Care homes focus heavily on their residents’ medical well-being. But a lot more goes into their well-being and ensuring their sunset years are as impactful and memorable as possible.
In addition to ensuring they keep up with their medical regimen, the residents should also have activities that help keep them busy in their downtime. Physical and mental activities, especially in group settings, can help them improve their social skills and add fun during their time at the care facility.
This guide looks at some fantastic entertainment ideas that you can incorporate in care homes, and some of them don’t require additional resources or funding to incorporate, making you the preferred destination for elderly people.
Here are some great ideas you can consider that will make social times and spaces in your care home more fun and keep the elderly residents entertained and occupied.
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Card Games
These are portable, simple, and easy-to-learn games. If you’re looking for something that’s both entertaining and competitive, card games like Solitaire, bridge, and Uno should be at the top of your list.
To make the games more interesting, grab a piece of paper and keep scores. Besides being fun, card games are also known to improve brain performance and memory retention.
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Art and craft sessions
The greatest advantage of arts and crafts sessions is that they can be done indoors or outdoors. Activities include colouring books or freely expressing themselves through painting their ideas or surroundings.
If some like getting their hands dirty, crafting pots and jewellery is a good way to stimulate their creative side.
Painting, making pots, or making jewellery are great ways to engage with residents in an elderly care home without blowing your budget.
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Sing along
You can never go wrong with music, which is why it’s at the top of our list of entertainment activities for older people. Music is fun, brings joy, and is nostalgic. It helps the residents relive memories of their ‘golden era.’ Whether you do it as a choir, please print out the lyrics for them to sing along, or rock it karaoke style, complete with the outfits; it’s a great way to socialise and connect.
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Dance
Dance is an enjoyable way to get your body moving. You don’t have to be an expert to dance; just a little energy and you’re good to go. You can choose to dance as an individual or with a partner. In care homes, having people from different backgrounds is the perfect recipe for making dancing sessions work. The residents can learn dance moves from each other.
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Book club
Book lovers would love to join or create a book club. It is an excellent opportunity to meet and spark interesting conversations with other book lovers. Whether it’s reading a book together or taking turns discussing a specific book that different members have read, book clubs provide the perfect environment to build relationships based on similar interests and also maintain mental sharpness among the residents.
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Cooking
Cooking has always been a great way for families to bond, so it’s a great idea to incorporate it as an activity for care homes. Group settings during these sessions are a great way to meet and make new friends and also learn new or traditional recipes passed down over generations.
During special occasions like birthdays, encourage them to bake a cake, and when done, sit and enjoy the results together.
Cooking can also be a platform to explore, create, and learn healthy and delicious meals that are good for them and their general well-being.
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Film Nights
Hosting moving nights is a delightful way to engage and spend time in the care homes. For the best results, have the residents choose the films they would like to watch and alternate these choices. The categories of films can range from classics to comedies or dramas to get their adrenaline flowing.
Elevate the experience of film nights with soft lighting, setting a cosy and comfortable environment with pillows and blankets for them to snuggle in.
Additionally, preparing various treats like snacks and drinks can enhance the overall film experience.
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Day trips
Whether it’s a walk in the park or a visit to the local museum or theatre, Day trips are an excellent way to burn steam, have fun, and learn new things.
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Jigsaw and Board games
Jigsaws are a great way to burn time and build teamwork. They are also a great entertainment activity if you’re looking for a low-budget option with numerous benefits. Besides being entertaining, they are also suitable for strengthening and improving short-term memory.
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Outdoor games
If you are looking for activities to build muscle strength and burn calories for your residents, try outdoor games. There’s no shortage of outdoor games that deliver loads of fun and help build strength and tone muscles, which is important for the residents.
Ring-toss games, Skittles, and bowls are some of the fun and competitive games you can try. To make the games more competitive and engaging, try dividing the residents into different teams.
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Gardening
Being outdoors and smelling fresh flowers and herbs is an exciting opportunity to lighten residents’ moods. The feel and touch of soil could also be a good sensory boost for them.
Gardening doesn’t have to be too physical; activities like watering, tending to flowers, and helping each other plant give them a sense of pride and accomplishment.
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Spending time with family and friends
Nothing beats the warmth of being close to those you love and cherish. You don’t even have to break the bank to do so; choosing an ideal time to visit your loved one in the care home over lunch or coffee will significantly boost their mental health.
You can set it as a tradition where you choose days where you do certain activities during their visits.
Whether dancing or playing games, there are endless care home entertainment activity ideas that can be incorporated into day-to-day activities for the residents. These can help promote the physical, emotional, and social well-being of the residents, bringing joy and warmth to the care home and minimising the feeling of isolation.