Elderly Activities
We know that taking care of our bodies involves our physical muscles. But we also have so-called “mental muscles.” The factors of the mind. And they both need to be exercised – use it or lose it! What are our mental muscles? Reason, Imagination, and Memory are a few. Our cells renew constantly, including our brain cells. Brain activity needs to be stimulated to keep our brains healthy and memories strong. Just as with our bodies. Exercising our mental muscles with fun yet challenging elderly activities will help with this. See our ideas below for: And see our special page on Elderly Games. A recent study conducted by scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel discussed how important elderly activities are. And a long-held notion about the brain was nixed – that we were born with a certain amount of nerve cells in the brain, that they deteriorate and die, and they can’t be replaced. This has now apparently been disproved. The brain can indeed continue to renew itself, especially the hippocampus area that affects memory. This is helped with mental activity and memory exercise. The full process of how the brain does this is not entirely understood yet. Besides activities strictly for fun and entertainment such as hobbies and crafts, there are three other important types of elderly activities to emphasize. All three will not only strengthen, but will also reduce stress brought on by the many elderly issues which accompany aging. Stress isn’t just about feelings; it can physically harm the brain and memory, especially with an overproduction of the hormone cortisol, known as the “stress hormone,” from the adrenals. 
1) Exercise and physical activity (including stretching, which alone can help reduce stress). 2) Healthy nutrition high in antioxidants and good carbs such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, as well as good fats and oils such as Omega-3. 3) Memory exercise in elderly activities. A dedicated Exercise area on our web site is in progress and will be up and online in the near future. This Elderly Activities page is especially for those who are more limited in activity. Also see our
Senior Activity Ideas
for more ideas of interest to active seniors (including those in wheelchairs). Before we start, be sure to subscribe to our free newsletter. By popular request, our newsletter will generally include info and fun stuff about senior and elderly activities, crafts, nutrition, food, recipes, travel, and any issues related to these. We'll still be including now and then, other timely and interesting articles as we obtain new information and research. Our newsletter is called "The Elder-Boomer Buzz" and comes out the first and third weeks of the month and is usually 5 paragraphs or so. It's free and easy to get -- just fill out the simple form here. General Activities 
Conversation Strengthens Memory -- In a University of Michigan study, psychologist Oscar Ybarra at the U-Michigan Institute for Social Research tested a large group of people up to 96 years old. He found that just 10 minutes of conversation with a friend worked just as well as elderly activities involving brain games, like crossword puzzles to strengthen the memory. "In our study, socializing was just as effective as more traditional kinds of mental exercise in boosting memory and intellectual performance," he said. So make sure the elderly in your life have plenty of time to socialize. It not only will help with memory, but also elderly issues of depression and loneliness as well.
Current Events -- Discuss current events on TV and in the newspaper, but keep it light and on a positive note as much as possible (some seniors can be prone to depression, so heavy current events may not be appropriate). Keeping up what’s going on in the world helps seniors stay mentally involved. You can get all sorts of elderly activities involved. Ask for their opinions, and how an issue differed x-amount of years ago. My father is unable to read from vision loss. So on Tuesday and Friday evenings I selectively read the newspaper to him. I already know he gets tired of hearing about war and political scandals, so we mostly skip those. He’s able to watch the news with his infrared earphones on, so he gets most of the evening news. But he still enjoys it when I read to him. When I read about something, I make sure to ask him if they said anything on the news about this. It usually leads to very lively discussion and opinions about all sorts of other issues as well. When I watch the news on TV with him, we turn off the sound during the ads and talk about what was just said. These elderly activites are some of the highlights of his week.
Hobbies -- Hobbies are just not a way to pass the time, but offer something to get up and get excited about, look forward to. Depression can involve having no "goals" or the blahs from not having anything to anticipate. And it’s never too late to begin a new elderly activities. Especially if a previous hobby is no longer do-able -- then people become a little more open minded about trying new elderly activities to challenge and entertain themselves. We have an entire page to help, on
Finding A Hobby.
Help elderly loved ones choose an activity that may be somewhat related to their previous hobby, yet different enough to learn something new. Photography to painting; or painting to photography, for instance. Or photography to plant identification, or bird watching, or learning about other places. Or woodworking to painting on wood.Modifying Hobbies -- If seniors are no longer able to do their favorite hobby in the usual way, find alternative ways to do it or to share it. Cooking for instance. New elderly activities could include helping them create a family recipe book, put it on computer, and create a small booklet for family and friends. I wished that our family would have organized some of my mom’s wonderful recipes in booklet form. Or watch the Food Network or Travel Channel with them on TV. Ask them to discuss the recipes and what they think, and how they might enhance them. Or if they had ever cooked a similar recipe and what they did. Look over new cookbooks from the library with them, and then have them help you in small ways to prepare a new dish. And of course eat it! Read about foods from other countries, and their customs (some of them are pretty wild, to us!) You can do the same type of elderly activities with any hobby, such as gardening, home decorating, woodworking, travel, photography, or pets.
Grow an Amaryllis -- An amaryllis bulb kit is very inexpensive, about $5.99. Although these kits are typically found in large discount stores like Target during the winter holidays, I’ve also found them in Walgreens during the summer. Amaryllis plants make fabulous elderly activities. Are you familiar with the amaryllis? They are tall and stately flowers with spectacular large blooms, several to a stalk. Colors are typically brilliant red, pink and white. And do they ever grow fast. The kit comes with a bulb in soil, soon sprouts, and then you can literally wake up every morning and see the difference. They can grow sometimes a half an inch a day. It’s a fantastic project to watch, and lasts for about 6 weeks. Follow the instructions to let it go dormant, then coax it to bloom again. In fact, if you handle the bulb correctly, it can last for years. 
Windowsill Flower Gardens -- There are many windowsill flower garden kits available and they provide ongoing elderly activities. But you can also create a quick garden from flower cuttings as well. With a sharp knife, takes cuttings from the garden of a friend or family member, or community garden. These should have about a 4 inch stem. Remove the bottom leaves of course, then place in a glass jar of water. Canning jars are great, but so are smaller, decorative glass vases. Line them across the windowsill and watch them grow roots. Dump the water every week and replace with fresh water. These cuttings will last for many weeks. If you still have them in the spring, plant them outdoors. If you want something practically indestructible, take cuttings from a philodendron plant. I had the same cuttings in water for, yes, two years. I then planted them, and 15 years later they’re still growing strong. My father moved here back to Minnesota after years in Arizona, so he likes cactus. You can get several kinds and line them across the windowsill in their pots. Or take them out of their pots, and transplant them all into a long plastic container. Use gravel and sand in the mix as well. Try these as group elderly activities. 
Pressed Flowers -- Pick fresh flowers from a field trip, a community garden or windowsill garden. Remove any wilted petals and leaves. Try not to let flower parts overlap. Leaves should lay flat. Choose a heavy book and line the inside pages with 2 or 3 sheets of paper to protect the book. (I tried paper towels once and the whole thing turned to mush). Carefully lay the flowers on the paper, and cover with another 2 sheets. After closing the book I stack another couple of books on top. Or you can also place the book in your microwave and “cook” it for 30 seconds. You’ll have to repeat it a few times, checking to see if the flowers are almost dried. Then I let the book sit for at least another two weeks before opening. Dried flowers make all kinds of elderly activities later. Pressed Flower Projects -- Pressed flowers can then be used for many projects to use as gifts, including framing with your signature and maybe a favorite saying, potpourri, decoupaging onto boxes, or pretty glass containers (great for candle holders). Have your group come up with suggestions for other elderly activities. 
Photographs -- Go over old photos and talk about your elderly loved one’s past or your growing up. Encourage them to share. Have them help you get those photos in albums with them, if they’re not already. You can make it into a lively ongoing scrapbooking project to do together or in a group. Scrapbooking and working with photos are very popular elderly activities now.
Using templates and patterns -- For your arts and crafts and various elderly activities. I have drawn several templates and patterns for you, all copyright-free. (And lots more to come, so keep posted). Some are simpler, some fancier. But you can always modify them or use just parts of the pattern. Use them to trace, to transfer onto paper or boards for painting, for posters and flyers, mobiles, greeting cards, coloring pages, for collage and cut-out projects. And much more. Depending on ability level, they can also be used for faux quilts by tracing the shapes onto fabric, then gluing onto a fabric background. For lots more ideas for these patterns, start by looking at this page, which will then link you to more pattern and template pages:
Free Leaf Template and Pattern Ideas.
Baby Visits – See if you can arrange to have a relative or friend visit regularly with their little one. Elderly love to interact with babies. Then ask how things were done when they were raising their babies, and what types of conveniences and inventions were popular at the time. And what things we take for granted now that were not even invented yet. If you are having them record their memoirs, these types of conversations can also be included. Pet Visits -- Arranging to have small, friendly pets visit is also a plus, especially for those who had pets and miss them. Studies have shown that just a half an hour of pet visiting per week had a big effect on lessening feelings of loneliness. Encourage the elderly to talk about the pets they had. 
Expanding Horizons -- Many elderly still love to learn. And they should – it exercises their brains and keeps brain activity healthy. Encourage them to watch worthwhile educational programs on the Discovery Channel, The Learning Channel, National Geographic; and programs associated with their hobbies on Home and Garden TV, Animal Planet, Travel Channel, Food Network, etc. Encourage them to try watching and learning new things. They may also be interested in learning to surf the internet. Seniors are becoming more and more computer savvy. As centenarian Maurice Eisman of Maryland said, “If I could leave any message, never stop learning. Period. That's it.” 
Reading Aloud -- Reading aloud projects are very special elderly activities. If seniors are really interested in a particular topic, get a book from the library on the topic, especially with pictures. You can even read to them, and show and discuss the pictures. Encourage them to reminisce about their lives and what this topic means to them. Older seniors also enjoy educational books geared for kids on these topics – the photos and illustrations are often better, and the text more interesting! Also see our page on
Senior Reading Activities.
I read aloud to my Dad every night, and it is one of our favorite elderly activities to do together. Children’s Books with Grandparent Topics -- Have kids read children’s books with a grandparent topic to elderly loved ones, or have the elderly read to them, (especially to their own grandchild). These are very cozy elderly activities that kids remember for a long time. One of my favorite books is called “Miss Rumphius” by Barbara Cooney -- about an elderly woman who sowed lupine flowers all over the hillsides by her town, and created lasting beauty for generations to come. Another is “How Does It Feel To Be Old?” by Norma Farber -- about a grandmother explaining aging to her grandchild. Also, “When I was Young in the Mountains” by Cynthia Rylant – about a grandfather who works in the coal mines. A fourth selection is “The Old Woman Who Named Things” by Cynthia Rylant – and not just her pets and car. There are many more, and a librarian or staff in the children’s section of a bookstore can help. 
Kite Flying -- Great reason to go outdoors, and it’s a great senior activity to invite kids to as well. You can buy inexpensive kites at a discount store or can even sometimes find them in a dollar store. Making and decorating easy kits from a kit are fun elderly activities and can be done in a group too. And kids love to get involved in this one! You may want to limit the length of the kite string so it’s more manageable. Go outside to an area where there are not too many trees, and take turns flying the kites. Wheelchair participants can also attach the kites to their chairs. Bring along lemonade and a snack, or even a full picnic lunch. If you’re inviting kids, they can help make it. Many of the participants will have fun stories to tell about flying kites when they were young. So kites and conversation provide elderly activities that are good for the memory too.We’re going to be having many pages about food-related elderly activities, so stay tuned. In the meantime, here are a few ideas… 
Chocolate Covered "Worms" – Warm up a container of dipping chocolate in the microwave according to instructions. Make sure you heat it in 15 second spurts and stir, to prevent burning. Then put in a mixing bowl to allow more room. Stir in about 2 cups of chow mein noodles. Mix until coated. Cover a platter with wax paper. Adding a little coconut is also a good variation too. Spoon lumps of the mixture onto the platter. Refrigerate for at least a half an hour, until firm. This is a no-bake recipe and very easy. Take the out of the fridge about 15 minutes before eating, or they may be hard to bite. 
Chocolate Covered Pretzel People -- We have a great page on
dipping chocolate,
including with pretzels. See how we decorate them into Pretzel People using a variety of inexpensive candies and other items. Hint: get a tube of squirt frosting to use as "glue." (Of course, dipping chocolate can also be used with any fruit especially apricots, smaller looped pretzels, nuts, pound cake pieces, and cookies). Dipping chocolate treats are great for party snacks, prizes, desserts, or adding to gifts. We have many ideas on our page. For gifts, you can put a little tag around the neck (make home-made gift tags as a project) that says “From ____” and write in the person’s name. Keep dipped chocolate refrigerated for as long as possible, until just before using.Easy Chocolate Covered Strawberries -- This is one of our most popular elderly activities and can be adjusted for many ability levels. 
So we've created a special page just to find out exactly how to make chocolate covered strawberries, and complete with some really fun ways to decorate the strawberries after they've been dipped. Participants can create these for themselves, for a community get-together, or to give away as special gifts. They're always a favorite. This is also a really good project to do with kids -- it's easy and they have great imaginations too. See our special page to
Make Chocolate Covered Strawberries.
Ladybug salad -- (And other whimsical
simple fruit salad ideas).
Check out this special elderly activities page with several projects for a fun simple fruit salad, complete with decorating tips, garnishments, and even a fabulous Carrot Slaw to use on the side, and fruit salad dressing too. Stretch your imagination, and Voila! Amusing cartoon salads that are also very healthy. We have five whimsical fruit salads shown. Think of how you can make others too. These are lots of fun for just a special treat, or to get ready for parties and luncheons. Even to do with kids -- they love them! 
Gourd Craft Ideas - Gifts, Ghouls & Grannies
-- These are really easy elderly activities to make with those funny lumpy, bumpy gourds (squash). And when you're done displaying them, you can cook and eat them if you'd like! We show how to make several whimsical characters and creatures from inexpensive craft materials and items, many of which you may have around. Stretch you imagination and see what else you can do. Although gourds and squash are great for fall, you can find them any time of the year and make characters for just about any holiday, season, or party. They're also fun to make with kids. And they make great give-aways too!Candy Wreaths -- Wreaths can be not only fun, but edible elderly activities! You will need assorted candies from a dollar store, or from the bulk section of the grocery store; styrofoam rings of the desired size (you can also cut a ring from heavy cardboard); frosting; or a glue gun or strong craft glue; any decorative items for the wreath. Spray paint the ring, if you’d like. We have two versions here – edible or non-edible. 
Edible – Try using sugar-free candies; many kinds are now available. Use frosting, like “glue,” to attach candies in a variety of colors and sizes to the wreath shape. I get frosting in a tube. The kind of candies you use can suit your party or holiday (Valentine, Halloween, Christmas, etc). Edible wreaths are more temporary, to be used for a centerpiece, for instance. When the candies and frosting glue have set, put an object in the center hole to complete the centerpiece, such as a holiday decoration, statue, vase of flowers or greens (you can also make flowers out of candies on skewers); or place a candle in the middle.Non-edible – These candies will be mounted on the wreath shape with a glue gun or other strong craft glue (use plenty – it dries clear). You can pile or overlap the candies in interesting patterns. Decorations such as bows or holiday themed items can be added. When finished, give it a couple coatings of spray varnish such as Krylon, to help preserve it and add shine. These wreaths will be strong enough to hang on a wall, or also use in a centerpiece. More Wreaths -- If the participants are not into sweets, you can make large or small wreaths with just about anything. They can be made keeping in mind who will be getting the wreath -- themselves, or will it be a gift? The first step is to paint or cover the wreath. Items put on the wreath would vary accordingly. Try colored buttons of all sizes; or large (easier to work with) and small beads especially from old costume jewelry (with a special bangle handing down. If the person loved to sew, buttons, ribbons, even colorful old spools of thread can be used, with a tape measure or ribbon bow. Or perhaps for an artist: brushes, old paint tubes, used colored pencils, can be adhered around a wreath that had the colors of the color wheel around it. The color wheel patches could be paint blobs on pieces of real canvas from an art store, cut and glued onto the painted or covered wreath base. This can also be done with quilting squares, then adding little items to the wreath for fun. For someone interested in birds, a grapevine wreath can be used, adhering artificial birds and even tiny birdhouses from the craft store. These wreath variations take some thinking in advance, but provide great satisfaction. If these are used a gifts, the loved one who receives it will have a wonderful keepsake momento from the giver. Participants would also need to have the ability to use their hands in a craft project. 
Apple Wreaths -- See our easy-to-make spicy aroma apple wreaths. If you bake and dry the apples yourself, they smell heavenly. Add other items like pine cones, ginger chunks, cranberries, or candy. The wreaths can be used alone or with a centerpiece or candle. Ideas for many season. See our page on
Really Easy Apple Craft Ideas.Return from Elderly Activities, back to Senior Activity Ideas
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