Top 10 Ways to Bring Joy and Enrichment to Aging Loved Ones
No matter your age, a meaningful life involves joy and beauty. These are the good things in life, the things that memories are made of, and activities that make us happy to be alive.
Quality care for your aging loved one will include not only help with health conditions, challenges, or limitations but also a focus on bringing joy, enrichment, and life to each person.
Here are the top 10 types of activities that may benefit your aging loved one, or even yourself!
1. Relationships
Staying connected with friends and family or forming new relationships has been shown to decrease social isolation. Connections with others help to increase feelings of happiness and may prevent depression and anxiety. You can help your loved one maintain or start these relationships through:
Regular game nights
Setting up video calls
Joining a hobby group
Looking up old friends
2. Learn something new
Keeping your brain active and engaged by learning a new activity helps to ward off boredom. A mentally stimulating activity has a positive impact on memory and may also prevent or slow dementia. Consider introducing a new activity like:
An art, cooking, or dance class
Trying yoga or tai chi for the first time
Practicing a new musical instrument
Taking an online class
3. Hobbies
Don’t forget to also embrace familiar, well-loved hobbies. A study from the Mayo Clinic found that engaging in creative hobbies started in midlife such as painting, quilting, pottery or woodworking helped to keep the brain sharp. Talk to your loved one about hobbies they enjoyed in the past, such as:
Writing
Photography
Painting
Dancing
4. Memories
Looking to the past is also a valid way to find joy today. Your loved one can benefit from reliving favorite memories, and talking about trips they have taken and people they have met. You can help to trigger these memories through:
Looking at family photos
Watching older movies together
Asking about historical events that happened in their life
5. Nature
Spending time outdoors, fresh air, greenery, and sunlight are excellent ways to add a boost of joy to any day. Including nature regularly in your loved one’s life can improve both mental and physical health. Some easy ways to start are:
Sit outside on a patio or deck instead of indoors
Buy an easy-to-maintain houseplant such as a cactus
Visit a nearby conservatory or garden center
6. Food
A good meal can appeal to all of your senses. The crunch of a fresh apple, the aroma of a simmering pot of soup, the beauty of a bright red tomato surrounded by fresh basil, or even the warmth of a chocolate chip cookie. Food can bring people together and add spice to life. You can:
Try a new restaurant
Bake cookies together
Visit a farmer’s market to pick out fresh produce
Bring a personal chef into your home for dinner with Foodom
7. Physical Activity
The Center for Disease Control recommends physical activity as one of the most important things you can do for your health and well-being. Moving your body regularly releases all those feel-good hormones such as endorphins. Encouraging your loved one to continue to be active might involve:
Taking an exercise class (either in person or online)
Turning on music and dance
Taking a walk around the neighborhood
Going swimming
8. Pets
Many people find enjoyment in interacting with a pet. Petting, brushing, and holding a soft, cuddly pet can be soothing as the pet offers unconditional love and attention. If your loved one is not up to caring for a pet full-time but enjoys animals you may:
Visit a petting zoo
Ask friends or family to bring their pets to visit
9. Music
Music has long been understood as a language that goes beyond words to bring joy and beauty into our lives. Music can trigger memories and transport you to a happier place and time. Listening to music is a low-risk and safe activity anyone can participate in regardless of ability. You could help your loved one:
Create a playlist of music from your loved one’s favorite era
Join a choral group
Attend musical performances
10. Self-Care
Sometimes a little bit of pampering can be all that is needed to bring a new smile to your loved one’s face. Feeling good about yourself can improve your mood and your interest in socializing. Maybe your loved one needs:
A manicure or pedicure
A trip to get their hair cut and styled
A soft sweater in a favorite color
Remember that life is more than just the activities of daily living. Bringing joy and enrichment to your loved one is about finding activities that are meaningful and life-giving. You can connect with the Amevian team for a free consultation call to discover ways to bring meaning to both your loved one’s life and your own.
