It doesn’t matter how old we are, we all want to participate in activities that make us happy, stimulate our minds and bring us closer to family and friends. However, with age, many seniors find that their fun activities quickly diminish due to a number of reasons. Among the most common are health issues, lack of mobility, loss of friends and family, loss of driving ability and lower strength and stamina. Family caregivers and home care providers who look after the elderly adult need to arrange for some activities several times per week to keep them engaged and happy.
Many of these activities can be done alone or with a home care provider or other family members at the senior’s home. Others require some coordination between family caregivers, home care providers and friends because they take place out in the community. It’s important for family caregivers to also keep their aging relative’s overall abilities and interests in mind as they make plans for events and activities.
Here is a comprehensive list that can inspire family caregivers in planning activities for their elderly loved ones:
- Visit a salon for hair care, manicure or pedicure.
- Plant a container garden with fruits, vegetables and flowers on the back porch.
- Play video games solo or with a friend or family member.
- Head to the library and either get books or attend an event.
- Start an age-appropriate exercise regimen with DVDs or streaming services
- Plant a butterfly garden and join a migration watch group.
- Enroll in an online class on a topic of interest.
- Create a bird watching station in the backyard.
- Take up a new hobby or revision one from the past.
- Write up a personal history or complete memoirs for posterity.
- Set up an indoor herb garden in a sunny spot.
- Start doing brain puzzles like Sudoku, crosswords and word finds.
- Plan and execute simple home improvement projects.
- Get on social media to stay in touch with friends and family.
- Watch interesting lectures, documentaries and presentations online.
- Listen to audiobooks and podcasts on relevant topics.
- Plan a monthly potluck or barbecue with friends and family.
- Attend community events like plays or concerts.
- Practice meditation, mindfulness, yoga or other forms of self-improvement and spirituality.
These are just a few ideas for family caregivers to help them plan out their aging loved one’s schedule for the week. Of course, activities are unique to the area where the aging adult lives, so with the help of family caregivers and home care providers, there is no reason for an aging adult to go for long without something to look forward to.
IF YOU OR AN AGING LOVED-ONE ARE CONSIDERING CAREGIVERS IN WAKE FOREST, NC, PLEASE CONTACT THE CARING STAFF AT SENIORS HELPING SENIORS TODAY. CALL (919) 761-5346.