The Importance of Leisure and Recreational Activities for Seniors

Think about that time when your kite finally landed itself up in the air when you were trying to fly it. Or that time when you first won your chess game, and how it put a smile on your face. Remember the hooray of victory you shouted when you hit those bowling pins you were targeting? Or the sound of laughter you shared with your loved ones as you watched a theater play together.

As we age, it can become difficult for us to enjoy the recreational activities we once enjoyed when we were younger and strong. As our eyesight becomes poor and our hands become weaker in the midst of aging, it might be challenging for us to grip that bowling ball again--allowing us to give up our leisure activities. Because of the physical limitations and sickness, seniors often find themselves not able to engage in recreational activities anymore. They tend to stay and isolate themselves at home, thinking it might be impossible to be on their feet again.

Recreational activities, no matter what sort, always leave an imprint of happiness in our lives. With leisure activities, our stress is wearing thin, and we forget all the hardships and loneliness.

Luckily, aging and sickness shouldn't be a hindrance for seniors to enjoy life again. Here at Elegant Care Villa, we believe in the importance of recreational activities to the life of our elderly loved ones, and their positive effects on their health and wellbeing. 

Choosing Activities for Seniors

Choosing the right leisure activities for seniors should be carefully thought and curated according to their specific needs. A lot of factors are to be considered: Such as their physical conditions, emotional wellbeing, hobbies, and preferences. It's impossible for caregivers and healthcare providers to host a hiking event for seniors with knee problems, or provide dancing activities for seniors who have difficulty in standing up or moving. Recreational activities must be selected carefully, that's why offering personalized services is important. 

Recreational Activities for Seniors

Some of the activities that can be enjoyed by senior citizens may vary according to their physical capabilities and preference. Here are some of the suggested activities that they can do:

• Outdoor Hiking

• Gardening classes

• Dancing classes

• Sporting events such as golfing, bowling

• Concerts

• Book and poetry clubs 

• Theater plays

• Board games

• Art sessions

Surprisingly, data from a study shows that the favorite recreational activities of seniors are resoundingly active including walking, jogging, outdoor sports, traveling, and food preparation. 

Why are recreational activities important for seniors?

Aside from the physical benefits of maintaining recreational activities, there are tons of advantages of maintaining leisure time for seniors, such as:

1. Boosts Independence

Seniors can feel a sense of independence when they're involved--and it helps them boost confidence and trust with their capabilities. Additionally, being in a group gives them a sense of belonging and importance.

2. Improves Cognitive Function

Research has shown that physical activities help seniors improve their sensory abilities, and exercise their thinking. With activities such as playing games or going on a hike, seniors are given the chance to refresh their minds and improve their memory, especially elders who are diagnosed with dementia. It's also ideal for seniors to maintain cognitive activities like reading books, solving puzzles, writing, doing art, or playing instruments.

3. Enhances social life

Seniors might find it difficult to maintain interpersonal relationships with others as they age. Through leisure activities, they can build relationships with other seniors or caregivers--this can help them improve their social life and increase happiness.

4. Promotes active lifestyle

Leisure activities enable seniors to have a structured schedule and lessen the sedentary lifestyle, such as sleeping too much, being in bed for a long time, or just sitting on a chair the whole day watching TV. Since some seniors can't perform intensive physical activities like too much exercise, this can help them have an active and healthy lifestyle. 

5. Enables a healthier and better quality of life

Whether it’s a physical activity or mind games, maintaining recreational activities for seniors can help them to be healthier--physically, socially, and mentally. Physical activities help our elderly loved ones reduce the chance of acquiring high blood, heart disease, blood pressure, and more. Additionally, leisure activities can help seniors improve their behavior, as these activities can exercise their coping mechanisms on stress or depression.

Our Leisure and Recreation Services at Elegant Care Villa

Here at Elegant Care Villa, we believe that seniors should experience a happy and productive life through our leisure and recreational services. With our compassionate and experienced Care Team, we are confident that we can provide the best leisure activities for your elderly loved ones--based on their specific needs. Every individual is different, that's why we are focused on offering personalized services for seniors. Depending on their physical capabilities and interests, we will select the activities that they will surely enjoy. Here are some reasons why you should choose us:

• Supports indoor and outdoor activities

  Our Care Team is pretty versatile--whether it's an indoor activity that can be done at home or outdoor activity that requires commuting, we can provide our incidental transportation services for convenience.

• Flexible time

  Activities offered may occur at any time of the day, depending on the desired schedule and chosen activity.

• Wide range of activities

  We offer various types of activities that can be enjoyed by your elderly loved ones! From sports such as bowling or golf to board games and club activities such as book clubs, we can provide all aspects of leisure activities for seniors.

• Experienced team

  Our Care Team is equipped with the experience and training needed to provide the best service for our seniors. With our services, you can be confident and secure that your elderly loved ones are in good hands. 

• Tailored services

  Our services are personalized based on the best interests of seniors--including their health condition. This way, we can make sure that our clients will have the best experience possible, without compromising their health.

Reach out to us today to know more about our leisure and recreational services.