Quarantine Activities For Seniors

Posted by Chad Scheib on August 12, 2020

Quarantine Activities For Seniors

As the coronavirus pandemic keeps us all in quarantine for our health and safety, it is more important than ever to stay engaged for the sake of our mental health and wellbeing. Seniors and their loved ones are now trying many different crafts and other ways to stay in contact that help to ease stress, boredom, depression, and anxiety in these trying times. There are plenty of opportunities to make hand-crafted items, which you can share with loved ones by mail. Here are some ideas for crafts and other socially-distant pastimes that seniors and their loved ones can use to stay in each other’s hearts and minds remotely.

Art

If you’ve ever wanted to improve upon your drawing or painting ability, now you will have plenty of time. Depending on what kinds of painting you wish to pursue, you will need a canvas or watercolor paper along with the brushes and paints for your choice. Drawing simply requires a notebook, writing utensils such as colored pencils or charcoal, and an active imagination.

Adult coloring books are another popular art choice. They have the nostalgic appeal of children’s coloring books with elaborate, calm designs that will keep adults engaged for hours. The Secret Garden books are among the best-reviewed examples.

Sculpting and pottery can allow you to make stylish bowls, planters, and home décor. You will only need air-dry or oven-bake clay and a simple toolkit to start.

Fiber Arts

Many people have started to take up or improve upon their sewing, knitting, and/or crochet during the quarantine. The Centers for Disease Control provide useful instructions on how to sew a cloth mask, allowing people to protect themselves while picking up a new skill. Of course, you can also sew for fun or to repair garments using a sewing station caddy, sewing machine, and solid linen yarn fabric.

Knitting is a both useful and engaging activity, ideal for multitasking. Kits such as We Are Knitters and Wool and the Gang’s tutorials and free patterns provide a good starting point for beginners. Mainly, you will need wool and needles.

Embroidery is also easy to learn while multitasking and can be used to add DIY decals to clothes and accessories or make cross-stitch artwork. It simply requires a needle, floss, hoop, and imaginative designs in mind.

Jewelry Crafting

Making jewelry is enjoyable for all ages, and some kits make it easy to do as a beginner. The Paxcoo Jewelry Making Supplies Kit is positively reviewed for its durable, high-quality materials. Making necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and other jewelry is both fun and an exciting gift opportunity. Sites like Etsy are great places to buy beads and sell your handmade jewelry.

Gardening

Many people have started gardening in response to the pandemic. Not only is it an exceptional chance to get outdoors for many people, but it also provides delicious fruits and vegetables and helps you set schedules. Many flowers, vegetables, and herbs can be grown inside with simple kits or supplies. For instance, the Spade to Fork Indoor Herb Garden Kit lets you grow parsley, basil, sage, cilantro, and thyme.

Letter Writing

Whether due to distances or simply for the enjoyment of receiving handwritten letters, many seniors and their loved ones are increasingly writing each other letters. They provide the opportunity to share sincere thoughts and accompany other gifts in the mail. Stylish stationery such as Dessie Blank Greeting Cards can make the correspondence more colorful and exciting.

Custom Gifts

There are many options for making loved one's custom gifts from photos. In addition to making scrapbooks the old-fashioned way, Artifact Uprising allows you to create digital photo books. There are online services for customizing most any gift, from pillows to puzzles, with your original photos; puzzles also make excellent gifts for seniors in need of engagement.

Candles are a relaxing gift to receive by mail, and making them is easier than you might think. You can find specialized wicks and waxes online for the ideal scent, and there are even kits for making scented candles with dried flowers.

Homemade baked goods are always a welcome gift, ideally if they can be delivered by mail. Treats such as cookies and chocolates are as fun to make as they are to receive.

Hobby boxes are also ideal for mailing. Making a hobby box involved decorating a box and filling it with items your loved ones will enjoy. Art supplies, crochet supplies, crossword puzzles, and other tools or toys mentioned above can all make delightful gifts.

Including Loved Ones Remotely

Seniors and their loved ones can coordinate all of the above crafts and hobbies together by communicating remotely. While some seniors are only comfortable with phone calls and letters, many are growing accustomed to texting, email, and social media. Families are increasingly sharing video chats over Skype, FaceTime, Zoom, Google Hangouts, and other apps. These programs make it easier for seniors’ loved ones to monitor their health in addition to lifting spirits with safely remote face-to-face interaction. Video chatting also allows families to share games and other entertainment remotely.

If all households have the same board games, families can play them remotely by video chats or phone calls explaining the positions of game pieces. There are also virtual editions of classic games for mobile devices, with single- or multi-player options. Remote book clubs are also becoming increasingly popular as they allow loved ones to read the same book and share their impressions through regular video chats. People can share movies and music even more directly through online streaming.

Although the current health crisis has served to isolate our communities, new technologies have revealed new ways of staying together. Staying engaged with crafts and games can help us gain much-needed relaxation and nice new household items as a reward for our efforts. Now is the time for families to find out how they can remotely share the activities they all enjoy. By coordinating these activities, loved ones can care for each other as any other visit would allow.

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