When we think of planning summer activities for nursing home residents, we often think of all the enjoyment that comes with being outdoors. The sunshine, the breeze, and the warmth can easily lift the spirits of most within a moment.
Of course, the weather doesn’t always cooperate with the scheduled events. So what happens when ambitious outdoor activities succumb to the rain?
Worry not! Here are 6 unique rainy day activities for nursing home residents to enjoy.
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| At Sympaticare, we keep our nursing home residents happy through enrichment activities... even on a rainy day! |
1. Spa Day
Who doesn’t like a good manicure? Don’t think that this is something only for women! Some men enjoy a good hand massage and the feeling of rejuvenation. This activity can be made as elaborate or as simple as you want to make it. Bring out the nail polish, gentle soaps, lotions, and soft towels and your residents will indeed feel pampered. The conversations as well as the quality time of physical contact will light up all those “feel good” receptors in the brain for you too! Just be sure to avoid strong fragrances and abrasive exfoliators as the skin tends to become more fragile with age.
2. Pet Parade
Does your nursing home facility welcome visitors or residents to bring their pets? If so, you can encourage all their owners to dress them up in fancy bandanas or skirts and take a tour around the building!
For nursing home residents who have lost a pet, this could be a great opportunity to smile as they remember their beloved four-legged friends. It could also invite conversations with residents who haven’t had a chance to meet each other yet. This social interaction could ripple into meaningful relationships.
3. Heritage Parade
So, maybe your facility doesn’t allow animals. No problem! Gather your residents and help them make some flags to represent their country of origin. We bet they will strike up some fabulous conversations with others and have some amazing stories to boot! Most people usually aren’t aware of how much they actually have in common with others especially when it comes to heritage and upbringing.
4. Photo Party
Encourage your seniors to grab all their photo albums and their favorite chair to join each other to reminisce with their friends. Photos bring back memories and can tap into a part of a person like nothing else can. Stories will arise and tears will be shed, but the connections that are made with one another through sharing are priceless.
5. Home Movie Marathon
Along the same line as a photo party, some of your nursing home residents may have old home movies!
Wow! What a privilege it is to be brought back in time to a person’s most intimate moments with their closest friends and family! For those who don’t have any home movies, the ones that are shown will surely start up their mental highlight reel from their child’s first steps to a special wedding. Pop some popcorn, sit back, and enjoy the show!
6. Chess or Card Tournament
Cards and board games are probably played often in your facility, but every so often the more competitive players want just a little more excitement. So let’s add a prize for the winner! On a rainy day, everyone can challenge their skills differently to attain bragging rights or a free box of cookies! There are endless ways to make this fun and exciting!
Rainy days can be great for catching up on sleep or your favorite television show! However, activities like these can certainly liven up the day for our nursing home residents.
Interested in learning more about the benefits of enrichment programs in nursing homes? Read more here!
About Sympaticare, a Nursing Home Management Company
Sympaticare is a locally owned and community-focused senior care management company based in New York state. We are committed to providing independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing facility owners/operators with the resources they need to establish and/or operate successful, state-of-the-art, and high-quality elder care facilities. Ready to get started? We can’t wait to hear from you! Contact us today.