Recreational Activities for the Elderly

Among the many recreational activities designed for senior citizens, picking any one leisure indulgence from a list of hobbies and joining a club to meet and interact with like-minded people are at the top of the list. There are a number of service providers who cater exclusively to this community. Recreational activities for the elderly do not necessarily target those residing in retirement homes. Seniors living by themselves in self owned homes or with their children can put the spare time on hand to good use.

Centers and Clubs

There are a number of local recreation centers that offer fantastic options to seniors. They organize team sports and club activities like volunteer-participation at various medical and rehab camps, hobby classes and competitions and even weekend activities that could ripple through the week. The core function and focus of such community centers is to enable every senior member to identify some activity to fill the void that comes along with retirement and age. They can be accessed online as well as offline. It enables seniors in a neighborhood to identify with one another and offer support to organization and management of the community in general. The arts and crafts competitions and workshops, cultural activities and day trips assure the elderly members to develop a feeling of belonging to other places in your area. The resultant fellowship generates a rejuvenated spirit and renewed pride.

Dedicated Volunteering

Senior citizens can also take up dedicated volunteering at venues like schools, colleges, local community centers and other similar project venues. The services and talents that they have to offer enhance the quality of interaction with the youth and other professionals. In schools, seniors can volunteer as teachers, coordinators and counselors for various school programs. They could also volunteer to deliver after-school care and actually look at the possibility of a joint home based business opportunity! There are summer camps and programs that are consistently on the lookout for volunteers to enrich the environment with love, guidance and self-esteem. The one-on-one situations help the exchange of expertise and quality assurance to any indoor or outdoor bound activity.

Games for the Elderly

Senior citizens should address the importance of being physically mobile and fit. Unless handicapped by an injury or victim of some movement-restricting ailment, activities beyond the age of 60 need to be movement-oriented and outward-bound. However, even in the case of a handicap, dedicated senior-health needs should ensure that these experienced superiors keep themselves busy. A wheelchair or crutches are no confines for these veterans. There are many activities suggested by volunteer groups and clubs, to encourage movement of limbs and steer the members towards a 'contributing' lifestyle. Some of the games specially designed for the elderly include:

Pass the Buck and Take a Job: This is no different from the good old 'passing the parcel'. The only difference is that the parcel contains various volunteer social service jobs. The social work offered enables them to reach beyond the immediate group and address an inclination towards a particular hobby.

Be My Friend: This is a unique opportunity for the senior. The game plan involves blind-folding the seniors one by one and allowing them to pick a photograph of a needy person from the community, not necessarily one among them. The profile and need of the person is written and placed in an envelope further down the field. Once the picture is picked, the senior has to go over to the envelopes, pick the one that matches the name on the picture and hand it over to the coordinator.

This icebreaker activity holds a lot of scope for children and grandchildren to be a part of the blind-folding and escorting part of the game. Not only does the community benefit from additional participation, but the activity also facilitates family reunions. There are a number of online resources that enable access to similar games and leadership activities for seniors. The recreational activities result in 'will' and 'determination' complementing 'expertise' and 'experience'.