Indoor Winter Activities That Help Seniors Keep Their Minds Engaged
Many indoor winter activities can help engage a senior's mind. This includes arts and crafts, music, board games, card games, and puzzles.
Two out of five Americans suffer from poor mood during the winter months. With a lack of access to outdoor activities and reduced sunlight, it's no surprise that seniors can find it hard to stay interested and engaged during this time of the year.
The right indoor activities can help a senior in Lafayette, IN, located about 60 miles northwest of Indianapolis, overcome boredom while also improving cognitive wellness.
What Are Some Activities That Engage a Senior's Mind?
There are a lot of great indoor activities that seniors can participate in during the winter months that also help to improve cognitive ability and give the brain a workout. Here are some of the best Digby Place programs and indoor winter enrichment activities for seniors.
Arts and Crafts
Making art is a great way to improve cognitive wellness in aging adults and keep a senior's mind engaged. Art helps to improve brain plasticity and requires problem-solving and critical thinking.
Whether doing some painting, drawing, knitting, scrapbooking, or taking another type of art workshop, doing so can be a great way to train the brain and pass the time.
Music
Another great hobby that can do a great job of keeping a senior's mind engaged is making music. Any instrument can be a great choice to learn, and seniors can reap the benefits of playing or singing, whether they're beginners or more experienced.
Board Games
Playing board games can help stimulate the brain as well and can help improve problem-solving, decision-making, memory, and more. Board games require logic and strategy, so playing board games regularly can go a long way toward helping seniors work their minds and stay mentally healthy.
Cards
Like board games, card games are also a great choice for seniors who want to practice their cognitive abilities. These games require focus, memory, and strategy, so they can help a senior keep their mind sharp. Card games are also very social, so seniors will be experiencing the social benefits of this type of activity at the same time.
Jigsaw Puzzles
Completing jigsaw puzzles is a great way for a senior to keep their mind engaged. Completing puzzles is one of the cheapest hobbies for seniors and offers many of the same benefits as these other activities.
Puzzles help improve memory, boost problem-solving skills, and improve visual-spatial reasoning. In addition to this, completing puzzles can be very therapeutic and relaxing, helping to reduce stress and boost mood.
Brain Games
Other brain games can be helpful for seniors as well. Some of the best activities to consider include completing crossword puzzles and completing Sudoku puzzles.
These types of games and puzzles give the brain a workout and help seniors stay mentally engaged. Seniors may want to consider doing these brain games for seniors on a daily basis for the best results.
What Can Lonely Seniors Do?
With around 33% of seniors reporting that they suffer from feelings of loneliness, it can seem like solutions to the condition are elusive. However, the solutions to loneliness are straightforward, although they may not be easy.
A lonely senior who is socially isolated needs to be willing to step out of their comfort zone and seek out new social experiences and people to connect with. In addition to staying connected to family members and friends, staying open-minded and being willing to try new activities can be helpful. By joining in on activities that are shared with others, a senior can start to form new bonds and social connections and can feel a sense of community.
Keep in mind, however, that consistency is key. It may take a senior some time to form new social bonds and to form connections, but the results can be well worth it. Seniors in senior living tend to form bonds with others quickly after moving in because of the abundance of social activities that are available, as well as the many shared spaces and amenities.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Can Retired People Stop Themselves From Getting Bored?
Many retired seniors find themselves becoming increasingly bored as they age, and it can feel like an uphill battle trying to overcome these feelings. A senior who wants to become less bored should make an effort to seek out new activities to participate in and should spend time with others.
Creating winter routines in assisted living with new activities can be helpful, no matter what a senior's interests are. It's a good idea to be willing to try new things and to be open-minded for the best results. Looking for a sense of purpose and finding ways to participate in new hobbies, learn new skills, or play games can be helpful.
What Are the Symptoms of Decline in the Elderly?
Signs of decline in the elderly are important to look out for and are fairly easy to spot. A senior may decline in one or several ways when they get older, and when they do, it could indicate that it's time for them to get extra assistance or move into an assisted living community. Seniors who have trouble managing daily tasks on their own are good candidates for assisted living.
Some of the behavioral, cognitive, and physical signs you may want to watch out for include:
- Mental confusion and disorientation
- Memory loss
- Limited mobility
- Withdrawal from social contact
- Poor hygiene
- Changes in appetite
- Altered sleep patterns
- Trouble managing medications
- Difficulty taking care of the home
Participating in These Indoor Winter Activities for Seniors
Participating in indoor winter activities that help improve cognitive wellness in aging adults can be a great choice during the colder months of the year. Seniors may want to spend time making arts and crafts, learn to play music, or play games such as board games, card games, and puzzles.
Seniors who want to age well in Indiana need a senior community that perfectly suits their needs. Consider Digby Place Assisted Living if you're looking for a quality assisted living community in Lafayette, IN.
Trying to find the right senior living community in Indiana? Contact us today to learn more about how our community meets the needs of Indiana seniors.