Look to the past for inspiration when considering activities for elderly men.
For many senior men, who’ve spent a lifetime on a meaningful career, family, hobbies and interests, the idea of settling in for an afternoon of crafting is, to say the least, unwelcome. The answer to discovering engaging activities for elderly men is in first taking the time to dig back in the history of their lives to identify what captured their attention in the past, and then seeking out creative ways to include those ideas in their lifestyle today.
At Anthem Home Care, we enjoy getting to know the senior men we serve and offering opportunities for them to live life to the fullest extent! Here are a few ideas that may work well for the patriarch in your family:
- Sports: For the sports fan, take a look at one of the many gaming systems that allow for participation in different virtual sports from the comfort of home. When appropriate, look into community high school or college schedules and take your loved one to games he most enjoys: baseball, basketball, football, swim meets, golf tournaments, etc. Or plan future family gatherings around his favorite team’s games on TV, recreating a live sporting event atmosphere with particular foods (like hot dogs and nachos), team t-shirts for the whole family to wear, banners and flags for the kids to wave, and plenty of cheering, naturally!
- Outdoors: If, for example, a senior loved one was an enthusiastic fisherman or hunter, make sure he has plenty of opportunities to be in nature or to watch nature programming. Many nature preserves and zoos now have web cams so that people can enjoy watching the behaviors of live animals at any time. Consult your local parks regarding accessibility to fishing spots and boat rentals to determine if it is practical for your loved one to enjoy some time on or by the water, or plan a picnic in a wooded area and enjoy watching wildlife together. You may want to talk to organizations which help those who are differently-abled, such as the National Association for Down Syndrome, which sometimes holds outdoor events in which a member is paired with an older volunteer in order to supply help with fishing as well as other outdoor activities.
- Music: For individuals who played a musical instrument, sang with a band, or just enjoy tapping their toes to a specific genre of music, maintaining a connection to music is very important, and while it may be as simple as playing favorite music and singing along, it can be made more engaging with a trip to a music store, attending a concert – again, the area high schools and colleges are an excellent resource for musical performances, or hosting a talent show for family members who are also musically-inclined.
- Work: Retaining a feeling of purpose is a must for us all. Men who are retired educators can volunteer to tutor or read to children through the library or school system; those who were proficient with tools can continue to paint, help build bird feeders or squirrel houses, focus on assembling model cars together with the grandkids. Those many years of expertise can continue to impact the next generation!
Speak to Anthem Home Care, one of the best Corpus Christi home health agencies, for further tips to assist the older men in your life to remain active and engaged in what interests them most. Reach out to us today at 361-643-2323 for a free in-home consultation to find out how our highly qualified in-home caregivers can provide restored happiness and purpose every single day for those you love.