Before you spend a lot of time focusing on what kinds of activities your elderly family member should be trying, it might help to look at which of the activities you’re considering are potentially the most effective for her. If you’re still figuring out what it means to have effective activities planned, these tips might help.

 

 

They Help Give Her Both Purpose and Joy

As your senior grows older, she may find that she’s feeling a little bit lost. Some of the best activities that you help her to engage with help her to remember that she’s still a valuable member of the family and of society as a whole. Just because she’s growing older, that doesn’t mean that she’s disposable.

 

They Build and Test Her Abilities

Having a reason behind the activity also helps and one of the reasons that you might be helping your senior find activities to do is that they help her to build up her abilities or her strengths. For example, she might exercise so that she can remain healthier, but the exercise needs to be a bit challenging.

 

She Likes Them

If your elderly family member doesn’t enjoy the various activities that are filling her day, they’re not going to do much for her in the end. She needs to be doing things that she likes and that make her happy. Otherwise, there’s no point at all. If you’re not sure whether or not your elderly family member enjoys the activities that she’s engaging in, take the time to open up a conversation about them so there’s no question.

 

They Help Her Feel Successful

Challenging activities are fabulous because they allow your aging family member to test her limits. If they’re too challenging, however, she might be tempted to give up on them. You don’t want to make anything so complicated or difficult that your senior is demanding perfection from herself. That’s not what this is about at all. You want to help her to feel successful, no matter what she’s trying.

If you’re having a difficult time coming up with effective and engaging activities for your senior to try, consider working with elderly care providers to come up with some ideas. They’re accustomed to just this type of planning with caregivers.

 

If you or an aging family member are considering homecare in Dunwoody, GA, please contact the caring staff at Caring Companions of Atlanta 470-514-5954.