4 Engaging Activities for Caregivers and Seniors

As a caregiver, you may notice your loved one giving up hobbies and self-isolating, but it’s important to help them stay physically, mentally and socially active! There are a variety of simple activities that are engaging for the mind and can renew interests or ignite dormant passions. Consider trying some of these activities to keep your aging loved one occupied and engaged!

Handicrafts

A handicraft is a special skill of making things by hand. It can be cardmaking, painting, sculpting with clay, jewelry making, whittling or carving, woodworking, needlework, scrapbooking, or any number of activities. As a senior, they may want to pass on a special hobby to a grandchild, especially a craft they consider a lost art. Or perhaps, they find themselves wanting to learn a new handicraft that’s always interested them. Handicrafts make lovely decorations or gifts for holidays, and then they have something to share with loved ones, so encourage them to create!

Nature Study

For the outdoor enthusiast, consider new forms of outdoor entertainment. While they may not be able to go mountain biking or hike difficult trails anymore, seniors can appreciate the outdoors in new ways. Some simple ways to enjoy the outdoors is to engage in focused nature study. Short outdoor strolls or finding a quiet place to observe nature can boost mental health, but nature study can even be done right from the window when the weather is unforgiving. Seniors can easily keep a running list of bird species that visit their feeders, and even make homemade bird feeders. Keeping a nature journal is a great way to pass time. Nature journals are such personal keepsakes, and are a good option for creative people. Nature journals can be filled with drawings and written observations, and enhanced with favorite quotes, poems or even photographs. Documenting the little changes in the trees or the time the sun sets will slowly show the passage of time and give appreciation for the small changes as each season passes.

Start a Book Club 

Reading is so beneficial for the mind, but having the opportunity to share and discuss new or favorite books with others keeps seniors engaged and social. It can be a small group of friends discussing books, but it doesn’t have to be a traditional book club that meets in someone’s home either. It can simply be a senior and their caregiver. Audiobooks count too, and are a great alternative for seniors with visual issues that make reading difficult.

Another fun option is to read their favorite childhood books to their grandchildren over video chat, or even to let the child do the reading while they listen, either of which is a great bonding experience. This may be especially important during the holiday season if the family cannot be together, so they might choose to read traditional holiday stories and poems together. Another fun idea is for seniors to record themselves reading aloud, so the grandchild can listen any time, and will have a special memory to carry with them and pass on to future generations.

Cooking with Kindness

For the senior who loves to cook and bake, having regular baking sessions can be very therapeutic. Even if it needs to be supervised by a caregiver, the opportunity to be in their kitchen, doing what they love, is important. If the goal is to share it with others, they’ll have the opportunity to spread acts of kindness and socialize, which is equally important. Seniors may enjoy whipping up a batch of cookies to share with the grandkids, or baking a pie and sharing the recipe with a newlywed couple. Getting involved in a meal train program to help serve their community when others are in need is an impactful way for them to volunteer and feel valued and useful.

Seniors need to keep active and social year-round to maintain their mental health, so help them expand their hobbies and find ways to share them with others!

If you feel your loved one would benefit from an assisted living facility with planned activities and an active community environment, contact us today, and we can discuss how you can keep your senior mentally engaged, physically active and social!