Senior Living Family Engagement Activities Explained
Family plays such an important role in a senior's quality of life.
Assisted living communities understand the necessity of these bonds and encourage families to enjoy activities with seniors.
The National Institutes of Health found that seniors who engage in 2.5 to 5 hours of physical exercise per week increase their longevity. These activities range from light walking to movement classes.
Going on leisure walks is one of the simplest family engagement activities. It also provides much-needed quality time. Seniors who communicate regularly with family show marked improvements in depression.
Family activities also include games like checkers, bingo, Scattergories, and playing cards that nourish cognitive skills. Visitors are encouraged to join their senior relatives on game nights, field trips, and movie nights.
Discover more elderly activities seniors can enjoy with family.
Arts and Crafts With Family
Do you belong to a creative family?
Making art together is a wonderful bonding experience that improves seniors' memory.
For example, you could bring family photos and supplies for making frames for a portrait decorating day. Wooden picture frames are available at local craft stores. You can also make frames from ceramics, shells, pebbles, fabric, and more materials.
You can also turn small photos into refrigerator magnets for a senior's kitchenette.
Other photo-themed ideas include:
- Photo lockets and pendants
- Turning photos into canvas prints
- Photo mosaics
- Family collages
- Creating family photo albums
Grandchildren could also make handprint art from ceramic and paint them for their grandparents.
Scrapbooking is another creative activity the whole family can share. Scrapbooks are similar to collages, except you can add even more decorations and memorabilia. Seniors can decorate pages with vintage photos, ribbons, stamps, birthday cards, and other special items.
The above tips are wonderful ideas for a grandparent's day!
Outdoor Activities for Seniors
Another way for families and assisted living residents to spend time together is to go on scenic walks. Lakehouse New Holstein is a picturesque community with plenty of easy walking paths for light exercise and conversation.
Families can also venture outside the community for more walking excursions.
There are some great parks to check out in New Holstein with walking paths.
Popular parks include:
- Kiwanis Park
- Optimist Park
- Civic Park
- Langenfeld Pond
Residents with young grandchildren can also visit Lions Playland for kids.
Families may also rent out the Optimist Chalet or Community Center for family reunions, birthdays, summer gatherings, and more events.
Cooking With Seniors
Nothing brings people together more than food.
At Lakehouse New Holstein, residents' apartments come with kitchenettes built for cooking light meals.
Family members may visit their senior relatives and bring food for cooking lunches and dinners. This is the perfect time to bring out that favorite family recipe. You can also bake birthday cakes and cupcakes for special occasions.
On a summer day, you can whip up some sandwiches for a family picnic on the grounds or at one of New Holstein's parks. Bring a cooler for keeping sandwiches, desserts, snacks, and beverages fresh.
You could also attend local cooking classes as a family and learn some new recipes together. Cooking is an excellent memory care activity that the entire family can share. Cake decorating is another way to boost cognitive and creative skills while improving memory.
If you or your family belong to a local church or organization, retirement is the perfect time to get more involved with bake sales for a good cause.
Plant a Garden Together
Another recommended memory care activity is gardening.
Residents may keep potted plants, window sill planters, and mini herb gardens in their kitchens. Gardening is a brain-stimulating activity that also includes light exercise. It gives seniors a chance to exercise those hand and arm muscles.
New Holstein also has community gardens that families can plant together. This gives seniors and their families more room to garden vegetables, flowers, and fruits.
Gardening may also inspire a family field trip to a local park or Kiwanis Prairie and Reineck Woods. The New Holstein Library also has a community garden for residents to enjoy.
Long-Distance Engagement in Senior Living
Consistent communication with family is proven to benefit senior mental health.
What do you do when family members aren't local?
Seniors and their families can use video calling to stay in touch regularly. Video apps, in particular, enhance the experience since they allow seniors to see the faces of the people they love.
Video calling enables more interaction, too. For example, families can get together on one call to play games, share photos, and even watch movies.
The holidays can be especially challenging for seniors with family out-of-state. Video calling lets them see and talk to everyone at once during a holiday gathering. Family members can also video call seniors wishing them a happy birthday.
Reading In Senior Living Communities
Nourishing the mind is always encouraged in assisted living communities like Lakehouse New Holstein.
There's plenty of space for seniors to enjoy a good book. You can always find someone reading in a common area, apartment, or outdoor area.
Gifting a senior loved one a new book is an excellent birthday or holiday idea. Books on tape or audiobooks are another good idea, especially for seniors struggling with eye health issues. Family members are also encouraged to visit senior loved ones and read to them out loud for memory care.
Seniors and families can also join book clubs together or form their own. Residents may join book clubs. Plus, internet-savvy seniors also have a host of online book clubs available.
Hosting a book club is an excellent way to build leadership and social skills while in retirement.
Discover Even More Family Engagement Activities
Keep adding to the list to create a full itinerary for seniors and their families. Think about all the fun things to do in New Holstein for families, as well. From parks to game nights, the possibilities for family engagement activities are endless.
Lakehouse New Holstein wants to help seniors thrive at any age. Our community is designed for optimal mental and physical wellness for seniors.
Book a tour as a family to see what we're all about.
You can always contact us to learn more about our services.