With the summer months quickly coming to a close, we look forward to the cool fall air and the many activities we can do inside to have fun to keep our mind and body active. This list of activities will achieve just that for older adults to live a happy and healthy life.
Family tree
One great way to spend your time is to look into the history of your family. Knowing where you come from can give you a great sense of belonging while working on a long-term project to pull all the information you can. There are great websites online to help older adults find the answers they seek, like Ancestry.com and the National Archives.
Chair exercises
Exercising is the best way to maintain health and strength as we age. Chair exercises are a great way to get exercise while reducing the impact on our joints and bones. The great thing is that all you need is a chair, and your body will do the rest.
Indoor garden
Being surrounded by flowers has proven to improve your mood and reduce anxiety and depression. So, it stands to reason that creating a space for an indoor garden will not only provide a project to work on with daily tasks, but it will also create a beautiful space that can uplift everyone.
Board games
There are millions of board games accessible to people of all ages and help keep minds sharp. The classics, like Scrabble, Life, and Clue, are all fun and great choices. Many strategy games have been around forever, like Chess, Go, and Backgammon help improve mental performance.
Yoga
Yoga is a practice of moving and feeling your body through stretching and a focus on your breathing. Yoga is used by millions around the world to relax and meditate while making their bodies stronger and more flexible. The benefits are no different for older adults. You can find countless videos online with the older adult in mind, and exercises can be done standing and moving through the positions or while seated. It is one way to keep moving and stay healthy at all stages of life.
Book club
Reading is one of the best things you can do for your brain. Not only does it stimulate the brain and lead to stress relief, but it can also improve memory. There are many options for bringing great books to older adults in your life, like audiobooks or eReaders, which allow you to change the font size. Then, when you love a good book, talking about it is the next best thing to reading it. Start a book club to encourage everyone to connect over a good book.