In this month's Newsletter, ElderCare at Home wants to remind you of the importance of spending time with family and friends. As many of you may understand, being a family caregiver consumes a lot of your time, and it may seem difficult to even consider things like free time, going out with friends, or even taking a break. This month, we challenge you to re-evaluate your schedule and come up with at least one or two activities to do with your loved one, a friend, or any other family members. Our aim is to emphasize the value of engaging in social activities with people you love for the sake of your emotional, physical, and mental wellbeing. Today, we will go over the various ways you can make time in your schedule, find creative activities, and make moments with others meaningful.

During the month of October, try to keep these steps in mind and establish a habit of spending quality time socializing with those you love most.

(1) Use a schedule and write a time down: Schedule social time as you would when you are writing down a goal. When you get it on paper, the plans become more real, more concrete. We understand that finding time can be a chore. Even if it's only for an hour during one week, this is still an excellent start.

(2) Communicate with friends or family: The next thing that will help is to start creating plans with friends. Not only is there the possibility that you will get motivated to get some much-needed socializing in, you can also have a friend or family member help you find the best time to get together.

(3) Don't be afraid to initiate: Many people are afraid to make first contact. That means, many people hesitate to call others, especially if they haven't seen them in a while, to organize a meeting. Do not let this frighten you. If anything, a true friend will be happy that you are calling and there should be no need to worry. Pick up that phone now and get in touch with those you love.

(4) Go somewhere that promotes socializing: Try to find a place where you can have good, quality time to talk with your friend or family member. In other words, as fun as it is to see a movie, this outing doesn't really help you socialize. Of course, you can see a movie with them if you both agree that will be the best use of your time, but we encourage you to do something socially engaging, like bowling, getting coffee, or doing a hobby together. Socially engaging activities help you build deeper connections with your friends.

(5) Put yourself out there: If you can't find a mutually agreeable time to meet with someone you already know, go make new friends! This can be done by joining groups through book clubs, religious organizations, or local community organizations. Don't be shy and try to find a club/organization/activity that you genuinely love so you can meet people with a common interest.

ElderCare at Home is here for you. We hope that you can spend quality time with people you love. Caregiving is likely a big part of your life, but finding a healthy balance between caregiving and socializing can have profound benefits.