10 Ways for Seniors to Stay Busy Indoors this Winter – American Baptist Homes of the Midwest

Brr! Are you feeling extra cold this winter? We sure are.

It can feel extremely hard to feel motivated to find fun activities to participate in during the winter months. It always seems easier to snuggle up in a blanket. But, it’s imperative for your mental, physical and emotional health to stay busy—especially through the winter when we’re already short on Vitamin D.

Here are 10 ways for seniors to stay busy throughout the winter:

1. Indoor Gardening: Give yourself something to nurture, care for and love with indoor gardening. It can keep your aging hands stay busy and agile!

2. Keep Your Mind Active: Keeping your mind sharp as you age is very important. There are many ways to do this from games to reading new books, anything to help exercise your mind. Things like word puzzles or Bingo can help you improve your mental health and your memory.

3. Read Books: A great way to stay busy throughout the winter is by starting a book club. Even if the club starts with only two people, it will still inspire socializing and add a little fun into your life. Take turns picking the books, read them and in turn you’ll learn more and smile more!

4. Keep Moving: Whether your swimming laps or walking laps around your senior living community, staying active throughout the year is vital to seniors. Learn how to start an exercise routine over age 60.

5. Family Time: Connect with your loved ones by inviting them over for a weekly or monthly dinner. This way, you’ll have a set day each week or month to spend time with your family and you’ll be prepared for their visit each time.

6. Watch Movies: Create a list of all of your favorite movies or all of the movies you’ve been wanting to see and start to check them off! Make it a goal to finish the list by the end of March, just in time for spring.

7. Learn About Your Genealogy: There are plenty of ways to figure this out these days. Companies like 23andMe offer ways to figure out your family history in a quick and painless way. Otherwise, just speak to your loved ones about your family members and find out even more about your family’s past.

8. Get Crafty: Use your creativity and get crafty! Whether you decide to do a painting or a do-it-yourself craft for something useful to go in your home, trying new things is always a great way to liven up your spirit.

9. Try Meditating: Meditation has been known to be extremely beneficial for people and can improve our sleep, memory, mood, stress levels and our overall health.

10. Socialize: In the winter months, it can be hard to feel motivated to move around and be in other people’s presence but it’s extremely important to your mood. This winter, try and plan a weekly or daily tea time to start your day out on the right note. Gather your friends together and talk while you sip on your tea—it’ll be just as good for them as it will be for you.