Maintaining good mental health and well-being is essential to ensure seniors lead happy and healthy lives. It’s the job of caregivers to make sure the seniors in their care have the physical and mental stimulation they need to thrive. There are many activities for seniors that help improve their mental health and well-being. Liberty Resource Home Choices provides non-medical, compassionate, and reliable home care services and programs for seniors. This includes helping to keep their mental health in good shape. Here, we discuss some of the best strategies for enhancing senior mental health.
Strategies & Activities for Managing Senior Mental Health
Many activities can promote senior mental health and well-being. Examples include:
Completing Puzzles & Playing Games
Puzzles and games are great for the mental health of seniors. This can include playing classic card games or putting together puzzles. For example, learning new games can help keep their brains sharp and ready to learn. Games also work to improve memory and other cognitive functions. This is especially important for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia since games can help slow the progression of these conditions.
Putting together puzzles can also exercise the brain and help to improve problem-solving skills in seniors. Doing these activities with others also provides more opportunities to socialize since they can bring people together for a common cause.
Having Conversations
Remaining social is a huge benefit to the well-being of seniors. Whether it’s speaking to their caregivers, family, or friends both new and old, socializing is a great way to improve your client’s quality of life. When seniors become isolated and fail to take part in social activities, they are more likely to become depressed and experience poor mental health. Keeping seniors in good company can greatly improve their mental well-being.
While physical visits from friends and family can be ideal, today’s technology makes it possible for seniors to remain social in the comfort of their own homes through video call software. If a senior’s family lives far away or they cannot travel, a video call can provide an outlet for clients to stay social with friends and family. In addition to socializing with the seniors you visit, as a caregiver, you may need to assist them with setting up the technology to make the calls possible.
Reading
Reading is a great activity that keeps the brain active, especially for seniors. Reading allows seniors to learn new things, stay sharp, and keep their imaginations flowing. Even listening to audiobooks can help stimulate the mind. You may consider enrolling your loved one in a book club or similar social group to keep them stimulated while also promoting more socialization.
Hobbies
Many older individuals have hobbies they love to do or once loved to do. Now is the perfect time to pick them back up. As a caregiver, you can assist them in maintaining their love for an old hobby, or even assist them in finding a new one. This can include activities like:
- Playing an instrument
- Cooking
- Gardening
- Baking
- Crafts
- Sewing
- Bird watching
- Letter writing
- Jewelry making
- Photography
- Scrapbooking
By engaging in their favorite hobbies, you can help keep seniors happy, entertained, and improve their quality of life. Learning a new hobby can also keep seniors’ brains present and active. It’s always a good idea to learn new skills, no matter one’s age.
Exercising
Exercising not only benefits seniors physically but also mentally. It can get them up and moving, which is essential for maintaining a higher quality of life. Even if seniors can’t use certain parts of their bodies like they used to, there are still ways they can receive ample physical exercise. Seniors can try a variety of different exercises, including:
- Yoga
- Walking
- Light weightlifting
- Stretching
- Dancing
- Pilates
- Biking
- Swimming
Outdoor exercises, like walking, allow seniors to get fresh air and spend time in the sun, which is essential for getting the proper amount of vitamin D and other healthy nutrients. There are also exercises that older individuals can do to rework and regain function in some body parts, as is the case with physical therapy and occupational therapy.
Be sure to get approval from a physician before trying any new or rigorous exercises. This ensures the patient gets the physical activity they need without harming or injuring themselves.
Drawing or Painting
Getting creative and using your imagination is always rewarding, no matter your age. Activities like drawing, coloring, or painting are a great way to combat boredom and stimulate the mind.
Creative activities like these can also help decrease depression, stress, and anxiety. As a caregiver, you can start an art class by providing the necessary supplies and playing a YouTube art tutorial.
Help Keep Seniors’ Minds Sharp as a Caregiver
If you have a love for caring for others, consider becoming a caregiver at Liberty Resources Home Choices. We serve the Philadelphia metro area with efficient, all-around, and comfortable caregiver services so families can rest easy knowing their loved ones are in compassionate and experienced hands. Contact us today to learn more about senior mental health and advancing your caregiver career.
