Easy Indoor Activities for Seniors and Adults with Disabilities

While being outdoors and spending time in nature is often healthy for seniors and adults with disabilities, the heat and humidity can be dangerous for them. Having structured indoor activities for adults with disabilities and seniors will help keep their minds engaged, keep social connections alive, and contribute to their overall health and well-being.

At St. Elizabeth's Adult Day Care Center, your loved ones will spend the day in a safe and supportive environment. Our professional staff creates various summer activities for seniors and adults with disabilities, ranging from arts and crafts to music lessons. With several locations throughout the St. Louis, Missouri, area, you can bring your senior to one of our centers for a day of activities ideal for a hot summer day.

Creative Arts and Crafts for Self-Expression

Being creative (making arts and crafts can help boost cognitive and emotional awareness) is a great avenue for self-expression. In addition, having seniors and adults with disabilities participating in arts and crafts classes increases their social connections. Certain arts and craft projects help increase dexterity and finger and hand strength as well. Many seniors have arthritis or hand tremors, and our arts and crafts team at St. Elizabeth's Adult Day Care Center has adaptive tools that can help those with unsteady hands still create art projects. Sample arts and crafts projects can include:

·        Painting

·        Watercolors

·        Knitting

·        Scrapbooking

·        Seasonal decorations

·        Fabric arts

·        Making bookmarks

·        Yarn pom poms

·        Painting cups, vases, or glasses

Brain Boosting Games and Puzzles

Keeping seniors' and adults with disabilities' minds active is as important as keeping their bodies as fit as possible. Puzzles and games help with mental stimulation and may slow cognitive decline. Focusing on a puzzle in a game challenges the mind, ultimately helping to keep the brain healthy. Notable brain challengers can include:

·        Sudoku

·        Crossword puzzles

·        Three-dimensional video games

·        Card games

·        Jigsaw puzzles

·        Trivia

·        Dominoes

While many games and puzzles are solitary, like Sudoku and crossword puzzles, others, like trivia, dominoes, and most card games, involve other players, helping to create social connections.

Gentle Indoor Movement and Chair Exercises

Seniors and adults with disabilities need movement to help them maintain stability and muscle strength. During the cooler months, outdoor strolls, even with mobility aids, are a pleasant way to get exercise. However, the heat, humidity, and seasonal allergies can cause stress for this population. Having supervised indoor exercises can provide the benefits that outdoor exercise provides.

Types of indoor exercises ideal for adults with disabilities and seniors include:

·        Mild strength training with light weights and resistance bands to maintain muscle mass

·        Stretching for flexibility and mobility

·        Chair yoga for improving balance and mental acuity

·        Tai chi for balance, stability, mental, and emotional well-being

·        Dancing (on the floor or in a chair) for overall body movement and fun

It's important to have supervision during exercise sessions to ensure the person is doing the movements properly and they are in stable positions. In addition, the participants should be hydrated and monitored in case they overdo any of the activities or their bodies overheat.

Part of the services that St. Elizabeth's Adult Day Care Centers provides is gentle movement and chair exercises. Our trained exercise specialists create exercise plans and classes based on the participants' levels and their primary care physicians' approval.

Cooking and Kitchen Activities

The kitchen is often the heart of the home, and seniors may miss the action and socialization that takes place in the kitchen. Working in the kitchen involves cognitive and fine motor skills and helps stimulate the senses. Cooking and kitchen activities also increase social interactions and give the participant a sense of accomplishment.

Depending on the cognitive and mobility levels of the person, the person teaching the class or working with individuals, there needs to be safety precautions, such as handling sharp knives and flames. In addition, awareness of an individual's food allergies is advised. Simple tasks will be easier for the participant while promoting independence and that sense of accomplishment.

Kitchen activities participants can engage in include:

·        Making one-pot meals such as soup or stew

·        Baking cookies or banana bread

·        Making banana splits

·        Kneading bread dough

·        Assembling fruit kebabs

·        Making simple sandwiches

·        Decorating cupcakes

·        Rolling our pie dough

·        Topping a pizza

·        Washing the dishes

·        Polishing silverware

Music and Entertainment Options

Hot weather activities for seniors can include listening to music, both live and streamed or taped. Music can have a profound impact on a senior or adult with disabilities' emotional health. Listening to music can produce memories that may help participants with cognitive decline. With age-appropriate music, the listener may feel less anxious and may even help reduce physical pain.

Music options for participants can include:

·        Passive listening

·        Singing as a group

·        Having music playing during exercise routines

·        Karoke

·        Playing an instrument

·        Songwriting workshop

·        Watching a live musical performance

Entertainment can help with social connections, prevent loneliness, and can help stimulate the mind. Entertainment options can include:

·        Watching movies

·        Seeing a live performance, such as a magic trick or a dance performance

·        Seeing a slide show of travel photos

·        Interactions with a therapy pet

Technology-Based Social Connection

Often, family members live far apart, and for seniors and adults with disabilities, they may feel a loss of connection with their family. Fortunately, with tablets, smartphones, and computers, friends and family can stay connected. Platforms such as Zoom, FaceTime, WhatsApp Web, and Skype allow people to see each other's faces and talk in real time.

However, learning how to use these technologies can take time, especially for those who don't often use computers, tablets, or smartphones. Staff at adult day care centers can often help technology-challenged people learn how to use social platforms to stay in touch with family and friends.

Helping Seniors and Adults With Disabilities Stay Cool and Connected

Keeping your loved one connected, engaged, and socially active during the hot weather is essential for their emotional and physical health. If you're a caregiver for a senior or adult with disabilities, consider enrolling them in one of St. Elizabeth's Adult Day Care Centers in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. Contact us to learn more about our day care services, who we serve, our insurance policies, and pricing information.