Activities For Older People: Types, How To Do Them, And Examples
Currently, active aging and the creation of policies for the social participation and health protection of older adults are some of the central topics in debates on aging.
As part of this Different activities have been developed for older people that, far from being a series of exercises specifically for the elderly, these are already known activities but adapted to the needs of this life cycle.
Continuing with this, we will see below some activities that can be carried out with older adults, as well as the objectives pursued by each one.
Activities for older people and promotion of active aging
According to the World Health Organization (2002), active aging is the process of optimizing opportunities for health, participation and security, the purpose of which is improve the quality of life of people as they age. Its objective is to enhance physical, social and mental well-being throughout the life cycle, while promoting participation in the community according to personal needs, desires and abilities.
In this sense, the socio-educational process related to active aging can only be carried out if it is based on collaboration, participation and detection of the needs of the elderly themselves. This is, considering their background of experiences, their concerns, life stories and personal biography.
The above can be favored by two large groups of activities, such as the following (Bermejo, 2010):
These activities can be carried out in many places and institutions, as long as they meet the minimum requirements, such as space, furniture, tools and materials necessary for each activity, and human resources trained to direct them.
Thus, activities for seniors They can take place in civic or cultural centers health centers, associations, universities, public squares, etc.
How to plan its implementation?
The planning of each activity can be done through practical guides, cards or tables, where the following elements are explained: the justification of the activity, the objectives, the contents the particular strategies or activities, the necessary materials, the organizational aspects, the evaluation and the bibliographic resources.
This type of planning allows each activity to be adapted to the specific needs of the older adult or group they are aimed at. In this sense, it is important that the activities consider the preferences of the participants and the context in which they are developed. Finally identify and enhance present resources.
From there, the general objectives of the activities for older adults can be the following:
Types of activities and examples
As we said before, there are no specific activities for older people, rather it is about adapting existing activities to the needs of the older adult or the group of older adults, so that they can promote the previous objectives.
Thus, any already known activity is valid and can be adapted favorably. if the detection of motivations and needs of the elderly person is prioritized. In line with this, activities can be planned according to the three main objectives linked to active aging: promoting physical well-being, strengthening cognitive and emotional well-being, and promoting socio-relational well-being.
1. Physical well-being
One of the important aspects is to ensure physical well-being. This can be favored from two main areas: nutrition and physical exercise. In the case of physical exercise, the activities have the objective of promoting dynamic states of energy and vitality, which help the person to carry out the usual daily tasks, as well as enjoy active leisure, face excessive fatigue and finally prevent the development of diseases related to a sedentary lifestyle.
Activities can be developed to promote the following elements: cardiorespiratory resistance, muscular resistance, flexibility and balance, motor coordination, body composition, among others. To work on this there are many activities, for example:
2. Psychological-cognitive emotional well-being
This category includes a series of strategies to promote brain plasticity and cognitive functions. This can be done precisely through cognitive training, which includes techniques for managing information such as the following:
Relaxation teaching.
Training attention and concentration, through the selection of relevant information (selective attention), or performing more than one task simultaneously (divided attention) and finally activities that require long periods of concentration (sustained attention).
Abstract reasoning and verbal fluency exercises.
Categorization, ordering and classification tasks of the information.
Activities for solving problems at different levels of difficulty.
Activities that encourage curiosity and creativity.
On the other hand, and in relation to the next point, there is emotional training, strengthening self-esteem and development of skills necessary for assertive communication.
In the same sense is the prevention of depression and other ailments sometimes associated with old age. This can be worked on through direct accompaniment of the person in psychotherapy, but also in group sessions where experiences are exchanged. Likewise, work can be done through group or individual simulation of situations where different emotions are triggered.
3. Socio-relational well-being
These activities have the objective of promoting cordial relationships, maintaining social contact and increasing interpersonal ties. They help counteract feelings of loneliness and to prevent discomfort related to this life cycle. Likewise, they can strengthen socioadaptive skills.
Some examples of the activities that can be carried out in this dimension are the following:
Promote the creation of membership groups according to common interests, and play board games or other leisure and recreational activities.
Practical cooking workshops, which include the distribution of tasks for menu planning and shopping at nearby stores.
Group visits to stores or exhibitions.
Conduct cineforum, that is, watch and comment on films that deal with relevant topics according to your preferences and needs.
Talks where possible share practical information about the environment and the resources it offers.
Identify relevant content and initiatives to improve the information that has been shared.
Bibliographic references:
Bermejo, L. (2010). Active Aging and Socio-educational Activities. Good practices guide. Panamericana Medical Editorial: Madrid.
Fernández, F, Carral, JM and Pérez, V. (2001). The prescription of physical exercise for older people. Normative values of physical condition. International Journal of Medicine and Sciences of Physical Activity and Sports, 1(2): 136-154.
Limon, M.A. (2011). Active aging and improvement of quality of life in older adults. Journal of Psychology and Education, 6: 225-238.
World Health Organization (2002). Active aging: a policy framework. Spanish Journal of Geriatrics and Gerontology, 37(2): 74-105.
