For many senior men, who have spent a lifetime on an important career, family, hobbies and interests, the idea of settling in for a day of crafting is, at best, unattractive. The answer to discovering engaging hobbies for older men is in first taking the time to dig back in the history of their lives to identify what fueled their passion over the years, and then looking for creative ways to incorporate those ideas in their lifestyle today.
At Abby Senior Care, we enjoy getting to know the older men we serve and creating opportunities for them to enjoy life to the fullest! Below are some ideas which can work well for the patriarch in your family:
- Sports: For the sports aficionado, try one of the many video games that allow for participation in numerous virtual sports from the comfort of home. When it’s okay to go out into the community, look into area high school or college schedules and take your family member to attend games he most enjoys: baseball, basketball, football, swim meets, golf tournaments, etc. Or plan family gatherings around his favorite team’s games on TV, recreating a live sporting event atmosphere with specific foods (like hot dogs and nachos), team t-shirts for the whole family to wear, banners and flags for the kids to wave, and a lot of cheering, of course!
- Outdoors: In the event a senior loved one was an enthusiastic fisherman or hunter, make sure he has plenty of opportunities to enjoy nature and also explore nature programming on television or the internet. Many zoos have live web cams that allow you to watch your favorite animals at any time. Consult your local parks to determine accessibility to fishing spots and boat rentals to see if it is feasible for your loved one to enjoy some time on or by the water, or schedule a picnic in a wooded area and take pleasure in viewing wildlife together.
- Music: For those who played a musical instrument, sang with a band, or perhaps just enjoy tapping their toes to a specific genre of music, sustaining a connection to music is extremely important, and while it may be as easy as playing favorite songs and singing along, it could be made more engaging with a visit to a music store, attending a concert – again, the local high schools and colleges are a good resource for musical performances, or hosting a talent show for members of the family who are also musically-inclined.
- Work: Preserving a feeling of purpose is essential for us all. Men who are retired teachers can volunteer to tutor or read to children through the library or school system; those who were handy with tools can continue to paint, help construct bird feeders or squirrel houses, work on assembling model cars together with the grandkids. Those years of expertise can continue to influence the next generation!
Contact Abby Senior Care, providers of in-home senior care in Centennial, CO, and the surrounding area, for additional strategies to assist the older men in your life with staying active and involved in what interests them most. Reach out to us today at 303-699-8840 for a no-cost in-home consultation to find out how our highly trained in-home caregivers can bring restored enjoyment and purpose every single day for those you love.