The Covid-19 virus has become one of the worst pandemics in recent memory. With no vaccine available currently, the only way to avoid contracting this virus is by maintaining social distancing and staying at home.
Although this whole “home quarantine” concept was an entirely new one, most people were able to adjust to it quickly. And by adjusting, we mean, scrolling endlessly on social media.
While the internet may have sorted out our quarantine routine, our elders are not that interested in the world of Instagram challenges and Twitter hashtags.
Since, senior citizens are at higher risk of contraction, they have been advised to stay at home and follow strict lockdown. This has severely affected them as they can no longer spend time doing their regular activities.
Also, elders can no longer meet their friends and relatives which again affects their mental health and they tend to feel lonely or stressed. Thus, it becomes extremely important that we take proper care of them during this period of uncertainty.
Keeping that in mind, we bring to you a list of fun activities for seniors during this quarantine.
Virtual Meet-ups
Senior citizens love spending time with their relatives and friends. Unfortunately, this has not really been possible and it may even severely affect their mental health during this quarantine.
But, seniors can still stay connected with their children and grandchildren through virtual meet-ups. A simple video call will allow them to see and talk to their close ones regularly.
In fact, you can arrange these family meet-ups once or twice a week, so that seniors will have something to look forward to every week.
Reading
Elders often love reading books and may have a small collection of their favorite ones as well. So, to make it a little more interesting, you can buy books of their favorite genre or recommend something that you like to read too.
This reading activity will keep the elders engaged and will also prevent them from getting bored. It may even help you understand their thoughts and choices even better.
Board Games
Yes, that’s right. Those board games that you take out only during a family outing can come in handy during this lockdown. Chess, Uno and Ludo are just some of the fun board games that everyone can play together during this quarantine.
Apart from elders, the children will also have a fun time playing these simple games. This will allow the elders to feel more involved and will help them relax as well.
Learning Arts & Crafts
There are several channels on YouTube that teach simple DIY arts and crafts. Most of these videos are easy to follow and only require some basic household items.
This makes it an ideal choice for seniors as they can spend their time making different kinds of crafts and home décor items. Although elders may find it difficult to use smartphones, you can easily show them how to use YouTube and watch their preferred videos.
Virtual Travel
Famous tourist places all over the world are currently shut down due to the covid-19 pandemic. However, you can still take a virtual tour of these places through features like Google Arts & Culture.
Elders can have the unique experience of visiting these famous places from the comfort of their own homes. Also, they can take a trip down memory lane with features like Google Earth. They can use it to search for their childhood home or some other memorable places.
Gardening
Although seniors may not be able to follow their regular routine during quarantine, they can still take up other interesting activities. Gardening is one such activity that can help senior citizens stay busy and active.
It is a relaxing activity and acts as a stress-buster as well. For this, you can easily buy the best gardening equipment and manual gardening tools online.
The lockdown may have caused a lot of problems, but it sure allowed us to spend some more time with our family. You can take advantage of this situation and arrange for regular movie nights with the family.
Elders love watching evergreen Bollywood classics and this can be a good opportunity for them to spend some quality time with the family. You can also choose their preferred movie from our wide range of classic movie collection.
Exercise and Yoga
Most seniors had a daily routine that included a good amount of physical exercise. However, they may not be able to continue with the same during this quarantine.
Instead, you can set a fixed time where the whole family can exercise together. Also, you can include yoga this fitness routine by choosing easy yoga asanas that anyone can do.
So, these were some fun activities that can help seniors stay active during this quarantine. It is important that we take care of the elders so that they do not feel lonely or isolated.
While these activities can help them stay busy, constant communication is the key for you to know about any specific issues that they might be facing.
These are tough times and it may be even tougher for seniors. But, you can easily help them get through this difficult period with communication, understanding and yes… some fun activities.
Read More:
How to Use Public Transport Safely During Covid-19
How to Take Care of COVID-19 Patients at Home - Tips for Caregivers
Coronavirus - Homemade Drinks/Kadhas to Help You Fight Infections
