Importance of Social Activities for Seniors

Seniors either living independently or living in a structured environment, joining socialization groups and doing activities for seniors together to promote socialization with other seniors is very important. Doing activities for seniors that can promote socialization with other seniors and other people can help seniors in keeping their minds sharp and it can also help in preventing feelings of loneliness and depression. If you are planning to conduct activities for seniors in socialization groups, make sure that you will choose activities for seniors that will fit their present physical and mental state. You can also advertise your socialization groups online or through flyers and posters, to gain more participants and generate interests from seniors to join socialization groups.

What Type of Activities for Seniors Will They Enjoy?

Aside from taking into consideration the present physical and mental state of seniors, it is also very important to take into account that not all seniors who will attend socialization groups want to participate in all activities for seniors that you will conduct. If you already have an existing socialization group of seniors, you can ask for their opinions on what social activities for seniors they want to do and when is the best time for them to do it. In this way, you are not only promoting socialization among seniors and yourself, you are also promoting a sense of dependence by allowing them to help in the decision making.

Social Activities for Seniors in Socialization Groups

• Book Readings– Ask seniors to read a certain book for let’s say a week. Then after a week, during a meeting of the socialization group, you will a lot time for seniors to share their thoughts and feeling about the book they were asked to read. This type of activity will not just promote socialization amongst seniors, it will also help in stimulating the brain to function by reading.
• Trivia Games – Host a trivia night! You can split the socialization group into two groups or more. Then you will ask trivial questions, and the group who gets to answer the question correctly first earns a point. The group who garnered the highest score will receive a prize. Prized may be candies, movie DVDs, classic television series, etc.
• Daily News – Bringing the latest newspaper during socialization group meetings to discuss current events with the seniors. By doing this activity, seniors will be kept knowledgeable about current events, and this can also facilitate discussion between seniors’ opinions and thoughts about the daily news.