Partaking in something productive and fun is important for older adults’ happiness, self-esteem, and mental health. In turn, staying physically and mentally active can help prevent or slow down the progression of dementia.
That said, keeping senior citizens occupied involves more than just giving them something to do. Here are some crafts activities that are both stimulating and enjoyable:
1. Cardmaking
The older generations grew up with writing letters and making cards, so why not bring that activity back for your seniors? Supply them with trendy Memento ink pads, stationery, easy-to-grip pens, and other craft tools that are easy to use for people with limited dexterity. Aside from stimulating their creativity, making and sending out these cards to their loved ones can help them keep in touch with the people they care about.
2. Clay sculpting
Clay sculpting is an activity that seniors can do even if their fingers are no longer as nimble as they were before. Despite being kind of messy, clay sculpting can unleash seniors’ creativity and let them make whatever sculpture they want. If they wish to make something functional, like a bowl or vase, there are lots of instructional videos online that they can follow.
3. Scrapbooking
Scrapbooking is an excellent craft activity for people of all ages. For seniors, it helps jog their minds and avoid losing precious memories to age-related diseases.
Ask relatives to bring pictures, letters, and other precious mementoes that your senior can put in their scrapbook. After finishing their book, you can further enrich the activity by going around and letting seniors share their memories with other family members.
4. Painting
Regardless of a senior’s painting skill, this activity can help unleash their creativity and keep them mentally stimulated. More importantly, the elderly can still paint despite having limited dexterity, although this may lead to less detailed paintings. Nevertheless, painting is one of the best activities for older adults. If they don’t know what to paint, you can set up a still life scene, have them follow a stencil, or show them other examples of paintings.
5. Seasonal decorating
For seniors, it is important for their self-esteem and overall well-being to serve a purpose, even if they are already in a retirement home. Help seniors maintain productivity by having them help out with seasonal decorations. For example, they can make seasonal wreaths, design holiday cards, help put up decorations, and make holiday-related crafts to give away to their friends and family.
6. Charitable crafting
Another excellent way to build seniors’ self-esteem is to help them participate in charitable activities. Despite having limited dexterity, there are still lots of products that seniors can make and put up for sale, such as gift baskets, sculptures, paintings, and crocheted accessories. Doing this will not only help older adults maintain a sense of purpose, but it will also keep them connected to the community.
Having limited dexterity limits the activities that seniors can do, and this can make them feel depressed. While there’s nothing you can do about their physical limitations, introducing activities that they can do is a great way to keep them motivated and fulfilled, starting with the ones mentioned above.
