How do you keep the elderly mentally and physically active?

I struggle with this on a daily basis. Since mobility is so important and exercise can be so beneficial, I've taken to requiring Mom to walk 2 "laps" (across the room and back is one lap) across the living room) before lunch. She will basically only do it if I prod her. But that's hard to do unless you have time to prod everyone to do it. If walking is part of the complaint, though, I'd say it's more important to take the patients to the activities, so they can be mentally engaged. Can they be wheeled over in a chair? Maybe if they go a few times and find they enjoy it, they might eventually be eager to go. I've also found that a lot of the activities in homes/care centers are pretty similar and frankly, not that intellectually stimulating. Maybe you could do a survey and find out if there are other activities the residents want to do? Book clubs, lectures from academics might be some interesting options. Painting, a common activity, can be wonderful fun, and great creative expression, but it won't interest everyone! Maybe also you could have a kind of coffee klatch, a sort of a meet and greet to introduce residents to one another. Sometimes the residents who might be friends never had occasion to meet so residents are stuck with people totally different from them and neither has an interest in the other.

An exercise class can be engaging if there is variety and if participants go away feeling refreshed and successful. has a line of exercise DVDs designed with the specific needs of older adults in mind. There are 10+ various titles (e.g. Easy Tai Chi, Yoga Stretch, Stars & Stripes Fitnesscize, etc.) that allow for that variety, and they are fairly priced. Check it out!

Mom loved exercise classes offered at the local library, two times a week when she was 92 yrs old. They asked each person to come prepared to tell a joke.

It was hilarious... then they could tell the jokes to family visitors through out the coming week. Some of the jokes were pretty lame, but no matter... everyone thought my mom was funny because she always had a new joke from her exercise class.

Bingo is a "MUST DO" at the assisted living where my dad is. It's a quarter for two cards for an hour of bingo and those folks pack the place out. It's the same time every day and they line up to get there early. They also play bunco and a card game, but honestly, they struggle with instructions and things have to be kept very very simple. They have guest entertainment and they enjoy that, especially if they can participate in singing and clapping. On the weekend they have jokes and riddles, but I've noticed that's hard for them. They have exercise class every morning and quite a few participate. You have to be very careful because most are on walkers or in wheel chairs and they just can't do activities that are physically challenging. They are starting a crocheting group and I'm anxious to see how that turns out. But they like to have something going on.....it's the same ones that venture from their rooms. They celebrate birthdays once a month, too. And they have classes that are fun....how to keep from falling, and they fall anyway. God bless them! Keep it simple but fun.

Once when I visited my mom at her skilled nursing facility, I joined in on one of the group exercises. Everyone sat in a circle, and we tossed a beach ball to someone else in the circle. Sounds simplistic, but it evoked quite a few smiles and laughter. I would suggest that a few non-residents participate, to insure that ALL are included in the ball toss.

My mom loved men. Particularly smart, tall men. If there was a smart tall man in the area or if she knew one would be coming, she got all showered and dressed up and she was AMAZING! All the pains and dizziness, all the irregular heart beats would disappear.

It turned out, it was the tax guy or her doctors who she liked. So, invite people who might be interested in speaking with the elderly. If you have men and or women, try to get the opposite sex to come and speak with them. Also, younger people are helpful sometimes too.

My mom hated my dog, so I can't say pet therapy, but any kind of intellectually stimulating people might help. If I get old and have to hang around old people like me, I think I would not be particularly motivated either...

Call the Library and ask what they have on the agenda. They offer everything for free and often have intellectually stimulating things going on... there are book groups and speakers at my library all the time. They have a nice calendar every month.

Come up with good questions for them and ask them what their interests are. For example, ask them what they were most proud of accomplishing in their past. If someone was a nurse, or someone else was in the war, I bet you could find people in the community who would be interested in coming to speak with them about their topics of interest. Or have them do presentations for each other.

Do any of them have the ability to put on a presentation for the others? Some might be great photographers, or an outstanding business person, or someone who was a great baker. Have them have the floor and set up some simple guidelines on what to present. For example, they must keep it to 20 minutes. They have to start with an objective, must ask the audience questions (so it's interactive)... Guidelines for good presentations... say what you mean to cover, cover the topic, then summarize what you covered.

Bottom line is make it all about them. As what's most important to them. They are intelligent people who have lived long and fruitful lives. I bet they have something interesting to say about their long journeys. I bet they are proud of what they accomplished. I bet they would love to show it off to the others. Then be sure to talk about how they have to show up for each other... and be kind.

I know this is a bit off beat, but I hope it's helpful... I would love it if someone would ask me to put together an engaging, fun presentation!

I started my mom on beautiful coloring books that I had seen on Amazon. She started out with colored pencils and now uses watercolor pencils. She finds it very peaceful and calming. The selections are everything from flowers, animals, stained glass, etc. Usually around $4 or $5.

Find Teepa Snow on YouTube and look for her video on Brainy Day activities. As usual, it's short and to the point and full of good ideas.

Music seems to be a favorite. I got a CD that had WWII era songs, and then researched each one on the Internet, and printed out the lyrics. I played the CD and my clients and I sat around the table singing. It was SO much fun. Another fun activity is to let them play with their food ;-) Make chocolate pudding and let them draw shapes in it, like finger paint. It's very soothing. Just have a lot of wet, warm towels ready for hands later. This may prove to be hilarious, as they can lick their fingers.

I assume that you have to 'lure' them into the activity? What are the other limitations? Can you have poker day (chips or money, depending on your restrictions)? Can you get a hairdresser to come in and offer services for a reasonable price? Same for manicures? Reach out to the local religious or community groups to come visit and entice them to join their activity? (For instance, if I were with a singing group that offered a sing-along, I'd walk around to the rooms inviting folks, and offer to escort them, if they needed help.) Can you get funds/charitable offers and/or the space to start a garden, even if they're in pots? Check with some local childcare facilities and see if you can get an exchange program going. How about a cooking class? Do you have Classic Movie Mondays? With popcorn (or some other healthy substitute snack), of course *grins*

Ultimately, think about what they might do at home, on their own, if they were able (without assistance) and add a program to do it, with your/staff's help.