The fear and spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) has pushed many people to shelter in place during the quarantine. Suddenly, people are restricted to their homes. Since the disease is especially dangerous for seniors, it’s important that families help ensure that their loved ones can remain at home. But remaining home-bound can cause feelings of isolation and loneliness.
It’s essential for your loved one to stay active, both physically and mentally, during any period of home quarantine. When your senior is homebound, it’s easy for them to stop exercising and taking care of themselves. Here’s a look at some fun activities to keep your seniors engaged and active when they can’t leave home. If you have disabled children in the home, check out our article on Keeping Children with Special Needs Active.
1. Board Games
From Scrabble and Clue to Monopoly and the Game of Life, there are many games that your senior loved one can play together in an afternoon with their caregiver or select members of the family during the quarantine. These games will provide mental stimulation as your senior plays, making decisions about the best way to win. To keep their minds active, look for board games that are strategy-based and not just random chance. Some games are also available as mobile apps.
2. Seated Yoga for seniors
One of the biggest dangers for seniors is an unexpected fall, and it usually happens because of poor balance. Your senior loved one can practice seated yoga a couple of times a week to improve flexibility and balance. If your loved one requires ambulation assistance, a caregiver can help them with some of these exercises.
3. Indoor Gardening for seniors
Does your senior loved one love to play in the dirt? Indoor gardening might be the best activity to keep them active both physically and mentally. Your senior can start small by using mason jars to create an indoor herb garden. They can use the herbs in their meals for added flavor. Vertical indoor gardens have become very popular, and your senior can grow some basic veggies in their home. This task keeps your senior physically active as they plant seeds, move dirt, and water their crops.Â
4. Movie Night
Whether your loved one enjoys recent releases or movies from the Golden Age of Hollywood, your senior can plan a movie night or afternoon once a week. You can rent or buy a movie for them to watch — just leave it on their doorstep to minimize contact. As a special treat, your senior can enjoy microwave popcorn or their favorite movie theater, such as Junior Mints or nachos. It’s a good idea to pull all the blinds and turn off the overhead lights to give the room the appearance of a movie theater. However, your loved one may want to keep on a small nightlight to in case they need to get up during the movie.Â
5. Start a New Hobby during quarantine
If your senior loved one has always wanted to learn to paint or quilt, the time they have to spend at home is the ideal to start a new hobby. You can order the supplies and ship everything your senior needs to get started directly to the house. YouTube has a lot of how-to-do-it videos that help your senior learn a new skill from needlepoint to baking a three-tier cake.Â
At From the Heart Home Care we understand the challenges your loved one faces when they can’t leave the house. If your loved one requires assistance with the tasks of daily living, we are still here to help. Call us today to learn more about how we can assist seniors stay happy, healthy, and at home during COVID-19.
