How Do You Keep an Aging Loved One from Being Bored?

Boredom is dangerous at any age, but it has a higher risk of turning into isolation for seniors. Therefore, older adults need to find fun, new, and stimulating ways to remain active. Here are some of the things family caregivers can do to prevent their senior loved ones from becoming bored. 

Make Home Improvements

If there’s a particular part of the home your loved one doesn’t like or a repair he or she has brought up often, provide the tools and motivation to make some changes to the property. Your loved one can start with small repairs and work with you or other adults on more extensive renovations. Having a purposeful task to complete may provide a sense of purpose and boost your parent’s confidence. Your loved one will be so focused on the home improvement projects that he or she doesn’t have time for boredom. 

Encourage Socialization

Seniors need to get out into the community and socialize with other people instead of sitting at home all day. Socialization prevents loneliness and reduces the risk of depression. Your loved one can attend local fairs and festivals, enroll in senior-friendly programs at a community center, or go to gatherings hosted by family and friends. The objective is to get out of the home and into new environments. For seniors with mobility issues or other health conditions, a professional caregiver can be a great asset. At-home care experts are available to provide high-quality care to seniors on an as-needed basis. From assistance with mobility and exercise to providing transportation to the doctor’s office and social events, there are a variety of ways professional caregivers can help your aging loved one continue to live independently.

Fill Up the Daily Schedule

Whether it’s taking a nap, going to the store, or watching a favorite television show, seniors should have something to do throughout the day. Too much idle time increases the risk of boredom and loneliness. If you look at your loved one’s schedule and see a few hours of free time, ask him or her to go to lunch instead of leaving the schedule open.  If your loved one usually relies on you to alleviate boredom but you need a break now and then, consider having a professional caregiver take over for you. Caring for a senior loved one can be rewarding, but it can also be overwhelming for family caregivers who have other responsibilities they need to focus on. For these families, the perfect solution is respite care. Irving families rely on our caregivers whenever they need time to rest, work, run errands, and even go on vacation. 

Suggest Learning Something New

Keep your loved one’s mind stimulated by enrolling him or her in a foreign language course, a dance class, or an art program at a local library or senior center. Learning new things keeps seniors intrigued and joyful. You can find out what fascinates your loved one by sitting down and communicating with him or her more often. During the conversations, you can discover what your loved one has always wanted to learn but never had the free time to study. 

Encourage Journaling

Writing creative notes or nonfiction stories can boost the immune system and intelligence while relieving boredom. There are endless topics and writing styles seniors can try out, allowing them to switch from one subject to another while journaling. Encourage your loved one to write about whatever pops into his or her mind, then watch how organizing those thoughts reduces stress levels and provides something refreshing to complete.  Prolonged or frequent bouts of boredom can result in mental, emotional, and physical challenges for aging adults, but they don’t have to handle them alone. In Irving, home care agencies can be a great boon to seniors. With the help of the caregivers at Home Care Assistance, your aging loved one can lead a happier and healthier life. We offer a revolutionary program called the Balanced Care Method, which encourages seniors to eat nutritious foods, exercise and socialize regularly, and focus on other lifestyle factors that increase life expectancy. Call (817) 591-1580 today to speak with a friendly and experienced Care Manager to formulate a home care plan for your loved one.