How to spend free time at weekends with seniors
Despite the numerous calls on our time, including the pressures of work, there are many benefits of spending time with our seniors.
Connections allow us to build and foster strong relationships. Your older family and friends will greatly benefit from spending time with you. Just discussing your experiences and perspectives and listening to their perspective will show them that they are important to you.
Not having these connections with their loved ones can lead to seniors experiencing loneliness and stress. Loneliness can have a huge impact on their health and wellbeing.
On the other hand, getting out of the house and sharing activities can improve physical, mental, and emotional health. There are indoor activities you can share too.
Here are a few ideas.
Sport
A research study conducted by the NHS found that most seniors aged 65 and above spend approximately 10 hours or more sitting or lying down every day. This puts them at a higher risk of heart disease and obesity.
Seniors can combat these health risks with different types of sports. Sport can be an amazing social activity that will help you bond with a senior and meet new people too.
Some of the ideal sports for older people include swimming, walking football, and golf. Sport not only improves our physical well-being but also our mental health. Playing a sport with a senior will give both of you something to look forward to regularly.
Gardening
Gardening is an amazing activity for seniors. Once you get into it, gardening can become addictive. It’s quite difficult to beat the satisfaction of planting seeds and watching them grow. Gardeners tend to fill their gardens with the most beautiful plants and flowers, mow the lawn and even grow a few vegetables and fruits.
Some of the physical and mental benefits of gardening include:
- A sense of achievement
- Stress relief
- A fit and active mind and body
- Provision of healthy and nutritious food
Getting up and staying active for a few hours every day is better than sitting or lying down all day long. A study conducted back in 2015 found that planting and watering flowers for two hours every day can improve brain function and stamina. After a few weeks, the participants lost weight. The best part – you can start gardening with a senior today.
Gaming
One of the most exciting stories that we’ve heard in recent months is the rise of the senior gamer. People aged 55 years and above are playing video games like never before. According to a 2019 survey, 42% of seniors in the UK have been playing video games since 2014.
Gaming is not only entertaining but also gives people an opportunity to socialise. When playing games, you’ll get to choose between playing against friends, either side by side or online. Some of the best games that you can play with seniors include Brain Training, Super Mario, Bejewelled, Age of Empires, and Wii Sports.
Social media
A study conducted by Ofcom found that 58% of seniors aged 55 to 64 are on social media. Since the pandemic started last year, millions of people in the UK have used social media to stay in touch with their families and friends.
The best social media platforms for seniors include WhatsApp, Facebook, and Zoom. When distance makes it hard to see family face to face, social media platforms enable people to socialise and connect with their loved ones.
Reading
If you both enjoy reading, you could create your own shared book club. With so many genres to choose from, there will always be something great for everyone.
Nowadays, you don’t need to invest in physical books. Most books are available online. And you can read them on a tablet or smartphone. E-books take up less space on our shelves and allow us to read easily and quickly.
Author Sherri Carrier is a professional writer at RushEssay, Proessaywriting and Essaygeeks. She is also a member of several writing clubs in New York.
Photo by Centre for Ageing Better from Pexels
