For many years, the pastimes of seniors have often been associated with the more traditional and stereotypical activities of bingo, games, puzzles, arts and crafts, and reading. Nowadays, many of today’s seniors are more likely to be active and involved.

Now is the perfect time to engage in their favorite pastime activities.

Gardening

Gardening has often been a very popular hobby with seniors. Whether planting your favorite flowers or vegetables, it is a great activity to get you moving with beautiful results. Gardening also has many unexpected health benefits. It has been known to relieve stress, act as a moderate form of exercise, and even help to cope with depression!

Yoga/Strength Training

Yoga and Pilates has been gaining popularity with seniors. It extends the spine and takes you upside down. This improves blood flow to the brain and heart and circulation overall. There are special programs designed specifically for seniors and it is a great way to relax, stretch and meditate. Yoga is a simple way to get moving and give your body and mind some extra love. Strength training for seniors and other exercises done regularly not only builds up bone and muscle.  It counteracts the weakness and frailty that usually comes with aging. Yoga and strength training can help with osteoporosis, arthritis, balance, pulmonary disease, obesity, and diabetes.

Walking

Leisurely walking, one of the easiest forms of elderly endurance training, has always been a favorite pastime of seniors. A nice stroll can lift moods and reenergize spirits. Taking in the scenery, or traveling down a path you haven’t been down before will help you discover something new. It will also increase your heart rate, which leads to increased fitness often while promoting time together with peers. Walking can improve endurance and energy levels, as well as prevent heart disease.

Swimming

Many seniors still find swimming to be quite relaxing. Whether being involved in water aerobics or just doing it for fun, swimming provides many benefits for seniors. Not only does swimming decrease the risk of chronic illness and improve health for those with heart disease and diabetes, it decreases depression and improves mood.

Brain Games

While some seniors still enjoy traditional games like Bingo, so many of today’s seniors are more inclined to engage in brain activities. These include computer games that help to improve cognition. Even playing brain-training games can help reverse the natural decline in cognitive abilities among older people by exercising six mental skills. These include long-term memory, short-term memory, language, computation, critical thinking, and the perception of spatial relationships between objects.

Because today’s seniors are getting away from conventional pastime activities, they are engaging in more social experiences such as book clubs and volunteering that help them enjoy a more active social life.

Book Clubs

Reading is a fabulous way to stimulate your mind. It can also broaden your horizons, consider new ideas, and explore people and places you have never experienced before. Book clubs offer people a chance to not only read the same book at the same time, but to stimulate socialization and interaction with others.

Volunteering

Seniors love to volunteer by giving of their time and helping others. They can help out at the local library or elementary school, helping children find books to read or helping them with basic schoolwork. This helps to bridge the generation gap and provide joy in the lives of children and the elderly. They also volunteer at hospitals or surgery centers, working at the front desk or nurse’s station to provide information to visitors. The compassion and empathy they provide can be comforting to others in times of need.

You are never too old to have fun. Engaging in hobbies and sharing enjoyable activities can be a great way to stay actively engaged in life. Whether starting a new activity or continuing with a favorite hobby, residents at Avanti Senior Living can choose from a multitude of fun and inventive programs. Each day offers a new adventure for each resident.  The highly qualified staff at Avanti ensures their community has the most unique opportunities through their progressive programs and myriad of choices.