I realized I loved working with seniors at the age of 14 when I started volunteering at a local retirement community in San Diego. I worked in the activities department for five years at two separate assisted living and memory care communities, where I could vividly see the positive impact that recreational activities had on the lives of our seniors. I still volunteer from time to time because I just can’t get enough!
In honor of National Assisted Living Week, I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite activities that I’ve facilitated over the years in these communities. Here are six ideas for meaningful activities that are sure to keep seniors engaged:
1. Sparking Memories with Intentional Outings
To start, I want to tell you about a very special resident named Millie. Millie was engaged in our activities but for some reason, never attended any outings. When I asked her why, she told me that she had a lot of pain in her legs and didn’t want to be a burden on anyone throughout the outings. I thought this should not be a barrier for Millie or any senior at an assisted living community—and it sparked an idea. I decided to implement scenic drives into our activities schedule. This way, Millie – who wasn’t as ambulatory as her peers – could enjoy the fresh ocean breeze and still feel like she was seeing the world without the added stress of feeling like a burden on anyone. After asking Millie several times to join me, she finally decided to! I gained a lot of positive feedback and even received requests for new scenic drive locations. So take note: Accessible outings like scene drives are an excellent way for residents struggling with physical limitations.
Outings give seniors opportunities to see, try, and experience new things. I once took a group of residents paddle boarding, which was a first for many of them! But it really is never too late to try something new. I’ve also seen the difference it makes when seniors feel genuinely connected to one another. They may be hesitant to try something new at first, but having friends to take the leap with makes the entire experience more memorable for everyone.
Going on outings for special occasions can make residents especially excited for different seasons. I once took a group of seniors to the pumpkin patch during Autumn and was happy to hear from many of them that the trip sparked many fond memories. Everyone shared stories of when they used to take their children to choose their holiday pumpkins and began sharing photos of their grandchildren at the pumpkin patch this year. Their joy was contagious!
2. Meaningful Movement with Yoga & Dance
Staying active in later years is extremely important for both physical and mental health, and for seniors in assisted living communities, this is especially true. What’s most important to remember is that each resident will have a different level of strength and endurance, so you’ll need to be cognizant of everyone’s physical abilities and make accommodations accordingly.
Yoga for example is a great, low-impact exercise, and chair yoga is particularly successful in assisted living communities. It accommodates residents who prefer quieter environments and slower, softer movements. It can also be easily modified to meet the room’s various limitations. One interactive twist that I’ve added involved setting a more circular layout for the exercise and allowing each resident to share their favorite yoga pose or exercise with the group. This made the exercise even more engaging and allowed residents to show off their creativity!
Out of all the movement-oriented activities I’ve facilitated, the best ones by far have always involved dancing. I’ve found that seniors love being able to share their signature dance moves with one another, especially when their favorite old songs are playing. Physical limitations cannot stop our seniors – wheelchair dancing is a common sight!
Zumba dance is another great way to get seniors moving. Since Zumba classes often have an instructor at the front demonstrating movements for seniors to mimic, it’s enjoyed most by residents who prefer more structured exercises. Many seniors love the different beats and languages that Zumba offers, providing a full-body workout with a range of fun music. Once, a senior turned to me during a Zumba class and asked, “Is this song in English?” To which I respond, “No, it’s Spanish.” Oh, how we laughed! They were so focused on the movement and fun that they barely noticed the song’s words!
3. Exercising the Mind with Brain Games
As we age, our memories are only sometimes as clear as they once were. Our seniors are very aware of this and make it their mission to stay sharp. Cognitive exercises like brain puzzles are always a crowd favorite in assisted living communities. I like hosting at least one activity per week geared toward exercising the mind.
Word searches, crosswords, trivia games, and word scrambles are all great examples of brain games that can keep seniors’ minds sharp. Depending on the group, I will either have everyone doing the same puzzle or I will break them up by interest. If we are all doing the same activity, I’ll give them enough time to do the activity independently and then review it all together. I usually have the most team-effort success with crossword puzzles because the seniors love putting their heads together. Remember that it’s important to ensure seniors feel safe and comfortable asking questions. It can be isolating for those who may not understand activity instructions but are too embarrassed to ask for clarification.
I used to host an educational program each month called “Animal Exploration,” where I would highlight fun facts about a new animal and facilitate a trivia game around it. It might sound simple, but reminding seniors how exciting it is to learn new things can help them feel empowered. I loved when residents left the activity excited about their new knowledge. Our receptionist would always be one of the first people to hear about the latest animal facts!
4. Music as a Mood Booster
Music is an incredibly meaningful activity tool in assisted living communities, especially because it enhances moods and resurfaces memories. Not only can it tie an event together, but it can also calm a senior’s nervous system in one moment and bring two others closer together in another.
One musical activity I’ve always enjoyed facilitating is a ‘generational music challenge’, where seniors compare classics from their younger years with what’s currently popular. I usually like to break it down by genre; for instance, I might play Fleetwood Mac for the Rock category and have them compare it to the Foo Fighters. I’ll ask their opinion on which version they prefer and invite them to share their reasonings with the rest of the group. This kind of activity allows residents to jog their memories while expanding their knowledge of current music.
“Make Some Noise” is another interactive music activity that’s popular among seniors, especially those who are a bit more extroverted. I’ll give them instruments to create their own music with, and they’ll perform in front of the group. Since many instruments involve minor soft movements (like maracas), this activity doubles as exercise!
At The Villa on Bankers Hill, an assisted living and memory care community in San Diego, we love combining the excitement of music with the physical exercise benefits of dancing. Residents live for our Friday happy hours, where they enjoy music and drinks with their friends—all from the comfort of their home!
5. Art as a Form of Self-Expression
Art gives seniors an outlet to authentically express themselves. It can have structure or be done without any rules or regulations, which is great for accommodating a range of personalities and abilities in assisted living communities.
“Paint & Sip” activities are always popular among my residents. They love sitting down at their assigned table with their canvas, painting supplies, and of course, their desired glass of wine. You would think that the final art pieces would look identical, since everyone follows the same guidelines from a single instructor, but it’s always exciting to see the creative differences that set each canvas apart.
While paint and sips offer a more structured outlet, watercolor art can leave more room for creativity. It has even been known to lower stress in seniors! I witnessed this for myself the first time I ever facilitated this activity. You could feel the serenity in the room while the seniors gently stroked their paintbrush into their color palettes. There were no instructions– no one saying, “Take this color and paint this line” – the seniors had complete freedom to mix their palettes and paint whatever they liked. My favorite part was the share-out at the end. I just loved hearing the stories that flowed from it!
During the holiday season, I purchased air-dry clay for an activity that encouraged residents to handcraft gifts for their loved ones if they couldn’t purchase presents for financial or transportation reasons. After all, who doesn’t love a handmade gift? Carol made her sister a beautiful, bold-colored jewelry dish, while Marjorie made several ornaments for her friends who lived in the apartments next door. The activity was a huge success!
6. Getting Creative with Cooking
Of all the activities I’ve helped facilitate in assisted living communities, cooking activities were always my favorite. Like music, food brings people together by sparking memories, evoking emotions, and boosting mood. While doing cooking demos, our seniors would share their favorite cooking stories from when they were young and still learning their way around the kitchen. We would all laugh about Sharon’s kitchen mishaps and relate to how Tom still craves his mom’s signature meatloaf. Some seniors claimed they were the worst cooks in the world but were still willing to attend our activity (which made for even better conversation, as you could imagine). But the majority of the time, they surprised themselves! At the end of the day, everyone always left with a sense of accomplishment.
These are just some examples of meaningful activities I’ve had the pleasure of hosting over the years, but truly, any activity can be meaningful with the right approach. The key is to know your residents—know what interests them, excites them, and what they’re physically capable of, and go from there. You’d be surprised what seniors are willing to try when they are surrounded by people who care!
At St. Paul’s Senior Services, we take pride in cultivating compassionate communities where our residents feel at home, and we also know the power of facilitating activities that are both thoughtful and accessible. Our activities team at The Villa on Bankers Hill is devoted to creating meaningful experiences for our assisted living and memory care residents.
If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about life at the Villa or any of our other senior living communities, contact our admissions team or explore our website.
About the Author:
Karina Rios is an Outreach Specialist for St. Paul’s PACE and St. Paul’s Senior Services. She has been with St. Paul’s for five years and has loved every position she has held. Karina’s passion for helping seniors started at a young age, and she hopes to continue expanding her knowledge! In her free time, she enjoys spending time outdoors camping and hiking.