While bingo is always a fun night, a vibrant activity program for seniors today entails a broad range of human needs – social, spiritual, physical, intellectual, and educational.
Here are a few fun and meaningful activities seniors can enjoy and try out this year.
Art
Devoting time to creativity is good for the brain and it can be a perfect outlet for many seniors to relieve stress. Here are some activities to try out to keep ones mind active.
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Drawing and sketching
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Watercolor and acrylic painting
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Photography
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Poetry
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Writing
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Pottery
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Flower Arranging
Physical Activities
Exercise classes are a great way to have fun with friends. Physical activity is also beneficial for mental and physical health. For example, yoga promotes relaxation and helps reduce stress, water aerobics promotes cardiovascular health, resistance bands and hand weights can help improve balance while strengthening bones and muscles, and chair exercises such as modified leg lifts, seated torso twists, and heel slides help chair-bound seniors remain in shape and reduce the risk of accidental injuries and diseases.
Games
Games are a fun way to connect with friends and keep the mind sharp. Many games are designed for group play and can encourage social interaction and reduce feelings of isolation.
Spice up your nights with some new variations.
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Board games like chess, scrabble, Dominos, poker, and checkers.
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Puzzle games like jigsaw puzzles, Sudoku, word search, and crossword puzzles.
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Physical games like lawn bowling, gold, and pool.
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Digital games like Brain Age, Wii Sports, Lumosity, and Candy Crash Saga.
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Social games like Mahjong, Bridge, Pinochle, and Party Games (e.g., Charades, Pictionary)
Take Part in Walks
Movement is a form of medicine. A good walk outside can offer a breath of fresh air while triggering the release of "feel good" endorphins. Walking around the community is a great way to keep seniors active.
Walking without shoes is something to try as well. “Grounding” has many benefits such as improving sleep and reducing inflammation.
Music and Dance
Music and dance help seniors maintain or improve their mobility, balance, and coordination. Cognitively, music and dance stimulates memory recall and cognitive function. The fun atmosphere created during these activities contributes to stress reduction, positively impacting overall mental health.
Here are some new music and dance activities to try out:
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Line dancing classes
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Chair yoga with music
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Ballroom dance classes
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Live concerts
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Drum circles
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Dance aerobics
Games, activities, and trying new things can keep us happy and healthy. We hope you can try some of these ideas in the coming days ahead.