Senior Assisted Living Care Home - Glendora, CA - Adora Hills

Glendora Senior Care Home

Activities for Seniors

What Are You Doing Today? Physical & Mental Activities Offer Seniors Many Benefits

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Raising a garden can allow a senior with physical limitations to continue a hobby they really enjoy, as well as be more active and feel more useful.

Retirement does not mean “doing nothing.”  When someone asks what are you doing today?, a retired senior should have a number of things to tell them…with enthusiasm. 

It is important to have daily activities that continue to work the muscles and the brain.  By doing so, a person often increases their odds of living longer, and of improving the quality of the life they lead.

These activities provide benefits on many levels.  Of course, there are the health advantages that come from physical and aerobic movement.  The press is filled with them every day.  Plus, we continue to hear that challenging the mind will help to keep it sharper.

In addition, involvement in activities can build self-esteem, strengthen confidence, provide social stimulation and make life more interesting.

Workouts In Disguise

There are physical and mental workouts hidden among the common activities of seniors.  With a little imagination, even a chore can be turned into a beneficial exercise.  Here are some examples of workouts in disguise.

  • Dusting and other housecleaning tasks.
  • Vacuuming and washing floors can easily work up a sweat.
  • Singing and dancing.
  • Shopping – especially if there is walking involved and/or you carry bags afterward.
  • Gardening, raking leaves and mowing the lawn (with a push mover).  
  • Playing cards and other “strategy” games.
  • Crossword, sudoku, word find, jigsaw and other puzzles.
  • Enjoying a sport – golf, bowling, swimming, tennis, racquetball, biking/tricycling

The System

For those who may be dealing with the frailty of body and/or mind, it is important to stay as safely active as possible.  Here are a few suggestions, some of which are adaptations of activities listed in the column to the left.

  • Exercise while sitting to avoid falls.
  • Elevated (enabled) gardens bring the activity to table level for those in wheelchairs or those who cannot safely transition easily to and from ground level.
  • Enjoying a sport through motion-driven video systems – golf, bowling, tennis, etc.
  • There is even a National Senior League (www.nslgames.com) for Wii bowlers with a national championship event.
  • Singing, and dancing with a sturdy partner.
  • Putting together a personal history album in a scrapbook or on an internet website.

(Sources:  MedicalNewsToday.com, aafp.com)

Pets Make Great Companions While Providing A Myriad Of Benefits At The Same Time

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Walking or playing with your dog can provide exercise, create conversation with others, fulfill the need for touch and sharpen the mind.

Lots of people like to have pets.  In Canada, 57% of all households in the U.S. have at least one critter that the owners love and care for.  The most common pets are dogs (38% of households) and cats (25% of households).  Other types of animals such as fish, birds, horses, ferrets, hamsters, reptiles and are found in 13% of homes.

The medical community is learning from these pet owners.  They are noticing that the companionship of the animals affects us on 4 primary levels – physical, social, emotional and cognitive.  These affects can lead to a number of health and life benefits.

For seniors, a pet can fulfill their need to care for others, create a sense of purpose and offer a relationship based on unconditional love.  They can also help their owners feel valued, especially when the humans in their life make them feel insignificant or like a burden.

Benefits of Pets for Seniors

A pet can have positive effects on its senior owner.  Here are a few of the potential benefits.

  • Lower blood pressure and reduce stress.
  • Decrease feelings of loneliness, isolation and depression.
  • Lead to more social contacts and open the door to making new friends.
  • Create movement and increase exercise.
  • Visit the doctor less often and take less amounts of medications.
  • Offer unconditional love and daily doses of affection.
  • Offer a sense of security.
  • Help to deal with the loss of a spouse and other loved ones.
  • Provide an outward focus and decrease the emphasis on personal problems.

What Is Pet Therapy For Seniors?

With all the potential benefits of having animal companionship, the medical community is taking action.  There is research.  For example, studies have shown that people who have suffered a heart attack live longer if they return home to a pet. 

The therapeutic use of pets as companions is also becoming more common.  Known as pet therapy or animal-assisted therapy (AAT), relationships with animals are encouraged and integrated into the care plan.  When ownership is not possible, service companies and volunteer organizations bring animals to the seniors on a regular basis.

As for what pets make the best companions, can you believe the type of critter doesn’t matter?  What does matter is the level of interest the person has in the animal.  The more interest, the stronger the relationship, the greater the rewards.

Note:  To avoid creating stress, the pet must suit the temperament, life style and living quarters of the owner/patient.

(Sources:  Pets For The Elderly Foundation, holistic-online.com, American Veterinary Medical Association )