How to Keep Seniors Engaged while Maintaining Their Independence 

19 Jan How to Keep Seniors Engaged while Maintaining Their Independence 

One of the best ways to maintain independence within our Seniors is to assist them in staying physically, mentally, and emotionally engaged.  Lack of engagement has been shown to lead to failure to thrive among older adults. Below we will review a few of the ways to keep a loved one engaged and thriving at home, but first let’s discuss why engagement is important.  

Why is Engagement Important?

Keeping a loved one engaged is vital to their quality of life. Engagement increases longevity, physical performance and decreases loneliness.  Various factors may disrupt one’s desire to be engaged such as physical challenges, change in environment such as moving to a new place, or a loss  such as the death of a spouse or loved one, can factor into someone not wanting to engage with the outside world or keep their mind active. 

The good news is that getting your loved one to engage does not have to be completed all at once.  It can be completed in smaller increments. Small steps to take may include:

• Convincing a loved one to listen to audiobooks
• Encourage them to volunteer for an organization if that’s possible
• Listening to music
• Getting a pet that is within their limits to care for
• Calling other family members 
• Learning a new hobby/skill 

Physical Activity

Staying physically active is not always easy, particularly while we are all spending so much time indoors. One way to convince your older loved one to become more physically active is through the use technology. The pandemic has given rise to a virtual way of doing everything with streaming services like YouTube, Apple Fitness+, and Amazon Prime Video which all offer workout videos. YouTube also offers senior-friendly chair-based workouts, that decrease the chances of falls or other injuries.  These videos may be found with a quick search.  

Creativity

Expressing creativity is an essential part of engagement and well-being. Doing a craft project such as making a scrapbook, writing, or painting are different ways to be creative. Creativity also has many health benefits that include reducing anxiety, stress, and reducing negative emotions.

Spend Time Outside

Spending some time outside is another way to improve your loved one’s mood and encourage engagement.  Simply sitting on the porch in the fresh air and taking in a change of scenery can work wonders. This has the potential to not only increase your loved one’s Vitamin D uptake which is excellent for their immure system, but taking in the various sights and sounds stimulates their senses and gives them a form of engagement to look forward to in their days to come.  

Happily Ever After Senior Living wants to see seniors thrive at home. We offer services like in-home care management and caregiver support calls to help seniors and their families age at home with grace and a life filled with happiness.  Reach out to us today!