Listen to your favourite music
Most care homes allow you to bring electcronics into the facility. With your newly found free time, you can use this time to listen to your favourite music, uninterrupted. It’s a great way to lift your spirit and motivate yourself.
Reminisce over old photos
There’s no better time to remember the best moments in your life than now. You can do more than look at those old photos. You have all the time to remember the events vividly, how it felt, and in that the moment, you can finally understand how much the memories captured in those photos meant.
Get some fresh air
Stepping out of your room to enjoy some fresh air is one of the best things you can do. If you’re lucky enough to be in a care facility with a natural garden or walk, take a stroll and breathe in the aromatic natural air, enjoy the sounds of birds chirping and singing, and the rush of wind against your face.
Read a book
If there’s that book you’ve always wanted to read, you have all the time to read it now. If possible, grab a few friends and read together.
Watch TV or a Movie
If you have a TV in your room, why not watch a movie or a TV show? There are so many of them you’ll probably never exhaust them all.
Call your friends and family
Keeping in touch with your friends and family keeps you calm and comfortable. The stories you get from home can help you stay strong and focused and keep you looking forward to the next visit.
Meditate
All our Leicester care homes offer meditation and yoga classes. If yours doesn’t, you can simply meditate in your room. You don’t need a lot of resources, just some quiet and a mat.
Make new friends
One of the best things about being in a care home is that you’re around people who grew up in the same environment as you. There’s a lot to share, laugh, and learn from each other.
Storytelling
Catch up on the best times growing up with your new friends.
Arts and crafts
If you like knitting, beadwork, or such activities, you can ask your loved one to bring you what you need and make ornaments and lap covers.
Gardening
Take part in the gardening activities at the care home. It’s quite fulfilling and makes for excellent therapy.
Painting
This is a great way to pass the time while making stunning artwork you can show off to your family when they visit.
Crossword puzzles and games
Challenge your mind with some crossword puzzles and other games.
Exercise
You’re never too old to start exercising. You can start now with the simplest workouts like chair squats.
Enrol in some activities at the care home
Care homes have various activities going on. These keep you occupied and help you make new friends with similar interests as you.
Make memory mats
From the old photos and clippings you have, you can make memory mats to keep those memories engrained forever.
Be part of the organizing committee
Ask if the facility plans any birthday parties or other similar activities and ask to join the organizing committee.
Learn something new
You don’t have to stick to what you know. You can learn something new like pottery, knitting, or crocheting.
Give technology a chance
If your care home allows you to bring a smartphone, you can try video calling or playing some video games in your free time.
Look after others
You can make it a point to keep another elderly company, especially those that are older and suffer from mental conditions like dementia.