Fun activities for senior men rely on lifelong skills and interests.
For many older men, who have spent a lifetime on career, family, hobbies and interests, the concept of settling in for a day of crafting is, to say the least, boring. The secret to uncovering engaging pursuits for men is in first finding the time to dig back into the history of their lives to identify what captured their attention in the past, and then discovering creative techniques to incorporate those ideas in their lifestyle today.
At Hearts at Home In-Home Care, we enjoy getting to know the older men we serve and creating opportunities in order for them to live life to the fullest! Here are some fun activities for senior men that could work well for the patriarch in your family:
- Sports: For the sports enthusiast, check out one of the numerous video games that enable involvement in many different virtual sports right from home. When appropriate, check out community high school or college schedules and take your loved one to the games he most enjoys: baseball, basketball, football, swim meets, golf tournaments, etc. Or think about planning family gatherings around his favorite team’s games on TV, recreating a live sporting event atmosphere with particular foods (like hot dogs and nachos), team t-shirts for everyone to wear, banners and flags for the kids to wave, and plenty of cheering, naturally!
- Outdoors: In the event your family member was an avid fisherman or hunter, ensure he has an abundance of possibilities to be in nature and to view nature programming. Many national parks and zoos now have web cams that allow people to watch animals and nature in action. Check with your local parks to ascertain accessibility to fishing spots and boat rentals to see if it is feasible for your loved one to savor some time on or by the water, or plan a picnic in a wooded area and enjoy wildlife together. You could speak with organizations that help those who are differently-abled, such as the National Association for Down Syndrome, which sometimes holds outdoor events in which a member is paired with an adult to provide help with fishing or many other outdoor activities.
- Music: For those who played a musical instrument, sang with a band, or simply enjoy tapping their toes to a particular genre of music, maintaining a connection to music is important, and while it may be as easy as playing favorite music and singing along, it could be made more engaging with a visit to a music store, attending a concert – again, the neighborhood high schools and colleges are a wonderful resource for musical performances, or hosting a talent show for loved ones who are also musically-inclined.
- Work: Preserving a sense of purpose is important for every person. Men who are retired educators can volunteer to tutor or read to children through the library or school system; those who were handy with tools can continue to paint, help build bird feeders or squirrel houses, work on putting together model cars with the grandkids. Those many years of experience can continue to benefit the next generation!
Consult with Hearts at Home In-Home Care, Kansas City home care experts serving the surrounding areas, for further suggestions to help the older men in your life stay active and engaged in what interests them most. Reach out to us today at 913-440-4209 for a free in-home consultation to learn how our highly vetted and well-trained in-home caregivers can provide restored joy and purpose every single day for those you love.