Residents at assisted living facilities may go to the beach.
Assisted living communities cater to senior citizens of varied ages and abilities, and may offer a number of activities. Many sites have a full-time activity director or assistant who facilitates events from meetings and movies to trips off the premises. There are many activities that residents at assisted living facilities can participate in. The opportunities are only limited by imagination and budget. Does this Spark an idea?
Current Events Forum
Read all about it.
Senior citizens are often up-to-date with current events because they have time to read the newspaper. A regular (weekly or even daily) activity appropriate for an assisted living community is a "current events" forum. Set aside a regular time and place--a room with several comfortable chairs is ideal. Invite residents to read the newspaper and show up ready to discuss current events. If there is a recurring "hot topic" in the news one particular week, you might want to announce that you will be discussing it. Identifying a specific event may pique the interests of those who have not previously attended a forum. Discussion groups are helpful in keeping everyone's minds sharp and instilling a sense of community. Gauge the group's interest in current events, and if interest is low, think about other discussion groups you might hold regularly.
Local History Exploration
Explore the rich history of your town.
It's important to get residents out of the facility every now and again. You might choose to do a series of outings with a theme. such as history. Sure, residents may have grown up near the assisted living facility, but they might not know the rich history of a local museum, or which local restaurant is the oldest. Do some research to create an engaging itinerary for your residents. Depending on how much history you are able to dig up, you might want to pair historical outings with run-of-the-mill weekly outings, like trips to the movies or an afternoons at the park. But adding a historical element will give residents something unexpected and new to look forward to.
Art Gallery
Art can be a therapeutic and relaxing activity. Plan regular art activities, based on the abilities and limitations of your residents. Bring in artists from the community to show their work and give tips. Display your residents' work in the hall so other residents can see it. If your residents are particularly interested in fine art, you might also want to plan an outing to a museum.
Tags: current events, your residents, assisted living, assisted living, assisted living facilities, living facilities