When caring for an elderly loved one, it can be difficult to look beyond the everyday and find things that you both enjoy doing together. Spending time engaging in a fun activity is an important way to foster connection and alleviate boredom and stress. If your loved one has limited mobility you will need to be a little bit more creative, but there are still plenty of options for you to get together and have some fun!
We’ve put together a list of suggestions for fun things you can do with your elderly loved one this holiday season and beyond.
- Pack a picnic and head to the park, beach or countryside
- Visit an art gallery or museum
- Do some light gardening/planting together
- Go for a walk
- Find a nostalgic family recipe and do some cooking together
- Head to the library and borrow some books
- Play a board game or some cards
- Go to the movies, a concert or the ballet
- Indulge in a massage or a manicure/pedicure
- Take up a new hobby you both enjoy – lawn bowls, cooking, birdwatching or gardening
- Get creative with art – draw, paint, colour-in or get messy with pottery
- Undertake some voluntary work for a charity you both feel passionate about
- Visit a new restaurant for a meal
- Take them to visit their extended family or arrange for the family to visit them!
- Do a gentle Yoga or Tai-Chi class
- Swim and/or take an aqua aerobics class at your local pool
- Have a go at a DIY project – plant a herb garden, sew a quilt or refurbish a piece of furniture
- Enjoy a dance class together
- Research your ancestry and build a family tree
- Teach them how to use technology so they can connect with friends and family using Facebook, Skype or Facetime
- Sit together and pore over the family photo albums or watch old videos together
- Organise a sing-a-long around the family piano
- Go for a Sunday drive in the country and indulge in a delicious Devonshire tea or lunch at a cellar door
Whatever activities you choose to do with your ageing loved ones, the most important thing is to make it a priority to spend time together!
If you’d like to visit one of our aged care homes in Geelong or Melbourne, we at Homestyle Aged Care —would be happy to arrange a tour. Contact us today.
