Month: April 2020

Springtime weather is just around the corner! While you are staying home and social distancing yourself, why not start a home flower garden to bring some joy to your life? Making a raised flower bed allows those that have trouble getting down on the ground tend to a garden and still participate in this fulfilling activity! A simple way to get involved in gardening would be to use a card table outdoors and put some cute decorative pots with flowers on the tabletop. Better yet would be to get a few Terra Cotta pots and paint your own unique designs on them.

If you have trouble grasping onto your gardening tools, using some Coban wrap around the handles allows a larger gripping surface and makes it stickier. Coban is commercially available at your pharmacies and larger stores in the first aid section. You could also put your gardening tools into a palmar band to maintain your grasp on the tools. If you don’t have either of these, place a washcloth or hand towel with duct tape to secure around handle. Don’t forget to water your plants! A watering can is a great way to water plants and there are plenty of light weight options; use your Coban to help hold onto the handles too!

Succulents are a great option for the new gardener, and so pretty to look at! They are much easier to care for, only needing to be watered a couple times a month. They also do not require much pruning, unlike some of their pickier floral counterparts.

Occupational therapy is all about doing meaningful activities to promote health and wellness. Not only does gardening allow you to care for something else which increases your quality of life, it also is a great way to work on fine motor, gross motor and cognitive skills! Get outside and make the world prettier! ~ Amanda Brennan, OTR/L

Don’t be fooled! With the 2020 Census, the recent passing of the stimulus package, and the extension of tax returns, the scammers have unleashed and are phishing for your information! Here are some pointers on how to protect yourself.

1. Don’t accept email or attachments from anyone that you do not know. Do not be fooled by the emails that are disguising as the 2020 Census Bureau, the government, law enforcement, or IRS.
2. Never give out or confirm your personal information to anyone over the phone, email, text, etc. This includes your social security number, your bank account, birth date, or credit card number.
3. Don’t answer the phone if number is blocked or is not familiar. Only answer if you are expecting a call and recognize the number. Scammers are good at what they do. Once they have you on the phone it is easy for them to feed you bait. Hang up and don’t take the bait. Scammers impersonate the IRS representative, family member, law enforcement, legal, collections agency, etc. They may have some personal information dear to you, that can be used to help confirm other identifying information.
4. Check for identification. Is someone at your door? What is their purpose? Ask for identification. Census Bureau representatives may stop at your door if you have not completed your census. Identification will include a valid ID badge, with photo, a U.S. Department of Commerce watermark, and an expiration date. To avoid a visit, complete your census.
5. Report any suspected fraud activity. Here are some resources to learn more about what to expect from 2020 census and IRS, as well as how to report any suspected fraudulent activity.
   http://2020census.gov/en/avoiding-fraud.html
   https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/avoid-scams-know-the-facts-on-how-the-irs-contacts-taxpayers