Say nir Sa a y Senior Seni by Jim Miller Ways to Make Gardening Easier as You Age Dear Savvy Senior, What gardening tips can you offer to older seniors? I love to putter around and work in the garden, but my back and knees have caused me to curtail my gardening activities, which I miss greatly. Older Gardner Dear Older, There’s no doubt that gardening can be hard on an aging body. Joints stiff en up, kneeling for prolonged periods hurts, and bending and reaching can strain muscles. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up your hobby. You just need to garden differently, add some special tools and know your limits. Here are some tips that may help you. Limber Up With gardening, good form is very important as well as not overdoing any one activity. A common problem is that gardeners often kneel or squat, putting extra pressure on their knees. Then, to spare their knees, they might stand and bend over for long stretches to weed, dig and plant, straining their back and spine. To help protect your body, you need to warm up before beginning. Start by stretching, focusing on the legs and lower back. And keep changing positions and activities. Don’t spend hours weeding a fl owerbed. After 15 minutes of weeding, you should stand up, stretch, and switch to another activity like pruning the bushes or just take a break. It’s also important that you recognize your physical limitations and don’t try to do too much all at once. And, when lifting heavier objects, remember to use your legs to preserve your back. You can do this by keeping the item close to your body and squatting to keep your back as vertical as possible. Get Better Tools The right gardening equipment can help too. Kneeling pads can protect knees, and garden seats or stools are both back and knee savers. Lightweight garden carts can make hauling bags of mulch, dirt, plants or other heavy objects much easier. And long-handled gardening and weeding tools can help ease the strain on the back by keeping you in a standing upright position versus bent over. There are also ergonomic gardening and pruning tools with fatter handles and other design features that can make lawn and garden activities a little easier. Fiskars and Felco make a number of specialty tools that you can buy online or at local retail stores that sell lawn and garden supplies. Also check out Gardeners.com and RadiusGarden.com, two online stores that sell specialized gardening tools and equipment that are very helpful to older gardeners. Make Watering Easier The chore of carrying water or handling a heavy, awkward hose can also be difficult for older gardeners. Some helpful options include lightweight fabric or expandable hoses instead of heavy rubber hoses; soaker or drip hoses that can be snaked throughout the garden; thin coil hoses that can be used on the patio or small areas; a hose caddy and reel for easier hose transport around the yard; and a self-winding hose chest that puts the hose up automatically. There are also a variety of ergonomic watering wands that are lightweight, easy to grip, and reach those hard to-get-to plants. To fi nd these types of watering aids check with your local lawn and garden supplies stores or visit Gardeners.com. Bring the Garden to You If your backyard garden has become too much to handle, you should consider elevated garden beds or container gardening – using big pots, window boxes, hanging baskets, barrels or tub planters. This is a much easier way to garden because it eliminates much of the bend and strain of gardening but still provides the pleasure of making things grow. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. nior ior THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, MAy 17, 2024 PRIORITIES | FROM PAGE 8 Housing: As the Senate moves forward to shape a more fi scally sustainable path for the Commonwealth, affordable housing opportunities remain out of reach for too many. Longstanding housing challenges are being exacerbated by the infl ux of people migrating to Massachusetts, and a lack of federal fi nancial assistance and immigration reform. To that end, the Committee’s budget invests $1.14 billion, dedicating resources for housing stability, residential assistance, emergency shelter services and homelessness assistance programs, ensuring the state deploys a humane, responsible and sustainable approach to providing famOBITUARIES | FROM PAGE 17 bati, wife Monica, Andrea Del Gaizo, husband Josh and William Parker Webb. Rosemary was also blessed with 5 great grandchildren Lucian, Jacqueline Kai, Gabriel, Vince and Lyla Rose. She is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews. Rosemary had a heart made of gold. Her whole being simply overfl owed with love for her family. Her love knew no bounds, transcending generations and fi lling our lives with joy and laughter. Her Page 19 ilies and individuals in need with an access point to secure housing. The budget prioritizes relief for families and individuals who continue to face challenges brought on by the pandemic and fi nancial insecurity, including $325.3 million for Emergency Assistance Family Shelters, in addition to the $175 million in resources passed in the recent supplemental budget, to place the Commonwealth’s shelter system on a fi scal glidepath into FY25, in addition to $197.4 million for Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT). Other housing investment areas: the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP); assistance to local housing authorities; assistance for homeless indistrength, resilience, and unwavering faith inspired us all to persevere and to never lose hope. After her children were grown, Rosemary enjoyed working at Pope John, Dunkin Donuts and in her later years, St. Joseph’s Parish where she was honored and privileged to provide excellence in culinary cuisine for the Priests. Rosemary will be missed greatly by all the lives she touched. She left footprints in our hearts and her legacy lives on through her loving family. Relatives and friends were ~ LEGAL NOTICE ~ CITY OF EVERETT viduals; the HomeBASE diversion and rapid re-housing programs; the Alternative Housing Voucher Program (AHVP), including providing rental assistance to people with disabilities; assistance for unaccompanied homeless youth; the Housing Consumer Education Centers (HCECs); sponsored-based supportive permanent housing; the Home and Healthy for Good re-housing and supportive services program, including funding to support homeless LGBTQ youths. The FY25 Senate Ways and Means Budget Recommendations are available on the Massachusetts legislature’s website at https://malegislature.gov/Budget/SenateWaysMeansBudget. kindly invited to attend a visitation at the JF Ward Funeral Home, Everett, on Tuesday, May 14th, followed by funeral from the funeral home on Wednesday, May 15th with a Funeral Mass at St. Joseph’s Church, Malden. Services concluded with interment in Holy Cross Cemetery, Malden. In lieu of fl owers, we are asking for donations to be made to the Kaplan Family Hospice House @ Kaplan Family Hospice House and Care Dimensions Hospice House, 78 Liberty Street, Danvers, MA 01923 NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING FY2022/2023 MASSACHUSETTS CDBG PROGRAM Notice is hereby given that the City of Everett, acting through the Department of Planning and Development, will hold a public hearing on Monday, June 3, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. in the Speaker George Keverian Room, 3rd floor, Everett City Hall, 484 Broadway, Everett, MA 02149. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the proposed program amendment, to reprogram funding originally awarded to the Justice Resource Institute (JRI) in the amount of $40,000 to Action for Boston Community Development, Inc. (ABCD) under the FY2022-2023 CDBG program. Under the proposed program amendment, ABCD will support Everett residents in emergency rental and utility assistance and housing counseling. The City encourages a broad spectrum of participation by residents and other interested parties in order to better understand and serve the needs of the community. If you require translation services, accommodations for the hearing impaired, or other accommodations, please contact the Department of Planning and Development at least one week prior to the meeting. Any person or organization so willing will be afforded an opportunity to be heard. Any comments or suggestions may be made at the hearing or before the hearing in writing to the Department of Planning and Development, Room 25, 484 Broadway, Everett, MA 02149. For more information, please contact the Department of Planning and Development at Everett City Hall, Room 25, or by contacting Matt Lattanzi at matt.lattanzi@ci.everett.ma.us or at 617-944-0206. May 17, 24, 2024
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