It’s not uncommon for housebound seniors to experience boredom or even depression, especially if they once had active lifestyles. Here are some fun and creative ideas to keep your senior loved one’s brain and body active when he or she is unable to leave home.
1. Maintain an Indoor Garden
For seniors who loved to garden outdoors but are now not as mobile, indoor gardens can be a wonderful way to exercise a green thumb. Set up an indoor herb garden on the counter, or consider putting large planters on the patio that are tall enough to reach from a wheelchair or seat. Aside from something to do, gardening, even indoors, provides a wealth of health benefits for seniors, including reduced symptoms of depression and an increased sense of self-worth.
If your loved one needs assistance with daily activities due to limited mobility, consider hiring a professional caregiver. Senior home care experts are available to provide high-quality care to seniors on an as-needed basis. From assistance with mobility and exercise to providing transportation to the doctor’s office and social events, there are a variety of ways professional caregivers can help your aging loved one continue to live independently.
2. Volunteer
Many nonprofits can use all the extra help they can get, including making phone calls and other activities that can be done at home. Working for causes they’re passionate about gives housebound seniors purpose and satisfaction.
For families living in Livingston, respite care can be a wonderful solution when their aging loved ones need companionship and socialization a few hours a week or just need minor assistance with daily household tasks. At Assisting Hands Home Care, we thrive on helping seniors maintain their independence while living in the comfort of home.
3. Get Online
The internet is an incredible source of both knowledge and fun. Seniors can download as many books as they can read without having to take a trip to the library or a bookstore. They can also play games such as crossword puzzles and Scrabble, do jigsaw puzzles that may be too painful to do by hand, and even enroll in online classes at community colleges and universities around the country.
4. Play Video Games
While gaming may seem like a surprising choice, video games are actually very beneficial for senior health and wellness. Studies show seniors who regularly play stimulating video games perform better on memory tests and experience enhanced reflexes.
5. Listen to Digital Audiobooks
Audiobooks are a great way to pass the time, especially for seniors with vision loss or who have serious physical limitations. Local libraries offer a large selection of audiobooks, and your loved one can download audiobooks online.
Not every senior has the same care needs, which means they don’t all need the same type of home care. Livingston families can rely on Assisting Hands Home Care to provide individualized care plans to meet their elderly loved ones’ unique care needs. Our caregivers help seniors focus on healthy lifestyle habits such as eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and maintaining strong social ties, and we offer mentally stimulating activities that can prevent cognitive decline and delay the onset of dementia. To learn more about our reliable, compassionate in-home care services, contact us today.
