Meaningful Ways to Fill Free Time for the Elderly: Home and Community Activities

Indoor Activities for the Elderly

• Reading: Books, newspapers, magazines, or online articles.

• Learning New Skills: Online courses, tutorials, or workshops.

• Digital Games: Simple computer or mobile games.

• Exercise: Walking on a treadmill, stretching, or light workouts.

• Worship and Meditation: Praying, reading holy books, and meditating.

• Cooking: Trying new recipes or making favorite dishes.

• Watching TV: News, movies, documentaries, or series.

• Crafts: Knitting, embroidery, or other handcrafts as much as their fingers allow.

• Repairs and Gardening: Fixing things around the house or taking care of plants.

• Pet Care: Taking care of a pet.

• Social Media and Digital Photo Frames: Setting up digital systems that display family photos and videos on the TV or digital frames can engage them and remind them of events, people, and memories, which is good for their memory.

• Gathering with Friends for Simple Games: If possible, gathering a few people at their home or a café to play simple games like Ludo, chess, backgammon, or various card games is both entertaining and helps with memory.

As one friend mention, it's wonderful if we all learn an art in addition to our profession so that we don't get bored in retirement. It seems that women are generally better at keeping themselves entertained than men. Moreover, activities like making jam, pickles, sweets, and desserts, or knitting a hat and gifting it to children, friends, and acquaintances give the elderly a sense of accomplishment. When an elderly person goes to a party with a cake they baked themselves and sees the happiness and praise of others, it brings them joy.

Since my mother and I lived next to each other, as long as she was able, she kept herself busy in the mornings by cooking food and talking to relatives on the phone while the grandchildren were at school. In the afternoons, she spent time with us, reading newspapers, knitting, and watching TV. At night, she would fall asleep to the sound of the radio, and walking was an integral part of her daily routine.

The ability of individuals to keep themselves busy at home is very useful for times when they are unable to leave the house.

Outdoor Activities for the Elderly

Family and friends gatherings, participating in community, learning a new language or art, attending cultural center programs, walking in parks, participating in literary, historical, or religious meetings, going to the cinema or theater, and visiting galleries and zoos are good choices for spending free time.

As long as our loved ones can walk, even with a cane, we should take the opportunity to bring them out into the community. If we can't accompany them, instead of buying them gifts, we should give them outings as gifts. We can send a responsible and trustworthy person to take them out and cover the costs.

@ Unlike many of her peers who thought accompanying them would be a burden on the family, my mother was always up for any outdoor activity. She would come to the cinema and theater, and although she might leave the hall halfway through due to back pain, this never discouraged her from coming again. Interestingly, because of her condition, we had to park the car as close as possible to the entrance of the venues, and whenever we decided to go, I worried about finding a parking spot. However, even in the busiest situations, her presence seemed to bring us the best parking spots, or the guards would give us a suitable place when they saw her. It must be noted that having an elderly person with the family creates some limitations, and this is where the family needs to be accommodating. For instance, loud music would bother her, so if we went to a restaurant with live music, we had to sit far from the stage or shorten our stay at some events. When I couldn't accompany my mother, my husband or daughters would take her out.

My mother had a balanced social personality. She quickly connected with the neighbors and attended any weekly or monthly meetings, earning everyone's love and respect. We would take her to museums and historical sites in a wheelchair. When she could walk with a cane, she would come to galleries and museums, often taking the first available seat, usually intended for the staff. Until the age of ninety, she would go to the nearby park every day, sit by the playground, watch the children play, and talk to their mothers. She loved going to cafés to watch people. We visited Café Mana, which was her aunt's home, when she could still use a cane, and it brought back her youth memories. The convenient parking spot in front of Café 1307 allowed us to take her there, and we comfortably settled in the yard with her wheelchair. She enjoyed watching the neighboring tables and would ask about the place for a long time afterward.

Using a wheelchair wasn't a barrier for my mom in many cases, but it wasn't comfortable for long periods, requiring a cushion that she couldn't use because her decreased sensation caused her to slide off it.

By following these guidelines and my personal experience with my mother, we can ensure our elderly loved ones stay active, engaged, and connected with the world around them, improving their quality of life and happiness.