We spend the majority of our time together walking, whether it is outside or indoors, depending on the weather. I have asked ST about doing other kinds of fitness class (things like chair yoga, gentle fitness) but she is not interested. She once said she likes to walk because she can’t bend down. When I explained that these classes don’t involve bending over, as they are specifically for people like her with limited mobility she didn’t respond, but I assured her I am not trying to force her into anything, just offering suggestions. 

She does enjoy going bowling, and is able to do so with assistance. She uses a ramp and I do carry the ball over for her as she has a difficult time lifting. Some days she requires a bit more assistance depending on her cognitive state, but she always enjoys being there. The first time we went together ST felt overwhelmed and became quite withdrawn but still enjoyed participating. The more we go, the more confident and energetic she is about being there.

We often go outside for a nature walk of some sort, but in the winter when it is colder, going outside isn't ideal so we found indoor places that will allow us to do a lot of walking - such as going to shopping centres in the area to walk around. ST enjoys "window shopping" and is always interested in seeing seasonal items when they come out, particularly at Christmas.  We also visited museums and galleries often.

When eating, ST often makes healthy food choices. Once in a while gets something like hotdogs or burgers (maybe once a month or so)., but overall she is conscious of eating healthy. When I first started working with her she would buy a bottle of water every time we were out (sometimes juice but usually water). I did try to talk to her about using a reusable water bottle, explaining the benefits; health, cost, and environmental. She was very determined she didn’t want to bother with a bottle and having something else to clean so I stopped bringing it up. However, she received a reusable water bottle as a gift for Christmas from someone in her home share family and is very happy about using it every day and ensures she drinks a good amount of water during the day. 

She uses a cane to help her balance, and it allows her to walk around with confidence. She does a lot of walking when we are out, if she needs a quick rest she will take it but she doesn’t like to sit for too long and is always eager to get up and start walking again. Sometimes she has to take things slowly and mindfully (for example; if there is an incline or it is a nature path where there are some minor obstacles) but is very aware of her surroundings. I always make sure to go to places that have accessible walking trails so she will feel safe and confident walking. 

Over the course of the year, we have visited a lot of interesting places, some she has never been to before. Early into working together, I spoke with her about getting annual passes for a couple of her favourite places; the Royal BC Museum and Butchart Gardens. These are two places she enjoys going to, so I explained the cost benefits of getting the pass, which would allow her to visit these places frequently and saves her money. She does not like to make immediate decisions for things like this so I wrote down the details for her to show her home share family (who helps her with her finances). She thought it over and decided it was a good idea so I helped her get those passes set up, and we visit frequently. We have also visited the Victoria Art Gallery several times (usually on Tuesdays as they have admission by donation so the cost is minimal), and I often check to see what's new so we can go see the new exhibits. Plus we have been to some other smaller galleries around town that she has enjoyed.
Another pass I have been recently talking to her about is the Butterfly Gardens. She enjoys going there and we visit once in a while. I have talked to her about getting an annual pass but she said there is no point since it is a smaller place and doesn't take a lot of time to walk around. I tried to explain the cost savings a couple of times (since even though it is a small place, she still pays each time we go) but she was adamant she didn't want to get a pass. However, we recently talked about it again and she is thinking about it. 

In addition, I try to find new parks to visit with her, looking into them ahead of time to ensure they have accessible paths and bathrooms as those are two things that will ensure she will feel safe and comfortable and able to enjoy herself.  She enjoys nature walks and we have been to a few different places that were new to her, and have now become a part of our regular routine.  We will continue to visit a variety of places (indoor and outdoor) and I will also try to find more new places to visit this year. 

This goal is a fairly new one since February. Her sister lives near Butchart Gardens and has an annual pass there as well, so a couple times we have picked her up and went to the gardens together. The next outing we are planning is going to Sidney for the day to walk around and enjoy the sights. We did plan for this in April, but the week we were hoping to go it rained a lot so we put it off to the next week hoping for nicer weather. Then Shirly was feeling unwell so we weren’t able to get together that month but we will still make sure to plan a day to Sidney with her sister when she is feeling better.

ST really enjoys spending time with her sister, it really energizes her and they will talk non-stop. They do talk together on the phone every night but seeing each other in person is especially beneficial for ST and we will continue to make the time to get them together at least monthly.  ST has also asked her sister to help her by writing down the names and phone numbers of some of their mutual friends, which will allow ST to reconnect with some old friends. I will make sure to follow up with this to ensure she gets that information and connect with her friends, and offer any assistance if she needs it. 

• Annual passes - having passes to the Royal BC Museum and Butchart Gardens has been very beneficial. These are two places ST enjoys and the museum especially allows her to reminisce about her childhood a lot. 
• We have visited parks and gone on nature walks that were new to her that she now comes to enjoy as a regular part of our routine. 
• Seeing her sister more often has been great for ST. It is good to see her happiness in spending time with her and she is very energetic and talkative when she is with her.
• ST has become much more confident when bowling.

I had spoken with ST about doing more social activities and meeting new people. She initially said she would be interested, but when I suggest something, she always finds a reason to say no. When bringing something up, I am mindful to do so on days when she is feeling energetic and cognitively more responsive to conversations, as well as bring up one activity at a time to ensure she doesn’t feel overwhelmed. I also assured her I was not trying to force her to do anything, I was just offering suggestions. After a few suggestions that she was not interested in, I asked her again if she was still interested in doing more social activities to meet new people, and this time she said no. She wants to keep things as is and enjoys the one-on-one support. I don't want to be pushy about it so I won't continuously bring things up, however, I will continue to keep my eyes open to the occasional social activities that she may enjoy and bring them up in just case something sparks her interest.

She also has set goals with her home share family (Imelda) to go to a hockey game, lacrosse game, attend a concert, and go on a cruise. I assist her and Imelda in any way they need to. Over the year I have assisted by finding information about the Bryan Adams concert (after hearing about it on the radio) and writing down the information for ST to share with Imelda (and they did end up going). At Imelda's request, I have helped Shirley to buy tickets for a hockey game as well as Stars on Ice. For her cruise, I helped ST at the passport office and with the paperwork and everything (I believe they are planning to go next year). I will keep my eyes open for any lacrosse games that might be happening in the near future as well.

Overall, ST is doing well and getting the support she needs and wants. I don’t have any recommendations for further support at this time