The theme of this year’s Older Americans Month Never Too Old To Play “encourages older Americans to stay engaged, active and involved in their own lives and in their communities”. At EasyLiving Home Care, we whole-heartedly support this theme and our home caregivers work hard every day to help the seniors of Pinellas County stay active.
What are some tips and ideas for seniors to stay engaged and active?
- Get a little physical exercise, in whatever way works for you. Many of our clients enjoy taking walks in the neighborhood with their home caregivers, or going to the mall to walk in a cool environment. Some of our clients go to the gym or work with one of our recommended personal trainers, while others go through a routine at home recommended by their therapist and helped along by their home caregiver.
- Get outside when possible. If you are concerned about safety, it can be great to have a home caregiver with you to enjoy the activity but also know someone is nearby to assist.
- Figure out a way to keep up your favorite activities. It may be tempting to give up activities during an illness or when it is hard to get around easily. We have clients who continue enjoying activities despite these challenges and it adds a lot to their lives. For example, we have clients who regularly ballroom dance, attend plays or the symphony, go fishing, and use our senior concierge services to attend special family events. If you are a family member of an elder who is discouraged, help find ways to make favorite activities happen (figure out if family members can help or purchase a gift of time from a home care agency to assist with driving or escort to activities).
- Don’t forget the power of humor. Humor has been shown to reduce pain, strengthen the immune system and decrease stress (for more, read The Healing Power of Humor).
- Stay/get involved in intergenerational activities. Intergenerational programs have been shown to increase socialization and learning in seniors, as well as have a great impact on the youth involved. Activities can range from visits and Skyping with grandkids to volunteering at a local community program or participating in a more formal mentoring or “adopt a grandparent” program.
Know someone you would like to help stay “never too old to play”? Want to make sure your senior loved one can continue going to his favorite card game or her favorite art class? Want ideas about local senior or intergenerational activities or resources? Call us anytime at 727-448-0900 or click below to talk to a senior care advisor!
