Being active and engaged is beneficial for anyone’s physical, cognitive, and emotional wellbeing but it becomes even more important as we age. Creating a weekly calendar filled with fun and engaging activities can be most effective and beneficial to help uplift moods, support motor skills, instill a sense of accomplishment and self expression, reduce feelings of stress and tension, improve mobility and overall wellbeing for seniors.
Seniors can benefit from…
Activities that exercise creativity
Consider painting, drawing, crafting, knitting, jewelry making, and pottery. Seniors can make their own beautiful gifts for family and friends bringing them joy and a strong sense of accomplishment.
Physical exercise
Exercises tailored to the physical abilities and needs help keep seniors limber and mobile. Exercises could include stretching, walking, swimming, water exercises, yoga, aerobics, tai chi or qigong.
Reading
Join or create a reading group or book club. Select interesting articles or books. Read, reflect, get together, discuss the materials. Great for cognitive health and staying connected.
Playing games
Playing board games, chess, puzzles, card games, or bingo support mental vitality, are fun, and are a great way to socialize. But if you can’t get together, online games are easily accessible, fun and mentally stimulating. Check out online card matching and memory games, crossword puzzles, word searches and more to support your seniors mental health.
Baking and cooking
Preparing meals plans becomes even more fun when it involves cooking together. Whether for special occasions or on a regular basis, planning, prepping, cooking, baking, setting the table, serving, and enjoying a meal together is stimulating and a beautiful way of connecting.
Staying engaged
Attending lectures, cultural events, theater and musical performances helps seniors stay engaged and connected to their community.
Joining a club
Joining a club or community for seniors with shared interests keeps the mind fresh, uplifts moods, and helps staying connected to others with shared interests and passions.
Seeking volunteer opportunities
Volunteering helps seniors engage and instills a sense of making a difference, being needed. Find a volunteer opportunity for your senior which ties in with their passion, hobby or causes dear to their heart.
Listening to Music
Listening to music uplifts spirits, helps relieve stress, and is wonderful for stimulating mental vitality. Find out about your seniors’ favorite tunes, artists, stream performances, and enjoy singing along together.
Dancing
Dancing is wonderfully therapeutic, plus it helps the joints stay limber and the mind active. Whether your senior gets together with others for a dance or joins dance lessons, dancing will help relieve stress and tension and is sure to put a smile on your loved ones face.
Outdoor activities
Engaging in joyful outdoor activities gives a boost of energy, physically and mentally. Outdoor activities could include gardening, feeding fish, turtles or ducks in a pond, going fishing, nature walks and hikes, picnic in the park, nature photography walks, strolling along the beach or simply sitting on a park bench reading a book or watching the sunset.
Outings and Little Trips
Outings designed around what interests the most such as antiques, cars, fashion, jewelry, window browsing, shopping or simply sightseeing and playing tourist in your home town are beautiful breaks from routine, refreshing body and mind.
Getting Pampered
Seniors like to get pampered as much as younger folks. Consider hair and nail appointments, soothing massages, aromatherapy treatments, sound therapy sessions – anything to boost their sense of wellbeing and self worth. They deserve to get pampered!
We know it is not easy to maintain an activity filled calendar for your loved one by yourself at home, so we invite you to tour Cabot Cove of Largo and find out just how engaged we are in offering our residents a multitude of activities and programs designed to keep your loved one active, experiencing joy every single day. Call us at 727.539.1200.