Seniors can do three types of painting activities — acrylic, watercolor and oil painting. Scrapbooking for seniors is a trip down the memory lane. It is also a good form of exercise for the mind since they will be able to recall important events in their lives as they work on their scrapbooks.
Most seniors enjoy creating mosaics out of flower pots, eggshells, tiles, and other tiny items. Eye and hand dexterity is essential for this art activity. It hones imagination and creativity skills as they create colorful masterpieces out of assembled pieces of art.
Bingo is an interactive game most seniors enjoy nowadays. It encourages social participation and mental exercise. In this game, a game master will draw numbers and players should form an identified pattern in their cards out of the numbers announced.
There is no limit to the number of players for this game as long as there are enough bingo cards for all identified participants. Chess is a classic game that is proven effective in improving problem-solving, logical and strategic thinking skills. It is a popular leisure activity among male seniors. FIDE, the World Chess Federation , even holds an annual World Senior Chess Championship for seniors aging 50 and above to cater professional chess competition among elderly individuals.
Scrabble is a word game that can be played by two to four players. It is a good form of mental exercise among elderly individuals. To start easy, you can try holding the rope at ankle height and slowly upping the difficulty level. Seniors with limited mobility may not be able to engage in physical activities and games as much.
However, there are plenty of sit-down options that will jog their memory and improve their overall brain health. Much like your body, keeping your brain active is just as important as well. Apart from its therapeutic properties that can promote relaxation and relieve stress, working on a jigsaw puzzle keeps the brain active and can help seniors with memory loss and dementia. Since puzzles require both the logical and creative side of the brain to be solved, both hemispheres of the brain are actively engaged.
This can significantly improve short term memory and even visual recognition. From Blackjack, spades, and old maid, there are plenty of different card games that you can play with the same deck.
According to the National Institute on Aging , strategic card games can do so much more than just bring people together for a good time. They can essentially improve your memory and concentration to reduce cognitive decline in older adults. Card games that require speed and attentiveness also have the ability to develop your basic motor and sensory functions.
Board games like chess are considered to be one of the most difficult games there is due to its strategic nature, but hosts a variety of benefits that will improve problem-solving skills among elderly persons. Just like a muscle, the brain deteriorates when it is not trained often. Chess stimulates information retention and mental capacity, providing valuable mental exercise for seniors.
Some studies show that senior citizens that actively and consistently engage in mentally-stimulating games like chess can lessen the risk of dementia and other memory impairments. Some people may have the misconception that any sort of physical-related activity may be too strenuous for seniors who may not be as able-bodied or fit. However, there are many ways to modify an activity or sport to encourage participation amongst the elderly.
Playing with an actual volleyball may be too harsh for ageing adults, so alternatives such as beach balls or balloons can make volleyball enjoyable for seniors. The only rule of this game would be to not let the ball touch the ground, making it fairly simple for anyone and everyone to get up on their feet and participate.
Not only is this activity physically engaging, it also allows seniors to relive their young and youthful days and evoke feelings of child-like joy through play. For more able-bodied seniors who are looking for a low-impact exercise, pickleball is the sport of choice. It is a moderate paddle ball sport that combines elements from badminton, table tennis, and tennis. What makes pickleball the preferred paddle ball activity amongst ageing adults is its low impact on the joints and knees and aerobic properties.
The pace and intensity of the game is an excellent way to keep your heart rate up and improve arm strength too. Traditional tossing games like bean bag toss and horseshoe is an entertaining game that can be enjoyed by both seniors in wheelchairs and those who are mobile. The tossing motion allows older adults to exercise their arm muscles and upper body. No matter where your ability lies, tossing games can be easily adjusted to cater to seniors with different strength levels. While it is not seen so much as a game, some nursing homes and elderly care facilities hold friendly dance competitions amongst the seniors that foster both physical activity and social interaction.
Needless to say, any activity that involves two or more people would naturally encourage socialisation. Here are popular activities which are known to bring about connection and interaction amongst seniors citizens anywhere in the world.
Popularised by the Chinese , mahjong is a tile-based game that is highly enjoyed by elderly persons due to the social factor that it has. And dice games offer the chance for just as much enjoyment and social bonding.
Plus, there's something uniquely satisfying about rolling the dice and watching them all land in exactly the way you had hoped. Try popular dice games like:. Bunco : Win as many points as you can by rolling numbers that match each numbered round of play.
Mexico : Be the last player standing by avoiding the lowest roll in each round. Liar's Dice : Outlast your opponents by successfully deceiving them and recognizing when they are bluffing you. Farkle : Race your opponents to a predetermined scoring level by constantly deciding between taking a risk or playing it safe. Yahtzee : Defeat your competition by rolling the highest-scoring combinations you can.
Can't Stop : Beat the other players by taking risks, getting lucky, and avoiding the trap of being too much of a gambler for your own good. A lot of seniors enjoy keeping their math or language skills sharp by playing fun games or solving satisfying puzzles related to words or numbers.
Great options are available for playing solo or as part of a group. Consider these examples:. Crossword Puzzles : Solve clues to fill out a grid of squares with interconnected words and phrases. Word Search : Discover and circle all of the hidden words in a grid of letters.
Sudoku : Fill out a partially completed grid of numbers so that each row, column, and sub-grid contains all of the numbers from one to nine. Kakuro : Fill out each white square of the puzzle with a number from one to nine so that the sums of the entries in each row or column match the clues associated with them.
Scrabble : Outscore your opponents by strategically forming new words or adding to existing ones on a crossword-style board. Boggle : Shake a tray of 16 letter dice and spot more words in the randomized grid of letters than your opponent does before the time runs out.
Scattergories : Partner up and defeat the other teams by coming up with creative answers that all match a specific category, contain the same first letter, and won't be thought of by your opponents.
Balderdash : Fool the other players by trying to make them believe that your fake answers or definitions represent the truth about things like obscure words, people, and movies.
Many nursing homes and assisted living communities regularly organize fun games that large groups of residents can participate in. The best activities directors try to keep things fresh by changing things up on a frequent basis.
In fact, most games in this category are homemade and just require an investment of time and creativity to pull together. You can put your own spin on any of them. Plus, many of them can be used as fun party games for seniors or elderly residents who are celebrating birthdays or other milestones. Use the following examples as inspiration:.
Bingo : Be the first player to match five numbers in a row or in another pattern in this popular game of chance. Smile Toss: Prepare to laugh when playing this great balloon game for seniors. Draw a smiley face on a balloon. Sit in a circle with the other players. Have someone be in charge of playing some recorded music and stopping it at random times. As the music plays, pass the balloon around the circle to each other. If you're left holding the balloon when the music stops, you must try not to smile for at least 10 seconds.
If you do smile, you'll have to leave the circle. The last person remaining wins the game. Pass out slips of paper and have everyone write down the best advice they ever received from their mom or dad. Have the judge collect all the answers, read them out loud, and select the top three. Then get each of those three winners to write down the worst advice they ever received from either of their parents.
Have the judge collect them, read them aloud, and select the final winner. Fact or Fiction? Select five weird facts from the books, make up five other fake facts, and randomly number them from one to Pass out a sheet of paper to each player that is numbered from one to One by one, read each strange or fake fact out loud and ask the players to write down whether it is fact or fiction.
To determine the winner s , collect the sheets and find out who had the most correct guesses. The Price Is Right: Go to the store and buy four common, lower-priced items as well as four mid- to higher-priced items to use as prizes, being sure to write down their prices.
Put everyone's name in a bowl. Draw four names to become the first contestants. Showcase your first item and have them each guess its price. Language clubs are also popular among retired individuals who may already have a high level of fluency and want to learn more about the history of their favorite language or practice their skills before prepping for an overseas trip.
Not into learning a new language? Culture clubs are another option! For example, a French culture club might spend one Saturday a month dining on croissants and sampling French wine. Who knows? You might pick up some basic language phrases on the side too! Volunteering is another activity that many seniors enjoy.
There are always many opportunities to volunteer for local organizations and charities, and there are often a variety of tasks with plenty that can be performed by those with limited mobility. Plus, volunteering may allow one to develop new friendships with other volunteers, all while giving back to the community. Toastmasters is a network of locally-based clubs that meets regularly for public speaking practice as well as social events.
Older members can discuss speech skills with peers and get constructive feedback from an unbiased perspective. Some seniors who like collecting nostalgic items from the past may enjoy antiquing as a recreational activity. Many older individuals will collect items such as antique watches, coins, stamps, or keepsakes from their childhood like baseball cards or miniature cars. Seniors can visit local antique stores, travel to out-of-state brick and mortar stores, or go on online shopping sprees to find the perfect antiques.
Lovers of trivia will enjoy pub trivia nights! These popular events bring together bar patrons and curious minds, where everyone can have a great time enjoying cocktail specials and getting involved in general knowledge quizzes! Pub trivia is a fun way for retirees to connect with others who share their love of history and knowledge. Plus, winning teams will often earn bar tabs or other prizes! This is a great hobby for any senior who is a fan of classic cars! If the senior has experience as a mechanic or is familiar with cars, restoring a vintage vehicle to its former glory can be hugely rewarding.
Plus, there are classic car meetups across the country that allow car enthusiasts to meet and talk shop.
Heck, even if you lack the mobility to work on car mechanics, classic car meetups are a great place to go and chat with fellow car enthusiasts and make like-minded friends! For those who love vintage transportation and really want to get their hands dirty, restoring old recreational vehicles is an excellent way to spend time and have some fun!
Modern archive tools and subscription websites like Ancestry. Many local rec centers will host genealogy classes too, giving seniors an opportunity to chat and connect with others who share similar values.
For seniors who are feeling energetic, taking on a part-time job at the local grocery store, pharmacy, or even fast food restaurant can be very rewarding.
Seniors can really benefit from light part-time work as they get to socialize with customers and coworkers alike while also earning extra income! Volunteering as a church or event greeter is an especially good job for seniors with limited mobility , because greeters are typically encouraged to stand or potentially just sit at their post and simply welcome customers with a friendly face! Gardening is a great recreational activity that takes some initial patience but reaps great rewards.
It encourages a senior to get regular fresh air and only requires basic movements and can be enjoyed even by those with more limited mobility. Gardeners can spend time during the growing season watering, weeding, and in some cases harvesting their plants. In the winter, those who have acquired a green thumb can continue their gardening with greenhouses, germinating plants indoors for next year, or through the use of an Aerogarden.
Traveling with recreational vehicles or motor homes allows seniors to see distant places and enjoy a vacation in the comfort of their own mobile home! Of course, the senior must have good eyesight, experience towing trailers or familiarity with driving larger vehicles and an up-to-date license to embark on RV travel.
Senior clubs, rec centers, and even Meetup groups will often host meetups for hikers once or twice per month.
Seniors can join others of a similar age bracket on treks through local parks or trails that offer varying levels of challenge that are well-suited for an older population. Seniors may get a thrill from bird watching, which is a great outdoor activity for seniors that helps one see and appreciate nature in a whole new way!
Bird watchers seek out and identify different varieties of birds, sometimes while also taking pictures. This popular pastime can expose seniors to the great outdoors, including forests or beaches where they can watch colorful birds soar above them.
You can start bird watching by seeking out local Audubon Society tours — or just grab a bird field guide and a pair of binoculars! Plus, birding is an activity that can be well-suited to the mobile and immobile alike.
While those who can walk easily will be able to explore forested areas with ease, even those with limited mobility can park their car near a bird hot spot and search out different birds from the comfort of their chair.
This recreational activity is great for the retiree who enjoys spending time on the salty sea! Seniors can purchase and sail their own boat, or go on yacht tours helmed by an experienced sailor so the passengers can sit back and relax. Some yachts also offer recreational activities such as snorkeling, fishing, scuba diving. For the green-thumbed seniors out there, plant walks are a fun way to explore and learn about local flora.
Especially for retirees with limited mobility, walking tours of botanical gardens can be an excellent recreational activity that also offers some light exercise benefits. There are a wide range of plant walks, from edible walks teaching how to identify and harvest local edible plants, to walks through garden centers explaining the origin and purpose of various plant species.
Choose whichever type piques your interest the most! Golf is a popular recreational sport for many seniors, especially men. Volleyball is an easy recreational activity for seniors and recreational programs that are specifically for older adults often include it in their program lineup! The sport. Swimming is a recreational activity that can be enjoyed by almost anyone. Many recreational centers are equipped with pools, although other opportunities for recreational swimming may include local community pools or the beach!
People enjoy recreational swimming for its physical benefits, as it provides a full-body workout that can help improve muscle tone, weight loss, and more.
Swimming is also an exercise-based activity that even those with limited mobility can enjoy. The water provides support and less resistance to movement while also keeping exercisers cool in warm weather. Some swim classes focus on lap swimming for fitness, while other recreational swimming groups focus on aerobic movements while staying stationary in the water.
Dance classes are offered at many local rec centers and seniors centers, and many senior citizens enjoy taking dance lessons! Dancing can not only provide a social outlet to meet and chat with new people, but it also provides physical exercise as well as mental stimulation as individuals work to remember various moves and motions. Various types of dancing can require different levels of physical ability. Line dancing, gentle swing, and jazzercise are all great places to start.
More advanced seniors might consider ballroom dancing, salsa, or tap dancing. Some studies have even shown that people who regularly engage in social dancing tend to exhibit lower levels of depression! Yoga is a wonderful, gentle sport that can help a senior improve balance, coordination, and foster a sense of relaxation and inner calm through its breathing components.
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