Outside Activities for Seniors

I worked with seniors while participating in a service program. I had to come up with programs for seniors to get them out of the house.

Here is a list of a few.

Activity One: Walking. Walking is a great way to get out and stretch your legs. You can walk any distance. Walking is not strenuous nor time consuming. For awhile my grandfather belonged to a walking group with a senior group. They walked around the park a few times. They did this once a week for about 30 minutes. There is no equipment needed, all you need is some good walking shoes and some friends.

Activity Two: Video games. When I worked with seniors we had a Wii bowling league. This got seniors out of the house and it gave them a chance to meet other seniors. The equipment needed is a Nintendo Wii game console, television, controllers, and games. This is a pretty expensive activity, but if you have grandchildren chances are they have one. You can move the television and console outside on the patio. It can go from being an indoor activity to an outdoor activity.

Activity Three: Bocce ball. It is similar to bowling but the purpose of the game is to see whom can get their ball closest to the pallino (white ball, it looks like the size of a golf ball). This is good for senior because it does not take strength to play. It is fun Equipment needed: two sets of balls (different colors) and a pallino ball. A bocce court would be nice, but if you do not want to build one, just find a small area at a park to play. It will be just as fun as the real thing.

Activity Four: Swimming. There are outdoor pools everywhere. It is easy on the body, especially if you have arthritis. The only thing you need is a swimsuit and a towel. This activity is very inexpensive.

Activity Five: Tai Chi. This can be performed anywhere. I would suggest going to a park in the early morning. There is not equipment needed, all you need is yourself. It is a very relaxing and centering experience for all ages. Enjoy!

I hope you get out and enjoy some of these activities!