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Fun Recreational Activities for the Elderly

Gaynor Borade
Keeping seniors busy and active is the first step towards promoting good physical and mental health. Before you begin your research on different recreational activities for the elderly, read this post for detailed information.
Among many fun activities elderly people can take part in, the most essential thing is to keep their mind, body, and soul sharp and strong. By giving them ample opportunities to meet new people and engage in indoor and outdoor hobbies, activities, and games will not only give them a sense of independence, but also a new outlook towards life.
Keeping this crucial point in mind, we have put together a few activities to keep them busy for hours. Go through our suggestions to find ideas that work best for you.

Visiting Centers and Clubs

There are a number of local recreation centers that offer fantastic options to seniors. They organize team sports and club activities at medical and rehab camps, hobby classes, and competitions.
The core function and focus of these centers is to help members find the activities that keep their interests. The arts and crafts workshops, cultural activities, and field trips assure the members to develop a feeling of belonging to other places in their area. They will get to make new friends at center or club, and share the experiences with one another.

Volunteer Work

Senior citizens can also take up dedicated volunteering at venues like schools, colleges, local community centers, and other similar venues. The services and talents that they possess will be greatly benefited by others; plus, they will get to interact with the youth and other professionals.
In schools, the senior citizens can volunteer as substitute teachers, coordinators, and counselors for various programs. They could also volunteer for after-school care or look at the possibility of a joint home-based business opportunity!
There are summer camps and programs that are consistently on the lookout for volunteers to enrich the environment with love, guidance, knowledge, and self-esteem. The one-on-one situations help the exchange of expertise and quality assurance to any indoor or outdoor bound activity.

Games and Activities for the Elderly

There are many activities that can encourage movement of limbs and steer the members towards a 'contributing' lifestyle.

Pass the Buck and Take a Job

If you've heard of the game 'Passing the Parcel', then playing this game will be quite easy. The only difference is that the parcel contains various social service jobs. The social work offered enables them to reach beyond the immediate group and address an inclination towards a particular hobby.

Be My Friend

The game involves blind-folding one by one and allowing them to pick a picture of a needy person from the community. The profile and requirement is written and placed in an envelope down the field. Once the photograph is picked, the senior has to go over to the envelopes, pick the one that matches the name on the photo, and hand it over to the coordinator.

Indoor Activities
  • Card/board games
  • Painting
  • Flower arranging
  • Ceramics
  • Line dance
  • Writing
  • Computer class
  • Dominos

Outdoor Activities
  • Garden party
  • Flying kites
  • Picnic
  • Concert or theater
  • Yard games
  • Fishing
  • Treasure hunts
  • Gardening
Not only does the community benefit from additional participation, but the activity also facilitates family reunions as well. There are a number of online resources that enable access to similar games and leadership activities for seniors. The recreational activities result in will, determination, expertise, and experience.