Fun Activities to Do With Your Loved Ones in a Skilled Nursing Facility

If you have a loved one staying in a skilled nursing facility, especially a senior citizen receiving long-term care, then you probably know their wellbeing depends on family involvement. Family visits provide a variety of psychological benefits like positivity, encouragement, and hope, all of which have been proven to enhance overall health. But aside from joining a game of group bingo or catching up with the latest family news, you might not know how to spend your time during a visit. The best way to avoid boredom or awkwardness is to arrive with a plan (and supplies, if needed) for fun activities that will ensure visits are meaningful for your loved one—and you. Here are some suggestions:
 

Crafts
 

Making crafts and items by hand is a productive and creative way to spend time while socializing with your loved one. Try painting, knitting, leatherwork, stringing beaded necklaces, or making greeting cards. Working with various colors and textures is a great brain exercise, and the end products of your crafting sessions can be given away as gifts to other family members or nursing home residents. Another idea is to make seasonal or holiday-oriented decorations to brighten up your loved one’s room or common areas if the nursing facility allows it.
 

Games
 

Maintaining cognitive agility is important for aging loved ones, and board games and card games are a pleasurable way for seniors to socialize while keeping their minds sharp. Popular choices include Scrabble, Boggle, Monopoly, Sorry, Uno, and Gin or Gin Rummy. And if you want to add a physical element to your game time, consider investing in a Nintendo Wii, which is an easy, interactive gaming system that has become quite popular at nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities.
 

Mini Spa
 

Just because someone is retired doesn’t mean there’s no need to relax. Everyone can benefit from a rejuvenating trip to the spa, so why not bring a mini spa to your loved one? Try hand massages with scented lotions and manicures with fun nail polish colors or designs.  Aromatherapy candles or oil diffusers with calming scents such as lavender, chamomile, or vanilla will help create a relaxing atmosphere. 
 

Storytime
 

Even if you’re already close to your loved one, they probably have plenty of stories from their long life that you’ve never heard. Now is a great time to not only listen, but also to record their stories for other family members and future generations to cherish. Bring a simple digital recorder or use an app on your phone to collect precious memories and hilarious stories. Later, you might consider transcribing the recordings and printing them in a book through one of the several publishing-on-demand services available online.
 

Outings
 

Different nursing facilities have different policies regarding outings, but if your loved one is allowed and physically able to venture out, fresh air and new scenery can do wonders for their wellbeing. Suggestions include a walk in the park, lunch at a café, a visit to a museum, a drive through the countryside, or even a trip to the mall for some new clothes or accessories. Music concerts, plays, and movies are also great ideas, but regardless of where you go, the most important thing is the time you spend together and the new memories you create.
 

Fun activities every day of the week
 

At Bella Vista Health Center, we understand the importance of providing our long-term residents with a variety of stimulating and fun activities to keep their minds sharp and spirits up. At our skilled nursing facility in San Diego, we offer live music, group outings, birthday celebrations, yoga and meditation, and a variety of daily activities for the most comprehensive care possible. If you or a loved one is looking for the best skilled nursing facility in the area, give us a call (619) 644-1000 for a tour of our 5-Star rated facility.

8 Summer Activities for Nursing Facility Residents

For most people, summer is synonymous with fun-filled days and exciting nights, especially in a tourist haven like San Diego. But squeezing the most out of summer can be challenging for nursing facility residents, whether they are receiving short-term or long-term care. Meaningful activities are crucial to preserving a high quality of life, and nursing facility activities that reach beyond the basics (bingo, crafts, board games, etc.) have the best chance of providing the emotional and social support that are necessary supplements to rehabilitative medical care.

Because some nursing facility residents might have limited physical or cognitive abilities, the most effective—and fun—group activities are structured such that all residents are included, whether they participate or just observe. For some examples, here are 8 great nursing facility activities for summer:

1. “Drive-in” movie

For nursing facility residents of a certain age, drive-in theaters are reminiscent of summer fun, first dates, and even first kisses. Nursing facilities can recreate the experience on a warm summer night with lawn chairs instead of cars, a white sheet hung on an outdoor wall in place of a movie screen, and a rented projector. As for the movie, black-and-white classics are always a great choice, but newer films that residents might have missed in the theaters are a wonderful option as well.

2. Garden party

Beautiful summer weather means the perfect opportunity for an old-fashioned garden party. Nursing facility staff members can set up tables with decorative coverings and vases with flowers, and offer fancy sweets, savory snacks, and refreshing ice-cold beverages. Activities may include dancing, flower-arranging competitions, or decorating straw hats with flowers, ribbons, feathers, and beads.

3. Kite flying

If you think kites are for kids, you must not be aware of the many adult kite-flying competitions that take place across the world. Kite flying is fun and peaceful, and kites are inexpensive and widely available at most discount stores and drugstores. All that’s required to fly them is a wide-open space and a little wind. Whether residents are participating or observing, the rainbow of beautiful flying colors can transport them back to the lazy summer days of childhood.

4. Hawaiian luau

A trip to the beach might not be feasible for nursing facility residents, so why not bring the beach to them? Residents can wear leis, dance to music by Don Ho, and feast on traditional Hawaiian luau food like roast pork, teriyaki chicken, and fruit kebabs. Other fun activities include setting up plastic kiddie pools full of damp sand and offering a variety of sand castle molds, or bringing in a professional hula dancer to teach residents some moves.

5. Karaoke

There’s no such thing as bad singing if it comes from the heart, and karaoke nights are a great way to allow residents to let loose and show off their personality. Song choices should span decades to include everyone’s preferences; songs by Frank Sinatra, Elvis, and Carole King are popular favorites. Activity directors can set up the event as a free-for-all, or structure it more like an “American Idol” type of competition, which is a blast for participants and observers alike.

6. Prom night

Although high school proms typically take place in late spring, warm summer nights are perfect for an outdoor dance under the stars. Some local thrift stores may be willing to donate gowns and suits to the nursing facility, and local salons may offer the services of a few stylists to provide prom-worthy hair and makeup. To complete the theme, set up a prom photo area with a sparkly backdrop and print out copies for residents to keep.

7. Ice cream social

Ice cream socials might be a bit old fashioned, but who doesn’t love ice cream in the summer? Nursing facilities can offer a variety of ice cream flavors, as well as low fat, sugar-free, lactose-free and vegan options to accommodate residents’ nutritional requirements. And don’t forget all the toppings: hot fudge, caramel, whipped cream, cherries, sprinkles, peanuts, mini marshmallows, and anything else that would make a delicious sundae. 

8. Scavenger hunt

Scavenger hunts are a great physical and cognitive activity for nursing facility residents, and they tend to bring out the competitive spirit in most players. Scavenger hunts involve teams with instructions and a list of clues, which send them racing to find the same or different items before the other teams do. Prizes can be awarded to the winners, and residents who aren’t able to participate in the actual hunt can help devise the clues.

Rehabilitative care for optimal health and quality of life

If you are looking for a nursing facility in San Diego, Bella Vista Health Center offers short and long-term rehabilitative care with programs designed to empower our residents to reach their maximum potential. Our 5-Star Skilled Nursing Facility in Lemon Grove features a wide range of amenities, including fun activities, nutritious meals, and convenient concierge services. 
At Bella Vista Health Center, we take a holistic approach to wellness that addresses the mind, body, and spirit. To learn more about our facility and rehabilitation programs, give us a call at (619) 644-1000 or fill out our form to schedule a tour.