Hobbies are good for everyone including seniors in an assisted-living environment. Hobbies fill up the time relieving boredom, keep one’s mind engaged, can lead to a meditative state, relieve stress, give you something to talk about, and help people to feel productive.

The best kinds of hobbies for seniors in an assisted-living environment are ones that are easy to engage in, inexpensive, don’t take up a lot of space, and don’t require a lot of equipment or paraphernalia. In today’s blog article, we are going to give you some suggestions for hobby ideas that meet these criteria.

Playing Cards

Not everyone likes cards, but for those who do, all you need is a deck of cards (or several), and you are in business. There are games that you can play alone—like Solitaire. And there are hundreds of card games you can play with others, such as poker, canasta, gin rummy, hearts, and bridge. Card playing uses plenty of brain power, and one can even play competitively. Cards are portable, inexpensive, and a great reason to interact with others and turn it into a social outlet.

Writing

Writing or journaling is a wonderful hobby. You can do it manually with a pencil and paper or on the computer with a keyboard. In addition, journaling can be therapeutic and a great way to relieve stress. Seniors have a lifetime of experiences behind them, and if you can encourage the seniors you know to write down stories from their lives, you will learn details that you never knew about, which can be preserved for future generations. Encourage the seniors you know to write down what they remember about their childhoods or work life or what they experienced 40 or 50 years ago.

Handwork

Handwork or needlework is great hobby for both men and women. It’s inexpensive, portable, and can be practiced anywhere. Sewing, knitting, crochet, macrame, and embroidery are all hobbies that use repetitive motions which can lead to a meditative state which relaxes the mind and body. In addition, those who practice it create beautiful art that remains behind when they move to the next project.

We strongly encourage seniors to take up a hobby. Hobbies are relaxing, and they can be stress relievers and/or social outlets. We have mentioned just a few possibilities, but the choice is endless.

The Hamlets at Vernon is an assisted-living and long-term care community in Vernon, BC, Canada. Designed to take the worry out of senior retirement home living and following the tenets of Christianity, The Hamlets at Vernon offers compassionate care in a beautiful environment.