Home care activities

Keeping the mind active and healthy is important for elderly people. Mental health is essential to being able to live independently, and so participating in care home activities and games both inside and outside keeps the mind healthy. Social interaction also reduces isolation and loneliness, along with life-shortening effects associated with them.

Hobbies For Seniors With Limited Mobility

It’s important to remember, just because your loved one can’t walk, doesn’t mean they’re immobile. They can and should always try to use a wheelchair or some type of mobility aid to get around and go outside. It is advised that you don’t transition your loved one straight into a wheelchair, it is a good idea to try aids like walking frames first, to keep your loved one’s independence for as long as possible.

Although your loved one may be limited with mobility, you could still get them outside for a walk. Take them to a park or a duck pond, where they can take in the scenery. This may not be considered a hobby, but it could definitely improve your loved one’s physical and mental health. Most hobbies that your loved one already had could be continued whether they have limited mobility or not. Hobbies like craftsmanship can be simplified to something small so that your loved one can sit down at a table. 

Hobbies such as sports could be quite difficult, however, you can improvise and work around the limited mobility. Take football as an example, if your loved one uses a walker, put the ball on the ground and let your loved one walk around and kick the ball, maybe you can get involved by kicking the ball to them? Or you could even make a goal for your loved one to kick the ball at whilst you stand in goal. If however your loved one is limited to using a wheelchair, let them be in goal and you can carefully kick the ball near them so that they can save it. If these options are unlikely to be effective, then you should look at taking your loved one to sporting events like a local football match or something similar.

8 Interesting Activities For Bedridden Patients

Keeping the mind active and healthy is just as important as keeping yourself physically healthy, and so it is still a good idea for bedridden patients to have a number of activities they can practice. We’ve put together a list of 8 interesting activities for bedridden patients, so that you don’t have to.

1. Read

Reading is a good way to exercise the mind and keep it active with new knowledge. Reading may not be for everyone but it is definitely worth a try when bedridden, just because it’s another option for activities.

2. Puzzles

Sudoku, crosswords, word searches, even jigsaw puzzles. There are lots of puzzles that you or your loved one could complete while bedridden, you could even do the puzzles with family or friends when they are with you.

3. Use a laptop

There are many activities to look for and participate in on the internet. That’s why using a laptop can be a nice reliever for bedridden patients. You can look for games, videos, discussions and even find and meet new people all from your bed, you don’t have to move.

4. Watch TV/Movies or play video games

Watching TV and movies can take your mind off of being bedridden and is probably one of the most accessible activities. Remember, you’ve now got lots of free time on your hands. So try to catch up with your favourite shows, or watch that movie you’ve always wanted to see. You may also have access to video games, these will keep your mind active and busy, allowing you to step into a new world where you may feel as if you are no longer bedridden. VR technology may also have this effect, and would be a great way for you to feel free from the bed.

5. Start healthy diet

When bedridden, you have no choice but to eat what you’re served. So if you start a healthy diet, you won’t be tempted to grab a snack as you walk past the kitchen because you can’t walk past. So starting a healthy diet can improve your future life, whether you’ll still be bedridden or not.

We have more about healthy diets here: https://primecarers.co.uk/elderly-care/nutrition/nutrition-and-hydration-for-the-elderly

6. Spend time with family/friends

Just because you’re bedridden, doesn’t mean you can’t see friends and family. Invite them round and try some of these activities together. You’ll find yourself enjoying yourself much more if you have someone joining in with you.

7. Daydream/Meditate

Dreaming isn’t just for sleeping. You’re in bed, probably in a quiet room. So why not let yourself daydream about what you want to be doing in the future? You can even try to meditate to help keep yourself calm and happy.

8. Shop online

If you have internet access, why not do some shopping? Just because you’re bedridden doesn’t mean you can’t look around to see what shops have to offer. Obviously however, if you make a purchase, you will need to make sure someone is there to help you when your order arrives.

Therapeutic Activities For The Elderly

Water Aerobics

Aquafit, also known as water aerobics, is typically performed in waist deep water without swimming. Participants mostly perform vertical moves,and while similar to land aerobics aquafit adds water resistance and buoyancy. Over time, water aerobics can lead to reduced blood pressure and resting heart rate, which will improve your loved one’s overall health. – Of course the downside to aquafit is that you need access to a pool, which could sometimes cost you to pay for a membership to gain access to these facilities.

Music therapy

Music plays a fundamental part in all of our lives. Playing instruments, being part of a band/choir or listening to music are different ways in which we can engage in music and they can help the participant connect with themselves and others. In music therapy, therapists use the innate qualities of music to support people of all ages and abilities. Music therapy is an established psychological clinical intervention.

For more information on music therapy, visit: https://www.bamt.org/

Light therapy

Light therapy has many medical uses. Mainly used for certain skin conditions, light therapy is also used for sleeping disorders in Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. The method has the participant exposed to specific wavelengths of light for a prescribed amount of time and sometimes at a specific time of day

For more information on Light therapy, visit: http://www.bad.org.uk/shared/get-file.ashx?id=174&itemtype=document

Art therapy

Participants in art therapy may have a wide range of difficulties, disabilities or diagnoses. These include emotional, behavioural or mental health problems, learning or physical disabilities, life-limiting conditions, neurological conditions and physical illnesses. It is provided in groups or individually, depending on needs. It is not a recreational activity or an art lesson, although the sessions can be enjoyable. previous experience or expertise in art is not needed to take part.

For more information on Art therapy, visit: https://www.baat.org/

Things For Old People To Do At Home

There is nothing elderly people can’t do at home that everyone else can. Whether you’re 20 or 80, you can still be active around the house with exercise, chores, decorating and even hobbies. All the activities that we’ve mentioned can help keep elderly people healthy mentally and physically, and most of them can be done at home. Gardening is usually the go to hobby for elderly people because it can be done at home, and can help make the home look and feel warmer. It also allows them to grow their own food, which means they can spend their retirement money on luxury items.