Seniors with limited mobility can still enjoy a variety of activities. Many older adults lose mobility due to conditions like stroke, severe arthritis or injuries from falls. When that happens, activities and hobbies they used to enjoy might become too difficult or painful to pursue. The loss of mobility doesn’t mean the end of their good times. There are many ways to have fun, boost mood, and stay engaged in the world without needing to move around too much.
To help you find things that suit your older adult’s interests, we rounded up 9 wonderful activities for seniors with limited mobility.
Great activities for seniors with limited mobility
Spend Time Reading:
Reading is a fantastic activity for older adults. It’s a fun way to spend time and keep the brain engaged. It can improve memory, reduce stress, improve sleep, and delay cognitive decline. Whether your older adult likes reading physical books, or magazines, using an e-reader, or listening to audiobooks, they can immerse themselves in a well-told story, look at photographs, or learn about an interesting new topic.
Organizing a book club among their friends is another way for seniors to enjoy reading and socializing.
Explore A Variety Of Hobbies:
Hobbies are great for older adults with limited mobility.
Activities that don’t require a lot of moving around include cooking, baking, birdwatching, knitting, crochet, indoor or container gardening, playing a musical instrument, or learning a language.
This is also a perfect time to learn something new; Maybe there are hobbies or interests they’ve never had a chance to explore before. Learning is also a great way to keep the mind active and prevent boredom.
Exercise Regularly:
Even if you are an older adult that isn’t very mobile, there may still be exercises you can do to get your bodies moving. Whether they’re sitting or standing, they can still get the health and mood benefits, especially from seated exercises or chair yoga routines.
There are also exercise routines that can be done using a walker for stability or just focused on the feet and ankles to reduce swelling.
Getting Creative:
Getting in touch with their creative side is another fun way for seniors to spend time.
Drawing, colouring, painting, and sculpture are all wonderful ways to be creative. Fun projects might include creating scrapbooks, organizing family photo albums, or making a family recipe book.
As an added bonus, being creative also comes with health benefits: Research has found creative activities can help people who are battling chronic illness to decrease negative emotions and increase positive ones, reduce stress and anxiety, and improve medical outcomes.
Spending Time Outdoors:
Getting outside to spend a little time in nature is relaxing and a great mood booster. Even if their limited mobility means that your older adult can only get to the porch or sit next to a big window, getting some fresh air or viewing the scenery is a great everyday activity.
Have Fun With Happy Visitors:
Asking family or friends with babies or friendly pets to stop by for a visit is another fantastic way to engage an older adult.
Almost everyone perks up in the presence of young children. And playing with pets is another sure-fire way to bring cheer and reduce stress.
Playing Games:
Games and puzzles are a fantastic source of fun times. There are so many to choose from and most can be played in groups with visitors, one-on-one for quality time together, and solo. Try some classic games or card games, jigsaw puzzles, or crossword puzzles.
Enjoy Movies, TV shows, or Music
Watching TV all day, every day isn’t a healthy pastime, but a movie or a couple of TV shows can be an enjoyable part of the day or week. Watching TV could even intersect with a hobby. For example, your older adult might be interested in watching a documentary on a topic they’re learning about. Or, channels like the Food Network or the Travel Channel could inspire new recipes to try or travel destinations to learn about.
Listening (or singing along!) to music they enjoy is another great activity. Music has the power to reduce stress, anxiety, and pain. It also improves immune functions and sleep quality as well as aiding memory.
Participate In Charitable Works
Even if your older adult isn’t very mobile or is homebound, they can still give back to the community. This is a wonderful way to stay engaged and feel a sense of purpose and accomplishment.
Contact local charities, hospitals, or religious organizations to find out if they have any projects your older adult could contribute to. That could mean knitting or crocheting blankets or hats, creating no-sew blankets, or helping to assemble care packages.
This list of activities is gender neutral. Of course, each individual person will have different preferences, so it’s up to those that know them best to try to find activities that they’ll enjoy and that suit their current abilities.