Fun Activities for Senior Citizens

Janienne Jennrich, Self-Portrait Photo by Janienne Jennrich

Posted by
Janienne Jennrich
Mar 30, 2008

HI-

Many senior citizens are living in group homes, active living senior apartments, and group homes with assisted living. While many seniors come and go, a lot also tend to stay homebound, which can get a bit boring. As a senior caretaker for an elderly lady, I found that bringing over new activites interested her much more than the "same old things" she had access to everyday. I used to look around my house for simple games and gadgets, movies and music, and magazines to amuse her.

I would love to hear from other caregivers (many are the senior children of elderly parents) out there. What are some good activities which have been successful with a senior you know? My grandfather had a weekly writing group with a teacher who came into his apartment complex. Many group home situations have arts and crafts sessions. Or if you are a senior in a homebound situation, what activities do you enjoy? I know watching The Price is Right TV show daily was a big hit at the adult home at which I visited.

Some Popular Articles on Senior Activities:

Fun Visits With Senior Citizens

Memory Help for Senior Citizens

Fun Activities for Senior Citizens

English Afternoon Tea for Seniors

Fun Activities for Active Seniors

Online Senior Citizen Gift Ideas

Gift Tips for Less Active Seniors

I hope you enjoy them.

Please feel free to write a note in the discussion area for seniors and grandparents. It doesn't have to be anything fancy. I will repeat this note over there, too, and hopefully get some ideas flowing between people.

By the way, does anyone else have a rather obnoxious woodpecker outside waking them up waaay too early? I sure do. Cute creatures... but Argh!

Have a good week,

Janienne

Nov 13, 2008 9:56 PM

Guest :

I work in a nursing home as an activity aide. Part of my responsibility is to teach a twice-a-week "Trivia" class to a group of seniors with Alzheimers. Mostly, we are trying to improve their memories and logic skills. We have books of questions and answers about American History and lists of things like fruits and vegetables, but not much else. I have been asked to also play "Wheel of Fortune" with them, which I am told is their "favorite" game. They told me they "hate" the game.
I've been there for 3 months and am running out of ideas. I cannot afford to purchase books on my own and haven't found instructions for specific trivia sessions on the Internet. The home doesn't have prizes for the residents, which I think would make the games more fun. I've done things like ask them to name as many vegetables as they can, for points. I then give them small prizes I have amassed, but I have run out of items (and money).
Help! Please also e-mail me at aimhigh1@comcast.net, as I may sometimes miss this blog.
Thanks in advance.
Sharon

Jan 5, 2009 3:39 PM

Guest :

Hi my name is Debbie and I am the Activities/Events Coordinator at a day senior center. I too have run out of ideas. We do the bingo, board games, card games, T.V., knitting and such. The seniors are here for lunch, from about 11:00a.m. - 3:00p.m. So if there is anyone out there that has any ideas I would sure be grateful. Oh yea, I am also starting a scrapbook memories with them. I took pictures and now I will ask questions and then put it together.
Thank you for your time and help.
Sincerely,
Debbie

Jan 14, 2009 1:44 PM

Guest :

Hi! I am an Activities Director in an assisted living facility. My ideas are starting to run out too. That's how I found you. I keep putting in activities for seniors into google to find ideas. :) There is a great publication called, "Creative Forecasting". Try their website, creativeforecasting.com. I am still pretty new here but this book has been a God send to me! It's chock full of ideas! As an example, I am working on our schedule for February right now, there are several pages of info in the book that tell me, famous birthdays, different days through out the month such as National Popcorn Day, that is February 1st, so at our Super Bowl party we will give out popcorn. During the day, we may have a bit of an info period where I will tell them the history of popcorn. Blue Jeans day is at the end of the month, we are all going to wear jeans and I found a history of jeans. We do crafts, we do armchair exercises, we have several churches come in and do worship services and many other things. I am happy to correspond with anyone who wants, my email here at work is VillageWillowLnActivities@hotmail.com. Hope I helped a bit, I will check back here to see if any more ideas come in. Take care.
Donna