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As our elders ease into old age, free time suddenly feels infinite. With all of this newly discovered time, alongside our changing bodies and minds, it’s crucial to include stimulating activities in our day-to-day life.
More than that, finding activities for our loved ones that both engage them in our life and aid in their wellbeing is essential once they are living in a senior center.
Benefits of Senior Activities
Participating in senior activities fills many purposes beyond the obvious.
First, studies show that seniors who remain socially active have better cognitive function and maintain a better emotional health. Giving our loved ones a larger purpose and allowing them to experience a full life will enable them to remain healthy well into their old age.
Senior activities also keep our loved ones physically healthy. Whether the activity is exercise or not, changing their day-to-day life has some significant health benefits. Engaging in diverse activities can boost a senior’s immune system, increase sleep, and decrease the risk of serious diseases.
Ideas For Senior Activities
There are plenty of ideas for activities to do with a senior loved one, no matter your situation. Below are some examples of ideas for senior activities that improve both their physical and mental health.
Host a Book Club
Reading is a great way to entertain oneself and keep the brain activated.
Becoming involved in a book club also allows them to stay socially active. Here, they have the space to create meaningful relationships, share their opinion with others, and create something to look forward to every week.
Go on Family Excursions
Being outdoors has a multitude of benefits for everyone, including your senior loved ones. Bringing them on family excursions is good because it allows them to experience something unique while being included in your family’s life.
Some ideas for family activities include going to the zoo, soccer games, or holiday excursions.
Work on Arts and Crafts Together
There are so many ways to indulge in your creative side as a senior.
Of course, there are common ones like knitting, crocheting, or woodwork. However, there are also so many other entertaining, meaningful, creative activities for seniors.
One idea is to create a scrapbook. Not only do you get the opportunity to learn more about your loved one’s story, but you also get to create something beautiful and meaningful in the process.
Some other great ideas are creating a family recipe book, jewelry-making, pressing flowers, making birdhouses, or creating greeting cards.
Find Games to Play
Games are a fun activity whether you’re a child or a senior. Playing games is an excellent idea for a senior activity as it includes everyone: their friends, your friends, the family – anybody!
Some great games to play with seniors include jigsaw puzzles, board games, crossword puzzles, & card games.
Another fun alternative is to involve them in you and your child’s games. Even if they don’t understand today’s technology, there are a lot of fun, inclusive games on modern game consoles.
Organize Senior Field Trips
Too often, seniors don’t get enough opportunities to spend time in places outside of their living facilities.
Organizing or participating in a volunteer-run field trip program can help you and your loved one engage in each other’s lives and contribute to the greater good.
Include Pet Therapy
Several studies have pointed to the mental and physical benefits of involving animals in seniors’ lives.
If you have a pet, you could spend time getting your pet certified as a therapy or emotional support animal. Alternatively, if you don’t have the time to manage a pet, some living facilities allow seniors to have animals. Some of the best emotional support animals for seniors are dogs, cats, birds, or fish.
Continue Old Hobbies
Just because our loved one is in a senior-assisted living facility does not mean that they cannot continue their favorite hobbies.
Often, there is plenty of opportunities to create or become involved in clubs for specific hobbies. Everyday activities that many people enjoy are cooking, birdwatching, gardening, or playing a musical instrument.
The transition into old age isn’t always easy. However, with the support of a loving family and several ideas for senior activities, the change can be quite smooth.
Call us for a free consultation to find your senior the perfect senior community, where the staff strives to keep your family elders safe, happy, and healthy.
Share this article on social media!
As our elders ease into old age, free time suddenly feels infinite. With all of this newly discovered time, alongside our changing bodies and minds, it’s crucial to include stimulating activities in our day-to-day life.
More than that, finding activities for our loved ones that both engage them in our life and aid in their wellbeing is essential once they are living in a senior center.
Benefits of Senior Activities
Participating in senior activities fills many purposes beyond the obvious.
First, studies show that seniors who remain socially active have better cognitive function and maintain a better emotional health. Giving our loved ones a larger purpose and allowing them to experience a full life will enable them to remain healthy well into their old age.
Senior activities also keep our loved ones physically healthy. Whether the activity is exercise or not, changing their day-to-day life has some significant health benefits. Engaging in diverse activities can boost a senior’s immune system, increase sleep, and decrease the risk of serious diseases.
Ideas For Senior Activities
There are plenty of ideas for activities to do with a senior loved one, no matter your situation. Below are some examples of ideas for senior activities that improve both their physical and mental health.
Host a Book Club
Reading is a great way to entertain oneself and keep the brain activated.
Becoming involved in a book club also allows them to stay socially active. Here, they have the space to create meaningful relationships, share their opinion with others, and create something to look forward to every week.
Go on Family Excursions
Being outdoors has a multitude of benefits for everyone, including your senior loved ones. Bringing them on family excursions is good because it allows them to experience something unique while being included in your family’s life.
Some ideas for family activities include going to the zoo, soccer games, or holiday excursions.
Work on Arts and Crafts Together
There are so many ways to indulge in your creative side as a senior.
Of course, there are common ones like knitting, crocheting, or woodwork. However, there are also so many other entertaining, meaningful, creative activities for seniors.
One idea is to create a scrapbook. Not only do you get the opportunity to learn more about your loved one’s story, but you also get to create something beautiful and meaningful in the process.
Some other great ideas are creating a family recipe book, jewelry-making, pressing flowers, making birdhouses, or creating greeting cards.
Find Games to Play
Games are a fun activity whether you’re a child or a senior. Playing games is an excellent idea for a senior activity as it includes everyone: their friends, your friends, the family – anybody!
Some great games to play with seniors include jigsaw puzzles, board games, crossword puzzles, & card games.
Another fun alternative is to involve them in you and your child’s games. Even if they don’t understand today’s technology, there are a lot of fun, inclusive games on modern game consoles.
Organize Senior Field Trips
Too often, seniors don’t get enough opportunities to spend time in places outside of their living facilities.
Organizing or participating in a volunteer-run field trip program can help you and your loved one engage in each other’s lives and contribute to the greater good.
Include Pet Therapy
Several studies have pointed to the mental and physical benefits of involving animals in seniors’ lives.
If you have a pet, you could spend time getting your pet certified as a therapy or emotional support animal. Alternatively, if you don’t have the time to manage a pet, some living facilities allow seniors to have animals. Some of the best emotional support animals for seniors are dogs, cats, birds, or fish.
Continue Old Hobbies
Just because our loved one is in a senior-assisted living facility does not mean that they cannot continue their favorite hobbies.
Often, there is plenty of opportunities to create or become involved in clubs for specific hobbies. Everyday activities that many people enjoy are cooking, birdwatching, gardening, or playing a musical instrument.
The transition into old age isn’t always easy. However, with the support of a loving family and several ideas for senior activities, the change can be quite smooth.
Call us for a free consultation to find your senior the perfect senior community, where the staff strives to keep your family elders safe, happy, and healthy.
