It’s not all puzzles and cards for seniors. Sometimes it’s gaming and drums!
Yep, that’s right! If you have not seen Shirley Curry create her own worlds in Skyrim or Dorothea Taylor effortlessly playing Slipknot’s ‘Down with the Sickness’, do yourself a favor and give them both a watch. These two ladies remind us that seniors like to go unconventional with their hobbies. And some studies even suggest that playing video games can increase the cognitive health of older adults!
While offering drumming lessons and providing gaming computers for all residents might be a little difficult, are there any unique activities you are offering at your community?
Craft & Communicate recently asked a group of seniors aged 60 and above what they’d describe their favorite activities to be. Some answers were surprising and others were endearing. But all of the answers submitted gave us a well-needed reminder that we should actively pursue what fulfills us every day. Giving ourselves that moment of rest and enjoyment with whatever hobby we pursue is crucial to our wellbeing, and that point is emphasized even more so with seniors.
As a senior living community, it is imperative that our lifestyle directors and teams rise to the occasion and meet the needs of residents by coming up with fun and unique activities that seniors will enjoy. It could be the crucial difference between yourself and the community that’s just down the street from yours. Read below to find out what our group of seniors love doing most and see if your community is offering these types of activities!
Activities Seniors Like to Do: Survey Results
The winning activity out of the answers we collected was reading, with walking and gardening coming in second and third respectively. All activities that seniors want to pursue provide enrichment, whether it’s in a mental, physical, or emotional sense. If you are finding that residents or even prospective leads like to read, it may be time to set up a resident-led book club once a month. Organized walking groups around the courtyard area can produce multiple benefits with the chance to make friends, get exercise, and receive some nice sunshine.
Our group of seniors’ top 10 favorite activities were:
- Reading
- Walking
- Gardening
- Traveling
- Cooking
- Swimming
- Golf
- Hiking
- Biking
- Working
We also asked seniors how they enjoy spending their leisure time.
And finally, what are seniors’ 3 favorite activities?
The answers we received also made us take a step back to think about the world we live in now, one that relies heavily on technology and digital tools.
Reflecting on a Technology-Based World
With the Internet being a free virtual classroom with videos, articles, and message threads abound, many people are learning new tricks and trades with the content available to them. Seniors are included in this category. In fact, they can benefit more so than other demographics while being quarantined and safe. And others are having fun breaking the stereotype that seniors love to knit and play cards all of the time (not that there’s anything wrong with those activities!)
Our agency is always looking for ways to share seniors’ true voices rather than repeat what we think they want. Their opinions, hobbies, and values may surprise us. But whatever they are, we as a team are here to help market the environment they deserve, one that is full of enrichment and value. Until next time!
