For seniors who have worked hard all their lives just to make a living, retirement can open the door to a newfound creativity. Watercolor and acrylic painting as well as drawing and sketching are all high on the list of avenues for artistic expression, and making art in a group can be an enjoyable way to engage with others.
Classes can either be set up with a small number of residents in a big room to ensure social distancing, or can be delivered as a one-on-one. Online art tutorials can even be setup for residents to view and apply on their own, with staff circulating to help when needed. Nothing should inhibit enriching the lives of residents.
Check out the original idea here.
Expanding one’s knowledge base is a surefire way to stay mentally alert and engaged. To facilitate this, some communities provide on-site lectures or continuing education classes. This can take the form of any education, from learning more about personal finance, to learning how to organize groups.
Other communities arrange for residents to take advantage of the academic and cultural offerings of nearby colleges. Today, an increasing number of colleges are offering more classes online. It can be a perfect opportunity for an enterprising resident to gain more knowledge from the comfort of their room.
Here is a link to Open Culture to access example online classes.
Check out the original idea here.
There may be no activity for elders that’s more meaningful than capturing their own unique life story, either in written form or by gathering their photos and mementos together in a scrapbook — not only do they preserve a slice of history, but they also get the chance to reflect on their own life experiences.
This activity could be designed either as an individual exercise with one of your residents. Alternatively, potentially more meaning can be given to the activity setting it up as a group exercise in which residents share a part of their final work with their neighbours after they've finished. Depending on the way the resident chooses to document their life story, it can even be shared with the resident's family.
Check out the original idea here.
Having to stay inside while socially isolating, especially during the winter months, doesn't mean residents have to be sedentary. Purchasing a Nintendo Wii console is a great investment to allow you residents to move their bodies and have fun in their own rooms. There are a variety of games that sports-minded residents can play, including bowling, tennis, golf and basketball.
The Wii console can be reserved by residents, or requested and delivered when available, and set up in their own room provided there is a TV. Residents can play on the console for a pre-determined amount of time. After each sessions, the console should be returned to its storage and disinfected for the next use.
Check out the original idea here.
Get your community out-and-about as the weather turns cold with Nordic Walking.
Pole walking or Nordic Walking is fitness walking with specifically designed Nordic Walking Poles. It is a very effective cardiovascular workout that works all the major muscle groups of the body. According to the American Nordic Walking Association (ANWA), walking with poles increases oxygen consumption, burns more calories, and is 46% more efficient than walking without poles.
While Nordic Walking is a fitness exercise that all ages can participate in, it is a growing trend among the Senior population. In addition to the total body workout that Pole Walking provides, it can greatly benefit seniors with joint pain, specifically knee and hip. The poles provide support and helps transfer weight off painful joints significantly lessening discomfort or eliminating it all together.
If you are looking for ways to stay active maybe Nordic Walking is the exercise for you. It can easily be transformed into a social-distancing friendly activity as residents can spread out in a long line on a walking excursion.
Check out the original idea here.
Increase engagement and empower residents to be decision makers for their environment by forming resident committees.
Potential committees could be a café committee that helps select menu items and plan special events within the community. Other committees may be devoted to setting up volunteer opportunities, planning monthly game nights or running your library.
By giving residents an active role, they’ll feel more connected to your community. On top of that, they may be able to help activity staff with activity idea creation and planning.
Committees can be set up in a relaxed fashion, with a couple of residents meeting outside and socially distancing with tea and coffee. They can serve primarily to get residents socializing and thinking about what they want to participate in within their communities.
Meetings can even take place through a video conferencing application, if your residents are familiar with these services.
Check out the original idea here.
Holiday Ornaments invite your residents to get creative and help decorate your community with their own creativity. Residents can choose to create any type of ornament, from painting a unique Christmas baubles to making an easy ornament with a picture of their family inside. Even wooden coasters can be used as ornaments with a glued-on design and a string passed through.
You'll find easy-to-make ornament kits at local craft stores as well as online craft stores like Oriental Trading.
Check out the original idea here.
Because of its simplicity, finger painting is most likely better suited for residents with diminished cognitive ability. However, a finger painting station can be used with any resident, especially during quarantine when many residents are looking for new fun activities to lighten up their day.
Printer paper and finger paint can be had affordably. Finger paint is specially designed to not be harmful when applied to the skin, and is easily washable. It would also be a good idea to invest in a universal apron so that residents don't mistakenly get paint on their clothes.
Look below for inspiration as to what residents could create!
Check out the original idea here.
This activity is seeing a resurgence in popularity.
Although many residents are can no longer tend a traditional vegetable or flower garden during Covid, some facilities do maintain gardens where volunteers assist the residents by working alongside of them or working under their directions.
At the minimum, this activity affords residents fresh air, sunshine and mental stimulation that is very much needed to keep boredom and depression at bay.
Check out the original idea here.
Puzzles can be a source of long-term enjoyment and entertainment! They are challenging, fun, can be left alone only to return to later.
You can purchase a simple puzzle for your resident and complete it together over many sessions. With the help of a few coats of clear glue, like Mod Podge, you can turn the puzzle into a beautiful piece of art to be hung in your resident's room, or elsewhere in the community. They can be framed to look like paintings.
When ordering a puzzle, order a scene that means something to your resident. Something sentimental, like a landscape of the city in which they grew up or got married, will be cherished forever.
