Spotlight on Senior Social Activities
Spotlight on Senior Social Activities
Thursday April 27, 2017
Senior activities are an important part of life at the Abramson Center. Many research studies in the field of psychology have tested the principle of behavioral activation which encourages staying involved in activities to reduce the occurrence of depressed mood and other related mental health illnesses, like anxiety. At the Abramson Center, this principle was tested through the well-designed Depression Collaborative Study. The results of this published, multi-year study were integrated into our recreation program known as the “Kehillah Program.”
This program includes both general activities, like music concerts, book clubs, and religious services, as well as individualized interests which are identified in the Preferences for Everyday Living Inventory (PELI) assessment, a standardized measurement tool. Residents are asked to identify how much they like a certain leisure activity or routine chore. The feedback from the PELI gives information to the recreation coordinator as to what individualized activities or personalized interests should occur on each cluster or floor.
Senior social activities may include word games where as many possible words are formed as possible from a certain number of letters. Other activities may include horticulture or flower arranging, book club for those who love reading, visits from children from local schools.
Some individuals prefer one-on-one activities. These senior activities may include time spent with a volunteer friendly visitor who may share common interests with the resident, or simply doing a puzzle, reading a book or newspaper, or listening to music.
Senior social activities are a very important part of life. They have been proven to reduce or prevent depression and or anxiety and at the same time can enrich seniors’ lives by challenging their cognition and enhancing their social lives. The possibilities are endless. Explore, try new senior activities and enjoy life.
Previous Article
