I am looking for activities for the elderly and disabled.
Gillian from Scotland, U.K.
My mother led a senior citizen craft program for years & she found out that the participants liked to be able to make easy crafts as gifts - for their families and grandchildren. A lot of them has needlework skills - so for example, embroidering on plastic lattice that cold be made into things like eyeglass cases - or even napkin holders - or Xmas ornaments were very popular. I would also recommend decoupage - and any crafts using recycled materials. (02/16/2007)
By pam munro
Take them to a local farm to feed horses carrots. Just stop at a local farm to ask or call and ask. You will find they dont mind at all in most cases. Also some may have pigs they can feed thru a fence also. Animals are a wonderful way to make people of all ages feel good to be alive. Or, take them to the zoo with the senior discount and let them ride the zoo bus to avoid all the walking. Yes, crafts are good too. Or also you can invite a local high school or junior high school choir to visit and give them a concert. :) (02/16/2007)
By Lily
My son made a gift for my mom she likes to use every once in a while, it's a board with three pegs on it, and three rope circles, and its a homemade toss game, she loves it and thinks of him when she uses it.
By shauna
I downloaded old songs (to us) from when they were younger and had a sing-in with them. I remembered some of the words from hearing my mom play records when I was a kid. They loved it! One lady who had not talked for a long long time sang some of the words to a song. It brought tears to all of our eyes! Music is good for uplifting your spirits. (02/16/2007)
By Barb
Playing with play dough is nice. Good exersize for the hands. Some of the toys that we played with as kids are great. An etch a scetch, slinky, puzzles, simple board games, and read along books on tape. I used to work with disabled children. They loved all these things. (02/17/2007)
By sandy
i think once a week it would be nice to go to an elderly home or a person's home that is in-bound. Visiting for about 2 hours just talking is great. You'd either remenise on how things use to be or learn about them and compare. Anyway I do this and have enjoyed it and learned for 3 years. (02/18/2007)
By LRP
I design crafts for the elderly and I have some advice which is true no matter what you're doing. Make your colors bright. Make pieces big enough so your friend can handle them easily. Most of my folks can't manage anything smaller than 1/2 inch across.
Don't stay for three hours: It puts too much on your friend. Keep your visit to about an hour, and then let your friend have a nap, a snack, her lunch...
If you are doing handwork or crafts, make sure there is enough light focused right on the work! Most people have no idea how much more light we need as we get older.
By blind quilter
I liked the ideas. I worked with elderly and found that they like to talk mainly about health and laugh. They also like sharing ideas about what to do when this or that happens regarding health. The seniors that I worked with like to visit other seniors. One of the biggest concerns was daily contact and next was food. (10/12/2007)
By nini
I find the elderly like to make necklaces and bracelets with beads. The beads need to have fairly large holes in them. I use hat elastic as it is fairly firm and easy to poke through the holes. even a blind resident can do this. I tape sticky tape to the end so that they don't all run off the end. they usually give them to me to tie the ends together. They like to make the necklaces for their grandchildren or sometimes we make them for the annual fair to put on the craft stall. (01/12/2008)
By sue
Most elderly residents are capable of using a brush to cover a sheet of card with coloured paint, cut the painted card into strips and laminate. The resulting bookmarks are a quick and easy way to boost self esteem. They look good, are useful and can be personalised.
(03/10/2008)
By Valerie
I work as an activities coordinator and one group activity my clients enjoy is to simply throw a beach ball to each other. They say the name of the person and a letter of the alphabet. The person who catches the ball either says a verse, sings a snippet of a song or tells a reminiscence story relating to the letter. (03/24/2008)
By claire
I have some activities aids at http://www.inspiritbuxton.com You may find useful. (04/12/2008)
I am a disabled person living in Council Bluffs, Iowa and would like to know of activities in this area for me to do. Please respond with any feedback. I would greatly appreciate it. (08/13/2008)
By Mark Cutler
I really need specific ideas for activities for the elderly. I am an activity assistant trying to branch out on my own. If you can help me I would very much appreciate it. Thank you email me at rwalker0012 AT kctcs.edu
(09/05/2008)
By rachel
I am the Activity Director in a long term care facility and have excavated ideas using the internet creating a positive way of integrating new ideas in my programs. My residents love innovation using conversation and memory stimulating techniques for lower functioning. Other residents love live music programs from vendors in the community. Have a Birthday Bash once a month to celebrate with cake, ice cream and balloons, they love it! We have coffee and word games every morning at 10:00 which gives them socialization with others and stimulates mind function. (09/09/2008)
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