What Activities Are Offered in Assisted Living?

As you age, it may get more challenging to manage your household, especially if you do your own yard maintenance, snow removal and home repairs. Working memory tends to decline with age, making it tougher to balance a checkbook, plan your daily schedule and perform other activities requiring good organizational skills.

The good news is that you have plenty of options to make life easier. If maintaining your home is becoming a burden, think about moving to an assisted living community. Assisted living is for seniors who need help performing certain activities of daily living, such as grooming or getting dressed. Staff members provide personal care, plan social activities and ensure that residents have access to a wide variety of recreational activities.

Moving to assisted living eliminates the need to worry about the tasks that take time away from more important things. Instead of spending the weekend cleaning and doing laundry, you can have lunch with your friends, watch the latest blockbuster, take an art class or walk on the treadmill for some self care. The possibilities are almost endless.

If you’re thinking about moving to assisted living, it’s important to have realistic expectations. This guide provides an overview of the activities available in assisted living communities. It also explains the benefits of participating in these activities as often as possible.

Assisted living communities don’t provide 24/7 medical care, but they always have someone available to help in an emergency. Each community offers a unique combination of services and amenities, ensuring that you have plenty of opportunities to stay active.

Some communities have individual apartments, while others have private rooms for each resident. Once you move in, you’ll have access to daily meals, laundry services, housekeeping and medication reminders. Residents also have staff members on hand to help with basic activities of daily living.

The amenities available depend on which community you choose. Some assisted living facilities offer restaurant-style dining, allowing you to choose from a variety of entrées and sides at every meal. It’s also common for these communities to have gardens, courtyards and other well-maintained outdoor spaces, making it easier to enjoy some fresh air.

Activities are one of the most important aspects of the assisted living experience. Participating in social and recreational activities helps you avoid isolation, makes it easier to form strong bonds with other residents and gives you a chance to stay active. You can see an overview of the types of activities offered in assited living below.

When you move to assisted living, attempt to participate in as many activities as possible. These activities have physical, social and psychological benefits, making them essential for your well-being. Here are just a few of the major benefits of participating in social and recreational activities:

• Reduced risk of isolation: Seniors who live alone may end up feeling isolated due to their lack of contact with other people. When you move to assisted living, you have daily contact with caregivers and other residents, reducing the risk of isolation.
• Improved cognitive function: The term “cognitive function” refers to your ability to think clearly, learn new things and remember people, places and events. Doing puzzles, playing board games and participating in other activities has been shown to improve memory and other cognitive skills.
• Reduced risk of illness and injury: Many assisted living communities offer fitness classes. Getting regular exercise may reduce your risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, obesity and other health problems.
• Increased quality of life: You’re bound to have ups and downs at every stage of life, but it’s a little easier to overcome challenges if you have people cheering you on. Participating in social activities gives you a chance to form supportive relationships with other residents.
• Enhanced immune function: Researchers have discovered a strong relationship between socialization and immune function. Spending time with other people may boost your immune system, therefore improving its ability to fight off infections.
• Improved balance: The stronger your muscles are, the easier it is to maintain your balance. Taking fitness classes and participating in other physical activities can help you increase your muscle strength.
• Longer lifespan: Positive relationships help reduce the amount of stress in your life. According to research studies, participating in social activities may help you increase your lifespan,

Social activities give you the opportunity to interact with other people. If you participate regularly, there’s a good chance you’ll form strong bonds with other residents, reducing your risk of isolation. Participating in social activities also helps to enhance immune function and may reduce your risk of cognitive decline. These are some of the social activities typically offered in assisted living communities:

• Book clubs: When you join a book club, everyone agrees to read the same book and then get together to share their thoughts. Club meetings spark interesting discussions, giving you a chance to flex your mental muscles.
• Gaming clubs/gaming rooms: Many communities have board game nights and other gaming activities. When you play a game with someone else, you have the chance to socialize while keeping your mind sharp.
• Outings to sporting events and performances: Your community may organize field trips to baseball games, football games, musicals and other events. This gives you the opportunity to socialize with other residents in a different setting.
• Holiday parties: One of the best things about moving to assisted living is that you don’t have to worry about being alone for holidays. Many communities have parties for Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving and other special events, giving residents something to celebrate.
• Organized group dining: Your community may also have themed dinners or other organized dining events, giving you a chance to meet residents and strengthen your existing relationships.

Physical and exercise activities give you a chance to move your body. If you can’t perform certain movements due to your physical limitations, you can modify the exercises to match your ability. Participating in these activities burns calories, strengthens your muscles, keeps your joints in good condition and may help you avoid age-related weight gain.

Your assisted living community may offer these physical activities and exercises:

• Water aerobics: Water aerobics is just what it sounds like: aerobic activities that take place in the water. If your community has a swimming pool, you may be able to take water aerobics classes several times per week, making it easier to stay fit.
• Walking/hiking groups: Your community may have organized walking or hiking groups, giving you a chance to exercise while socializing. Hiking in a group is also safer, as you have other people around you in case of an emergency.
• Yoga classes: Yoga improves balance, may reduce the risk of cognitive decline and enhances mobility. Many communities offer yoga classes to help residents take advantage of these benefits.
• On-site gym: If you don’t feel like working out with a group, you can stay fit by walking on a treadmill or lifting hand weights. Most communities have on-site gyms, eliminating the need to go elsewhere to exercise.
• Tai chi: Tai chi combines gentle physical movements with meditation, which may help improve your balance and reduce the risk of falls. Some communities offer tai chi classes to make it easier for residents to stay fit and reduce stress.

You’re never too old to learn something new, so many communities offer educational activities to keep your mind engaged. Participating in these activities gives you a chance to develop new skills and learn. It may even reduce the risk of cognitive decline and help you avoid isolation.

Assisted living communities often offer these educational activities;

• On-site classes: Your community may offer on-site classes in religion, history, foreign languages and other topics. You can learn new things and broaden your horizons by discussing interesting topics.
• Visiting lecturers: Some communities invite guest speakers to give lectures on a wide range of topics. For example, you may get to hear a local author talk about the process of writing a book.
• Nonfiction book clubs: Joining a nonfiction book club gives you a chance to learn more about important people, places and events. For example, your book club may decide to focus on World War II or members of the British monarchy.
• Classes with local schools: If your community doesn’t have the resources to offer on-site classes, you may be able to enroll in a class at a local college or university. Some schools even offer tuition-free classes specifically for seniors.
• Technical skills workshops/courses: Your community might offer classes in flower arranging, computer programming or other practical skills, giving you a chance to engage in hands-on learning.