As a senior, you may live a fairly sedentary lifestyle. This is normal and expected. Although a senior should be attempting to stretch and walk each day, there is still a lot of time when they won’t move around. This is when it’s crucial for anyone caring for a senior to help keep their brains active. It may sound easy, but you may also get stuck on what activities to offer your senior loved one.
Home care professionals can help keep watch on your elderly loved one and find the right activities for them. If you do not yet have a home care provider as a senior or for your senior loved one, it’s time to look into hiring a professional. Here are some activities you may recommend for your senior loved one or home care providers.
Puzzles
One of the best ways to keep your mind active is by doing a puzzle. This can take a day or even weeks, depending on how quick your senior is and how fast they work. Have home care set up a table for them to work at and ensure adequate lighting for the puzzle. Extra lamps may need to be set out if the room is especially dark. Setting aside the time to puzzle encourages seniors to use their brains differently and think logically, creatively, and quickly. This may also be one of the best ways to focus while reducing stress and anxiety.
Reading
A good go-to activity is reading. It allows them to think critically and promotes memory. They need to remember what they have been reading to enjoy their book thoroughly. This is another way to keep the mind busy while relaxing the body. If your senior is having trouble seeing, it may be time to switch to audiobooks or have home care read aloud to them. This is something they can do while they puzzle!
Journal
Not all seniors will be able to do this; it will drastically depend on how capable they are of holding a pen and writing down thoughts. Sometimes writing can hurt hands, but typing may be a great alternative. If your senior can write, buy them a journal to write things down in. If they can’t but can type, find an online journal for them to use daily. This is a good way for them to look back at the previous days, analyze, accept feelings and emotions, and then let them go. It may also help them remember things better by looking back and reading what they wrote down.
Classes
Finding a community class for your seniors to learn something new may be a fun way to allow them to socialize and get out of the class. It may help them set new goals, meet new seniors, and have something to look forward to every week. If there is nothing nearby, your seniors help them find a unique online class. It could be a new language class, an art class, or something totally different.