How To Keep Senior Citizens Busy With Hobbies and Activities (2021)

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As we get older, we start realizing how much time we suddenly have. Suddenly, those senior citizens we all love have nothing to do with themselves, which creates feelings of loneliness and depression. The best way to fight those feelings off is to keep senior citizens busy. How can you keep seniors busy?

To keep seniors citizens busy with hobbies and activities, things like walking, biking, and sports can keep them active. Hobbies like cooking, writing, or gardening are great for meeting new people. It’s best to look at the things they enjoy doing already and encourage them to join a group.

Let’s take a look at some of the best activities and hobbies to introduce to your seniors to keep them busy and healthy.

Encourage Seniors to Start New Fitness Activities

Fitness hobbies and activities are a great way to get seniors moving and involved with their peers. There are plenty of things they can try to get their bodies moving. Staying in shape is vital to keeping their spirits up as well as their health.

When trying out new fitness activities, it’s important to keep in mind their mobility and how well they move around. Check out the list of fitness hobbies and activities that are great for seniors:

Walking – Walking is a great way to get the heart rate up for seniors. It’s a low impact exercise, so it’s easy on the knees and hips.
Hiking – Now, your senior might not be hiking a mountain any time soon. Easy trails are perfect for seniors to accomplish.
Nordic walking – Nordic walking is great for seniors because of the support the poles give the walker. Nordic walking is well known by skiers as summer training. The poles use the upper body’s power to strengthen the legs, which is why this is a great hobby for older people.
Biking – Biking is another low impact exercise that works out great for seniors. It has a variety of health benefits as well, such as boosting the immune system of seniors.
Swimming – This is another low impact activity that is great for achy joints and sore muscles. The water is often thought to be therapeutic for people of all ages.

Introduce Them to New Sports

Staying active helps improve the overall quality of life for older people. Seniors need to remain active and involved by doing things they love with people who encourage them. Sports are a great way for seniors to do that. With so many sports to choose from, there is going to be something for everyone.

As with fitness activities, you’ll want to make sure their mobility is good enough to handle the exercise required for these sports. Check out the list below for sports that are great for senior citizens to try.

Golf – Golf is a great sport for the older generations because it’s a full-body workout but isn’t hard on the joints.

Walking soccer (football) – The rules of walking soccer (also known as football) are the same as regular soccer. The only difference in walking soccer is that running or jogging is banned. This means seniors can continue to play a sport they like without the hard impact running has on their joints and hearts.
Tennis – This is another one of those full-body workout sports that isn’t going to be hard on the joints. There is some running involved at times, but it’s in short bursts.
Squash – Squash is similar to tennis, but instead of a court, the game is played in a small boxed room.

Play Games with Them

Certain games will help improve the mental health of seniors. Games involving strategy or critical thinking will keep their minds active, which helps mental stability. Check out the list below of games that seniors will love to play.

Chess or checkers – Chess and checkers are strategy games that keep the mind active. There are competitions as well, which give you a sense of community and companionship.
Console games – There are many types of console games out there that will not only help improve hand-eye coordination, but they usually involve problem-solving and puzzles. Both of which are perfect for seniors.
Brain and IQ puzzles – These are great games for seniors to play to keep their brains working.

Suggest Gardening as a Form of Stress Relief

The biggest benefits of gardening are the fresh air, and the calming effect planting flowers and other plants have on the mind. Many use gardening to relieve their stress and create a beautiful landscape in their yard or home. Gardening is also helpful for those who have grown children because of the nurturing nature of the hobby.

Encourage Cooking Lessons

For seniors that love food, taking a cooking class or learning how to cook from home is a great hobby. Food is a wonderful way to bring people together. Other family members or friends will enjoy it as much as the senior who makes it.

Cooking a meal that tastes good can give your senior a sense of accomplishment. Watching their loved ones eat the meal they made from scratch will also boost their happiness. They may also enjoy teaching a grandchild or their own child a secret family recipe so that their family’s traditions stay alive for generations to come.

Get Into the Creative Arts

With more free time on their hands, they can finally get to writing that book they always wanted to write. Or perhaps they love to paint or doodle but never felt it was important enough while working full time. Starting up a creative hobby is great for seniors to keep their minds active and engaged. Check out the list below of some creative art activities for seniors:

Writing
Painting
Pottery
Scrapbooking
Crocheting
Quilting
Jewelry making
Doll making

Do Some Volunteer Work

Volunteering is often a popular activity among seniors. This is such a great activity for seniors because it gives them a sense of achievement. It helps lower their depression rates and even helps reduce their stress levels.

Some seniors don’t like to stop working after retirement. Volunteering can help those who want to keep working but want to do something meaningful with their retirement. Volunteering at home shelters or soup kitchens can help these seniors fulfill those desires and goals.

Adopt a Pet

As they age, many seniors feel lonely and wish for a companion. This is especially true if their spouse or partner has already passed away. Adopting a pet can give these seniors a true sense of companionship and love. Caring for another creature who needs your help is also a rewarding and satisfying experience that seniors can experience. This is especially true for seniors who miss their children when they are younger.

Other Activities for Seniors

The list of hobbies and activities mentioned above isn’t all there is for seniors. There are so many things available to them that will keep them moving and engaged for much longer. The main thing to remember is to find something they will enjoy, no matter how old they get.

Below you’ll find another list of things that senior citizens enjoy during their retirement years:

Visit an aquarium or museum
Brew beer or wine
Take up star-gazing
Explore your genealogy
Learn a new language
Reading
Learn an instrument
Bird watching

Summary

As our loved ones age, we see how it affects their mental health and overall physical health. Offering them positive and stimulating hobbies or activities can help boost their wellbeing. Hopefully, this article has offered you a list of hobbies and activities to keep senior citizens busy.

How To Keep Senior Citizens Busy With Hobbies and Activities