Senior adults living in nursing homes benefit greatly from interactive activities. These activities provide physical exercise, mental stimulation and opportunities for social interaction. Before you design activities to use in a nursing home, get to know your patients in order to determine what the majority are able to do. Design interactive activities varied enough to cover multiple interests and ability levels.
Gardening
Enlist the residents at the nursing home to help plan and plant a small garden. Your garden can contain vegetables, flowers, herbs or any combination of plants. Survey the residents to see what they would like to plant. Decide where you'll carry out your project. You can either use indoor planters and pots or an outdoor planter or section of ground. Be careful if you choose to plant outdoors, as activities performed in hot weather can cause serious health problems in those with certain medical conditions. Decide who will be in charge of the digging, the initial planting and the watering. From then on, designate certain residents to be in charge of watering, fertilizing, weeding and harvesting. You may have to do the weeding yourself, as it can be a more strenuous task. You might want to divide the residents into teams and rotate responsibilities. This can provide physical exercise and opportunities to socialize. This project also creates a sense of personal accomplishment.
Sheet Bounce
Obtain a king-size sheet and a small, soft ball (foam or maybe a soft bean bag). Even better, if you have access to a parachute, use it in place of the sheet. Select a variety of music---make sure to include some songs with slow, relaxing tempos and some with fast, exciting tempos. Seat the residents in a circle and place the sheet in the middle. Have the residents hold onto the section of sheet in front of them with both hands. Place the ball in the middle of the sheet. Instruct the residents to begin bouncing the ball when the music starts. They should try to keep it on the sheet and not let it touch the ground. If the ball goes off the sheet, stop the music, retrieve the ball and start again. Take breaks if necessary. Conclude the game after about 5 to 10 minutes or when residents are ready to stop. This activity promotes flexibility, healthy circulation and socialization. It's also a good activity for residents in wheelchairs who can still use their arms.
Memory Grab Bag
Place the following items into a bag: hammer, wedding ring, doll baby, school book, child's toy, travel brochure, holiday item (such as a Christmas ornament or Easter egg), plastic mixing bowl and a dog collar. Seat the residents in a circle. Give the bag to one resident and have her pull something out without looking. Depending on what item she finds, she then has to relate a relevant personal memory to the group. For instance, if she pulls the hammer, instruct her to tell about a job she had. If the item doesn't apply---for instance, if an unmarried person pulls out the wedding ring---he can pass the item to another resident and take another turn. This activity promotes socialization and memory skills. Most seniors love to reminisce about the past. You also can vary the items in the bag, adding more if you like.
Tags: activity promotes, interactive activities, physical exercise, place sheet, provide physical, provide physical exercise