Remembering the names of some of their grandchildren can mean the world.  Taking five extra minutes to hear a story you've already heard can brighten their day.  Sometimes they know they've already told you the story...they just want someone to be near and they haven't been anywhere in a long time so they don't have any new stories.  Keep encouraging them to write to loved ones, to reach out, to visit with their neighbor lady down the hall, to join in the activities.  We all need connection, and with it, the loneliness ebbs away.

Second: family.  You're exhausted from having to deal with all of the medical emergencies and financial difficulties of your loved one who has gone into care.  It requires almost a full time job just to sort all of the paperwork involved.  You probably haven't even started fully sifting the emotions of watching your loved one lose their independence.  If you have, that can be even more painful than the paperwork involved in finding the help they need.  You may be tempted to call them less frequently, or stop in less often because they might very well be angry with the world (and you) for the situation they find themselves in.  Don't.  If anything, call more often and visit more often.  Especially during the holidays.  The feelings they are having are acute indicators that they still have fight left in them.  Let them know that they're not forgotten because they moved addresses.  Also, help them to re-discover some of what made them who they were before they went into nursing care.  If they were always caring for others, it can make it very difficult for them to sit back with nothing to do.  Find outlets for their creativity, their talents and their love of others so that they don't lose heart and so that they don't lose purpose.  It's important for all of us, but especially for them as they struggle with feelings of uselessness. Keep brainstorming until you come up with something they'll really enjoy.

Third: clients.  Despite everyone else's best efforts, no one else can make you feel better if you are determined to close off your heart.  It hurts to care.  It hurts not be able to do what we once did or see who used to see regularly, but if you open your heart to the new people around you, you might find a great deal of purpose in your life.  Some of the nurses caring for you might be going through a painful divorce.  Some might have severely handicapped children at home.  Some of the other residents might have extreme and chronic pain. There may be people in your new circle of acquaintances that would really benefit from a shoulder to cry on or at least a listening ear or a smiling face.   Those who are younger might very well be willing to listen to some sage advice from someone who has trodden the path of life for many years and has far more experience.

This life is tough.  It's tough for you and it's tough for them.  If we all allow our hearts to open to one another, however, we might find the loneliness begins to subside and a real family atmosphere begin to develop, even in nursing homes.

Community

Most people are aware that community is healthy for elderly citizens.  Our article on loneliness discussed some practical ways that seniors can combat the routine loneliness that tries to overtake them.  All of those ideas are important, but the community aspect of senior life is one of the most important because without at least a small community, many people fall through the cracks.  So, if you are a senior citizen in a smaller, rural community, this article will give you some ideas of places to go where you can meet  others  and help cultivate an appreciation for others in all generations and also establish  contact that will benefit you and others around you.

  1. Farmer’s Markets. These lovely little pop up markets are common to smaller towns.  They are full of a rich variety of people offering great food and produce.  If your town or area has one, you could benefit nutritionally from above par produce, but you could also benefit if you return regularly by meeting and establishing relationships with the same vendors week after week!
  2. Art Guilds. If you are from a smaller community, there are generally established art guilds in the area that encourage certain artforms, such as quilting, spinning, wood-working, etc.  If any of those things is within your interest area or expertise, it is work looking into.  Once there, you’ll find others who share your talents and interests.
  3. Extension offices. Most states have these offices and they have information on all kinds of activities to get involved with.  There are often classes and particular clubs that meet in your area that focus on everything from homemaking to agricultural or gardening interests.
  4. Co-ops. Whether they are food buying co-ops or other types, co-ops are a great place to meet people who are like-minded.

5.  If you’ve never been a church goer, you may not realize the incredible sense of community that comes from being surrounded by those who care.  Churches are a great place to cultivate relationships that are long lasting.

6. Gym or exercise classes. Try your hand at a gym or health club membership, especially if they offer classes for other seniors that have programs that are specific for the elderly. It’s possible to get in shape and make friends all at one time.

7.  Community theatre or music. If your town has a community theatre organization, they may love to have your talents on display for their acts, or they may benefit greatly from your other skills in costuming or even for practice reading lines.  If this interests you, try out.

8.  Festivals or celebrations. Most small communities have at least a few festivals per year.  Find out how you can be involved, even if it is acting as Santa or Mrs. Claus for the local children at Christmas! If your community has a parade, find out if there’s someone who needs a volunteer to throw candy from a car or float.

Instead of focusing on things that you cannot do, think about what you COULD help with and look for opportunities to get involved.   It might be an inspiration for other generations, and also for those from your own generation as they look for community of their own!