One of the most important parts of ensuring care home residents have the best quality of life, alongside high-quality care, is by providing them with a varied activities programme which caters to an array of interests and hobbies. The activities team that work in assisted living facilities go the extra mile to make each day as enjoyable as possible by providing suitable activities for older adults. Whether it’s hosting chair yoga, offering exercise classes, playing board games or encouraging residents to join a book club, there’s so much fun to be had on a cold winter day.
As the weather gets colder and we start to bring out the woolly jumpers, it makes sense for the activities to follow this same trend to ensure they are suitable for winter. Tailoring weekly activities that suit a range of ages and abilities provide many health benefits as well as helps with an individuals’ skill development, and encourages people to come together during the festive season.
If you are stuck on ideas for winter activities for seniors, or are looking for something to get your loved ones involved in, we have created a list of popular activities that are senior friendly and highly recommended during the winter months.
One way to celebrate the fast approaching winter is by getting residents involved in some festive indoor activities, and baking and decorating is an activity that can be enjoyed by all. Offering baking sessions such as icing biscuits, baking cupcakes or christmas puddings gets everyone in a good mood. It allows residents to bring out their creative side whilst looking forward to enjoying their baked goods once complete. Baking and decorating is also a great way to bring everybody together, reminisce and create unforgettable memories.
The perfect time to get cosy under the blankets is during the bleak winter months. Knitting is often described as therapeutic and what better way to get a new jumper or blanket by knitting one yourself? It will be a fun activity for residents to take part in whilst receiving the benefits such as improved physical dexterity and feeling a sense of accomplishment, especially if it’s a new skill they have learnt.
Whilst nature is beautiful during the summer months, it can be equally so during winter. There are countless walking trails and country parks that are open during the winter months which enables care home residents to participate in physical activity, even if it’s just a gentle walk, and also to get some fresh air whilst being wrapped up warm. Residents may even spot some wildlife on their adventure! Exercise boosts serotonin so it’s really important to stay active.
Arts & Crafts is a creative activity that can be enjoyed in an indoor communal area. The benefits of utilising arts and crafts workshops within a care home are prominent all year around, however you can easily tailor this to the winter by incorporating a theme. You can get everyone involved in making decorations for the home, or create something sentimental for them to keep and show to their family and friends. Some examples include seasonal themed paintings or drawings, paper chains, snowflakes and much more. Getting residents’ to use their hands and creative side encourages skill development.
A winter themed bingo session can be a perfect way to fill an afternoon with hours of fun and bonding with like-minded individuals. You could even invite family members to join in if this is being carried out within the care home. Residents could either play alone or in groups of two whilst they immerse themselves in the bingo fun. You can create or purchase christmas themed bingo cards. Like with most of the activities, bingo provides the opportunity for senior citizens to socialise with others in a supportive environment.
Carolling is a fantastic pastime for older people as it often gets them reminiscing about songs and hymns they sung in their younger days. This is especially beneficial for those living with dementia, as singing can help individuals to relax and improve self-confidence. Singing provides so much positive emotion to everyone involved, and what better way than to meet new people then at a carolling group during the most special time of year.
Coming to terms with needing to find care for yourself or a loved one during the winter time can be overwhelming for many. At Beechgrove, we deliver outstanding, personalised care which includes residential, nursing, dementia and respite care, 24 hours a day for elderly people in Lanark.
Our purpose-built care home offers a range of facilities and services for anybody to use when it suits them. Some of these include private gardens, a hair salon, arts & crafts, cinema, library and an activities programme. We take pride in going above and beyond to provide personalised care by a qualified, experienced care team and luxury facilities inclusive for all.
If you are interested in finding out more about the care services we offer, please contact us at 01555 660331, or feel free to email us at manager@beechgrovecarehome.com today, and a member of our team will be delighted to assist you.