Contrary to popular belief, older people with limited mobility can still be active and participate in a variety of activities, even while in assisted living. Seniors don’t always need to participate in physically demanding activities; brain games are also beneficial. More than 54 million people over the age of 65 live with limited mobility because of severe arthritis, accidents, or other illnesses in the United States.
Hobbies are important in motivating seniors with limited mobility to face their current life with a purpose, to have control over certain things they do, and to remind them that they are still strong enough to do things on their own despite their condition.
Whatever the circumstance, decreased mobility may restrict the types of activities they engage in and prevent them from continuing to enjoy the activities they once loved. Fortunately, limited mobility doesn’t have to stop them from engaging in enjoyable activities and hobbies and living a fun and fulfilling older life.
Eat Good Food Together
Most of us enjoy eating and will go out to try new foods at restaurants or street stalls. Seniors with limited mobility don’t always have the luxury of going out, so many prefer to eat at home. Even so, seniors with limited mobility don’t have to give up their love of food. They can always experiment by:
- Trying new recipes from their neighbors or friends
- Grocery delivery services are available, so seniors do not have to go out that day if they don’t want to.
- Tons of recipes are available online from all over the world
- Creating a food club in their senior living community and trying each other’s recipes
Exercise
Even if you’re not particularly mobile, there may be exercises you can perform to get your body moving. You can get health and mood benefits whether you’re sitting or standing, especially with seated exercises or chair yoga routines.
There are also exercise routines that can be done with or without a walker to reduce swelling in the feet and ankles.
Read
Reading is a pleasurable pastime for seniors with limited mobility. Some seniors find it exhausting to engage in physically demanding activities, so reading is ideal for them. Reading doesn’t require you to expend much energy, and can help with memory, stress reduction, and sleep quality.
It makes no difference whether they prefer physical books, e-readers, or magazines, it’s just important that they make reading a hobby. A good book can keep anyone entertained for hours, if not days, and allows seniors to spend time alone if that’s something that they enjoy.
Get Creative
Painting, sketching, and crafting are examples of creative arts that seniors might enjoy, especially if they’ve never tried them before.
Older adults can paint an entire portrait, make a scrapbook, design a family photo album, draw, and so on while sitting in a chair or in any position that is convenient for them. They could have a lot of fun making art and expressing themselves.
In addition to the enjoyment it provides, making art has several health benefits. It can help reduce negative emotions, reduce stress and anxiety, and improve physical health.
Play!
Remember playing puzzles and board games with your friends and family when you were younger? Those days aren’t over once you get older. Puzzles and games are still popular, and they’re especially suitable for seniors with limited mobility.
Puzzles and games are ideal because they are portable and can be played anywhere. Card games, for example, are interactive, so seniors can play them with their friends and family. Single-player games, such as Sudoku, are excellent choices if seniors prefer to be on their own or enjoy a quiet game.
Picture puzzles are great for seniors because they help stimulate their brains. Seniors with limited mobility may not be able to go treasure hunting, but they can solve puzzles for something just as enjoyable and rearing.
Volunteer
Giving back to the community in any capacity provides a sense of accomplishment for anyone, including seniors. And helping others by volunteering or donating to charitable organizations is a great way to get this feeling.
Older people with mobility issues can still participate and contribute to charitable causes. Acts of service can be as large as creating art for fundraising events or as small as knitting socks for homeless people – all of which are excellent activities for seniors with limited mobility.
Engagement with Meaning
Even if a senior has limited mobility, their life doesn’t have to be boring. They need exciting activities now more than ever because it gives them something to look forward to. We hope this article provided some inspiration for the many activities that those with limited mobility are able to do. At Bentley Commons, we believe in engagement with meaning. It’s important to us that our residents can be as active as they want while also having spaces for quiet socializing and private contemplation. If you’re interested in the many activities we offer contact us today!
