The COVID-19 pandemic has turned everyone’s daily routine upside down. While it has forced everyone to stay at home and practice social distancing, seniors need to be extra careful. Social distancing can leave you feeling both isolated and bored. However, it doesn’t have to, you can stay at home and still do a lot of fun activities. The following list will help you stay active, enjoy yourself, and keep you busy while you socially distance yourself.

 

Stay in touch with loved ones

Being isolated can take a toll on your mental health. But luckily, technology can help you stay in touch with loved ones. All you need is a computer, tablet, or smartphone and you can easily connect with your friends and family through video calls on numerous platforms such as Skype, Zoom, or WhatsApp.

 

Meditate

Another great way to keep your mental health intact is through meditation. You don’t have to do it for hours, just put on music that you find soothing and focus on taking deep breaths. As you do that try to focus only on your breathing and nothing else. Do this for about 4-5 minutes a day to start and build it up to 10-15 minutes. Understand that it takes time and practice for you to meditate properly so keep at it and don’t give up if you find it difficult initially.

 

Exercise

Exercise is great for both your physical and mental health. Working out alone or with a caregiver, you want to keep it simple. Chair exercises for seniors are a smart way to keep your whole body fit as it engages everything from your core to chest and legs. Make sure you understand each exercise before you attempt it to limit the risk of injury. Also, if you plan on using any weights, be sure that you opt for weights you can easily manage.

 

Read a book

You’ve probably had a book just lying around that you’ve been meaning to get to. There is no better time than now to read it. With the extra time on your hand, reading books you’ve been meaning to read, not only will this keep you busy, but also allows you to let your imagination take you to places you’ve always wanted to go.

 

Watch movies you love

Streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime have made it easy to watch classic movies. With thousands of movies available with a click of a button, you can browse through to find movies you’ve been meaning to watch or ones you already love.

 

Cook or bake

Don’t let all the boredom force you to eat junk food. Instead, take the time to engage yourself in cooking or baking healthy snacks and food. The activity will help you relax and the result will be something for you to enjoy.

 

Online shopping

Since you can’t go out to shop, let the shops come into your home with the help of online shopping. You can buy anything you need online from groceries to clothes. Keep in mind that online shopping can be addictive, so only go on to buy things you need.

 

Play puzzles or board games

Keeping your cognitive abilities active during this time can be a little tough. Most people just lounge around and watch TV, but you want to keep your brain active. Try doing a puzzle, crossword, or just play board games such as chess or checkers to keep your cognitive thinking in shape.

 

Indoor gardening

Gardening helps you relax and it gives you a sense of accomplishment when you see what you’ve grown. You can start small by growing herbs, things that can be cooked. If you don’t already have items needed for gardening, you can buy them online.

 

Learn a new skill

Learning a skill such as a language or taking an online course is a great way to keep yourself engaged for a longer period of time. It takes a lot of dedication, but with so much time on your hand, you can easily take out at least an hour a day to learn a new skill. You have numerous platforms online that can help such as YouTube, Duolingo, and Coursera.

 

Being confined to your home doesn’t have to lead to feeling isolated and bored. There are plenty more indoor activities for seniors to keep them entertained. So, don’t let the pandemic rule over you. You need to develop a daily routine that allows you to rule over it.

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About the Author

Joseph Jones has been writing senior care and aging-related articles for years. He got his start while writing for a personal blog before he was offered to work at California Mobility in 2018 as the Content Marketing Manager, creating highly informative guides and health awareness articles for aging adults.

He’s currently contributing to a variety of blogs in the senior health industry in hopes to spread information about taking care of seniors and what to expect in the aging process.