Activities for Seniors
Breaking through the isolation with mental and physical improvement
A FOCUS ON LIFE AND WELL BEING
EMPOWERS
MOVING
An excellent way to increase mobility with exercises.
Social
Interactions
Encourages turn-taking, helps reconnect with others, and creates safe social experiences.
Cognitive Stimulation
Combines mental activity with entertainment.
Meaningful Play for Seniors
Seniors engaged in high quality, active play-based experiences will feel better about their physical capabilities and develop their willingness to communicate.
ACTIVITIES FOR ALL TASTES!
The activities we create are based upon each client’s needs and interests so our programs are as unique as our Seniors. We closely work with you to ensure we develop and deliver a safe and enjoyable experience for your loved one(s).
WE OFFER A WIDE VARIETY
Our activities for seniors are based upon each client’s needs & interests: our companionship programs are as unique as they are.
Our programs are designed to have multiple benefits through a combination of physical, mental, and social activities.
Increase mobility
Go For A Walk
A great way to improve overall health. The benefits of walking for exercise have long been known: hearth health, improved muscle tone, weight management, and engagement with the outside world. Walking with a friend takes the work out of exercise and introduces an element of fun.
Gardening
Being outside and caring for nature helps people feel connected to the world. It allows them to practice nurturing while also beautifying the environment. Gardening is relaxing and educational, and weeding with a friend is a great way to spend a morning or afternoon.
Travel
Always wanted to discover a place but never dared to travel by yourself? Let your ZestFriend become your best travel buddy! Travel inspires, teaches, surprises and makes us feel alive. Discover the country or even the world with peace in mind; we will organize the whole journey for you and share it with you!
Outings and Excursions
Adventure enlivens the mind and opens it to new experiences. Visiting a museum, going to tea, hiking, a sightseeing tour of historic homes – the possibilities are endless. An excursion with a friend can be the highlight of a week. Outings help with social anxiety and increase physical and cognitive abilities.
Cooking
Whether it is a culinary class or cooking with a friend at home, preparing a meal is more fun when you do it with someone. Cooking can be adventurous new foods and flavors, or it can be comforting familiar favorite dishes. Cooking allows for social engagement while also offering opportunities to practice coordination and cognitive abilities.
Sports
Whether it’s watching them on TV or playing them together, sports are just plain fun. Cheering for our favorite team (or booing the opponents), an afternoon of tennis or golf, or watching the local little league play, sports bring people together in a common bond that reminds us all that participating in community events is wonderful.
Yoga
Good for the body, mind, and spirt, yoga has multiple benefits that help people at every level. From experts to beginners, yoga offers something to everyone: increased coordination, stress relief, improved muscle tone and flexibility, and a sense of wellbeing. And practicing yoga with a friend makes the experience more fun!
Stimulate the mind
Write Your Life Book
They say everyone has a book in them – and it’s true. From memoir to the Great American Novel, writing “your life book” can take many forms. Sometimes all someone needs is a friend to encourage them and give them a little push to start. Writing improves cognitive abilities, language use, creativity, and is educational. Plus, it could be a great gift for the kids and grandkids!
Arts and Crafts
Painting, embroidery, scrapbooking: the meaning of arts and crafts is a varied as the artists and creators who practice them. From an art class to a pottery workshop to simple watercolors on a homemade easel, arts and crafts increase cognitive abilities, reduce stress, and allow for moments of social sharing.
Pet Therapy
Working with animals is a wonderful way to reduce stress, relieve anxiety, and feel useful. Working with a friend makes therapy all the more fun and can help reduce the stigma of “therapy” that some people feel. Whether it’s an official therapy class or volunteering at the local animal shelter, animals and friends are the perfect combination.
Spa
Relaxing at a Spa is a treat – and sharing it with a friend makes it fun. Everyone deserves to be pampered, but sometimes people are shy about indulging. Taking a friend along reduces anxiety and allows for social engagement.
Reading
From reading aloud with a friend to joining a book club, reading is far from a solitary activity. Reading increases cognitive abilities and allows for social interaction, without requiring a lot of physical movement.
Music Therapy
Music has a way of making people feel good. Sharing music with a friend, whether learning together or performing together, helps bring people together. Playing music, or simply listening to music, improves cognitive abilities, coordination, and can help relieve stress and anxiety.
Learn a New Language
Spanish and French are popular languages, and many people would love to speak one (or both!) better. Learning with a friend takes the work out of education and makes practicing fun. Learning a new language increases cognitive functions and builds confidence while providing many new opportunities for social engagement, n’est-ce-pas?
Playing Games
Games are not just for kids! An afternoon laughing over cards, a Monopoly championship match, throwing horseshoes in the backyard: there is more than one type of game and more than one way to have fun. Games improve cognitive ability and social skills – and build joy.
Continuing Education/Classes
Learning new (or brushing up on) subjects can be exhilarating. It can also feel daunting, but going to class with a friend takes all the fear and anxiety away. Going to the local community college or taking a class offered by a local organization or online is a great way to increase social skills and improve cognitive abilities. Learning offers new ways to think about the world and offers different perspectives on problem solving.
Meditation
Mindful meditation has many potential physical and psychological benefits for older adults, including better focus, enhanced calmness, less stress, and improved sleep. It can even help adults come to terms with the challenges of aging. Meditation stimulates the memory centers within the brain.
Movies
Going to the movies, or watching movies at home, is a wonderful way to be entertained while allowing time for social activity. A trip to the movies, or sharing popcorn at home, creates moments of happiness that brighten the week.
Reconnect with others
Spiritual
Taking a friend to your favorite spiritual sanctuary is a wonderful way to connect with others. Practicing some form of spirituality helps people cope with anxiety and stress, while offering opportunities for relaxation and sense of peace.
Community Volunteering
Feeling needed and having a sense of contributing are essential aspects of happiness. Many people would like to volunteer with an organization but are shy about doing so alone. Volunteering with a friend makes it just a little easier to work among strangers. Volunteering increases social skills and gives people a sense of purpose.
Karaoke
Lots of people love to sing and sharing favorite songs with a friend is a great way to enjoy a fun moment. Sing like no one is watching! Karaoke builds bonds of trust while also helping with physical speech and memory.