The recipe for happiness is easy: stay engaged, have fun with like-minded companions, enjoy love and laughter & stay connected.
If we have the elderly as our loved ones, we are often concerned about how to keep them happy & active. The Elderly also prefer to stay active and spend their time being relaxed and happy so that they do not make anyone feel burdened because of them.
Seniors today feel more active and alive if we look back to previous generations. Their way of living has evolved with time and so have their preferences.
Today the second-inning societies have rediscovered senior living. The active and assisted senior living projects are specifically designed for seniors catering to every aspect of their happy aging. Precisely, senior living can be reimagined.
Let us check on 10 Fun Ways to keep the elderly happy & active
Exercise can be the most fun-loving way for the elderly to stay happy & healthy. Seniors shall keep a routine to exercise at least 30-45 minutes a day irrespective of their age. The elderly can plan their exercise individually or in a group. Senior living societies often have clubs and groups to support the routine of seniors. They have ample open spaces and also facilities like a gymnasium where seniors can plan their exercise. They also have provision for guided sessions by experts who can help seniors with their routine and suggest the best exercises for them as per their age and body type. They have activity specialists who organise sessions of Zumba, fun dancing, and Yoga for a healthy body and mind. The elderly can enjoy their life more by being active and feeling alive.
Nature is the best healer and the essence of all. Seniors can be benefitted from spending time amidst nature as it makes them aware of their surroundings and makes them feel more connected. They can make new friends, do birdwatching, read the newspaper in the garden, meditate, feed animals and do anything they love to be a part of. The time they give to nature will return to them in the form of immense joy which can be felt by their heart.
As people age so do their reflex actions. It is difficult for the elderly to maintain healthy coordination. With activities like art & craft, block games, table tennis , etc. they can enhance their motor skills and improve hand-eye coordination. These activities when planned for the elderly, help them enjoy as well as benefit them in several ways. They develop confidence, feel acknowledged and also eliminate boredom from their life.
Memory is another important aspect when we talk about the elderly. Memory games such as identifying the objects, trivia quizzes, jigsaw puzzles, sudoku, scrabble, brain yoga, and many more can be used to help seniors enhance their memory in both short and long-term ways. It can also help them eliminate serious disorders like depression, and treat dementia and forgetfulness.
The world is going digital so why not seniors? The elderly must be made aware about the latest trends and technology advancements as there are many gadgets that make life easier. They can be suggested about applications that can be used by them, about the features of a smartphone, how to make video calls to see their loved ones and friends. They can also have fun by capturing moments, making videos and staying updated about the social media platforms. This will keep them up to date in terms of technology, trends and life.
Walking has its own known benefits for every age. But walking is considered a blessing for the elderly. Walking could be fun for seniors as they can choose to walk with friends, take their pet to walk or just enjoy it solo. Walking comes with various benefits specially for seniors as it keeps their body weight steady, strengthens muscle health, improves flexibility of joints, reduces probability of diseases like diabetes, anxiety, depression, stroke and many more. Walking also boosts stamina, confidence, mood and helps stay better all the day round.
Regular reading has proven long term benefits. It helps enhance knowledge, vocabulary and much more. But for the elderly, reading is bliss. It not only allows them to improve memory circuits but also helps them stay positive and happy. It improves cognitive behaviour, sharpens decision-making ability and also helps delay onset of dementia. It also helps reduce stress and improve sleeping patterns.
Imagination and passion are timeless and they have no age. Elderly can have a happy and fulfilling life if they are motivated towards their passion. They can pursue anything they love to do like painting, dancing, singing , writing and what not. There can be artists, authors, actors of all ages. Rekindling the passion will help them find new ways of life and freedom of being who they wish to be. Encouraging elderly to be passionate will help them gain confidence, identity, add value & life to their years.
When we talk about seniors, we often think of solitude, staying indoors in a room, inclination towards serenity etc. which is often true but not anymore in senior living communities. The elderly can enjoy their outings more than the youngsters. It could be a planned outing with friends and companions, a movie, a picnic, a theme party or attending an event together. Just getting ready, going out, enjoying life and being happy shall be the biggest goal.
Ageing comes with challenges but we love them. Elderly often ignore the self care routine due to the feeling of being ignored and the thought of who is watching us. Self care sessions can be organised for seniors which may include grooming sessions, updates on fashion trends for the elderly, a salon spree, or a relaxing therapy and massage. This will let them fall in love with them again which is the most beautiful feeling in the world.
These are just some ways of keeping the elderly happy and active but the most important is to listen to them with love, make them feel special, and adore their smile.
Copyright ©2021 vardaan. All Rights Reserved.