For quite a few older men, who’ve spent a lifetime on engaged in career, family, hobbies and interests, the thought of settling in for a few hours of crafting is, to say the least, objectionable. The secret to identifying appealing hobbies for senior men is in first making the effort to dig back in the history of their lives to discover what caught their attention in the past, and then discovering creative approaches to integrate those ideas into their lifestyle today.
At Inspired Home Care, a provider of home care and recovery care in Lake Zurich and nearby areas, we enjoy getting to know the senior men we serve and offering opportunities to allow them to live life to the fullest extent! Here are some ideas that may work well for the patriarch in your family:
- Sports: When it comes to the sports enthusiast, take a look at one of the numerous gaming systems that allow for involvement in various virtual sports from the comfort of home – and sofa! When it’s safe and appropriate to go out, check out local high school or college schedules and take your family member to attend games he most enjoys: baseball, basketball, football, swim meets, golf tournaments, etc. Or consider the thought of planning future family get-togethers around his favorite team’s games on TV, recreating a live sporting event atmosphere with particular foods (like hot dogs and nachos), team t-shirts for everybody to wear, banners and flags for the kids to wave, and plenty of cheering, naturally!
- Outdoors: In the event your senior loved one was an enthusiastic fisherman or hunter, make sure he has a lot of opportunities to be in nature and to enjoy nature programming on television or over the internet. There are many zoos, nature preserves and other centers with live animal cams that allow people to watch animal behavior from the comfort of home. Check with your local parks to determine accessibility to fishing spots and boat rentals to find out if it’s feasible for your loved one to experience some time on or by the water, or schedule a picnic in a wooded area and take pleasure in viewing wildlife together. You may want to talk with organizations that help individuals who are differently-abled, such as the National Association for Down Syndrome, which occasionally holds outdoor events in which a member is paired with an adult to offer help with fishing or any other outdoor activities.
- Music: For those who played a musical instrument, sang with a band, or simply just enjoy tapping their toes to a particular genre of music, maintaining a connection to music is essential, and while it may be as simple as playing favorite songs and singing along, it could be made more engaging with a trip to a music store, attending a concert – again, the neighborhood high schools and local colleges are good resources for musical performances, or hosting a talent show for friends and family who are also musically-inclined.
- Work: Maintaining a sense of purpose is a must for us all. Men who are retired educators can volunteer to tutor or read to children through the library or school system; those who were proficient with tools can continue to paint, help build bird feeders or squirrel houses, focus on building model cars with the grandkids. Those numerous years of knowledge can continue to influence the new generation!
Contact Inspired Home Care for additional ideas to assist the older men in your life remain active and engaged in what interests them most. Reach out to us today at 847-787-7572 for a free in-home consultation to learn how our experienced home care and recovery care in Lake Zurich and the surrounding communities can provide renewed enjoyment and purpose every single day for those you love.