Activities that focus on enhancing quality of life can reconnect older adults to what brings them purpose, joy, and meaning in life.
1. Creative Wellness: Enjoy an art project
Arts-based activities help older adults have better quality of life and more easily maintain independence. Plus, creative expression is one of the best ways to engage older adults at all levels of physical or cognitive ability. Painting with brushes or marbles, coloring in a beautiful large print coloring book for adults, or decorating homemade holiday cards are wonderful hands-on activities. It’s also a good opportunity to display some of those finished coloring pages!
2. Spiritual Wellness: Celebrate with holiday rituals
Spiritual quality of life is fostered by the things that bring us deeper meaning and a sense of purpose – including a religious or faith-based practice, beloved rituals, or community service. Honor holiday traditions by cooking a favorite family recipe together, creating a festive holiday table arrangement, or sipping a warm mug of cider or tea while reminiscing about cherished holiday memories. Participate in community service activities like donating to a food or warm clothing drive or making blankets or hats for those in need.
3. Environmental Wellness: Create a cozy environment
Environmental quality of life focuses on creating an inviting and comfortable space so your loved one can feel more relaxed, secure, and at home, no matter where they live. The Hummingbird Project’s Comfort and Joy Box is a great gift that will help your loved one or client get extra cozy this holiday season. This beautiful holiday gift set includes comforting items selected by eldercare specialists.
4. Vocational Wellness: Make a homemade holiday gift
Vocational quality of life addresses the need to be a productive member of society and a valued member of a family. Activities that give a sense of purpose and allow us to share with family and friends are a great place to start. This holiday season, try making ornaments from bird seeds. It’s slightly messy, tactile fun – and the finished ornaments make a heartfelt gift. Get simple directions here.
5. Intellectual Wellness: Begin a legacy project
Intellectual stimulation helps preserve cognitive function and encourages deeper engagement in older adults. A meaningful exercise that promotes intellectual quality of life is writing down and sharing one’s life stories and legacy. Help your loved one get started with The Hummingbird Project’s Legacies & Legends Holiday Joy Box. This unique gift set includes everything they need to write down and share their memories and life lessons, including a do-it-yourself autobiography book with questions to guide their walk down memory lane.
6. Emotional Wellness: Practice acts of kindness
Emotional quality of life is centered on our need for social support and connection to others. Activities that promote emotional wellness are perhaps the best antidote to the loneliness and sense of isolation felt by many older adults. One simple but effective way to build emotional wellness is by practicing acts of kindness.
Acts of Kindness can include talking a walk together with a handful of quarters to feed parking meters or writing “Post It” thank you notes and putting them in places people aren’t used to being thanked, such as on the mailbox for the postal carrier or, if living in a care community, on the door of the staff room.
7. Physical wellness: enjoy nature and animals
Physical activity is good for our bodies, of course, but it can also improve mood and help preserve high-level brain functioning in older adults – including planning and remembering. There’s nothing quite like taking a walk in the fresh air and sunshine when the weather allows (even a short one) to promote feelings of calm and positivity. Another fun idea is to visit your local dog park to enjoy the outdoors and appreciate the therapeutic value and exuberance of dogs.
Making and putting up fun decorations is a nice way to mark the change of seasons and get in the mood for fall holidays. Our residents participate along side the Activities Department to decorate our many Holiday Trees throughout our campus. We also make personalized holiday ornaments!
Be a part of the community that blends lifelong care with the stability you seek. McGregor Senior Living. Visit us online, better yet, visit us in person to See It, Believe It, Live It!