Older age and disability can affect how active and social a person is. For disabled adults and seniors with dementia, social and recreational activity is not always easy. The more mobility is limited; the more activity is limited. But, social activity is an important aspect of maintaining independence and a healthy quality of life.
Mobility, or the ability of a person to move around in his/her environment, directly affects fulfilling our basic needs and social needs. Social needs for disabled adults and especially senior adults with dementia are extremely important to continue to maintain independence and a good quality of life. Many seniors suffer from social activity withdrawal, involuntarily, as their mobility decreases. And many people with disabilities are often not able to maintain a healthy level of social activity through their lifetime.
Ways to Maintain Social Activity with Limited Mobility
Socializing with close friends and family
The easiest social relationships to maintain are those with your close friends and family. Continue to strive to call each other weekly and get together as often as possible. The more you continue to socialize with your loved ones, the more you will maintain a healthy level of social activity with seniors and disabled adults.
Physical activity
Even with limited mobility, aging adults and adults with disabilities should still get out and exercise to move their bodies around. This exercise does not have to be extreme. Taking a walk, stretching, swimming, and even dancing can all be considered exercise that will help maintain your mobility and independence.
Cognitive stimulating games
You don’t always have to move around to maintain a healthy quality of life. Games that keep the brain working are a great alternative to recreational activities and are known to help fight dementia. These types of games might include crossword puzzles, table puzzles, word searches and computer brain games.
Consider joining an adult care center during the day
Adult day care centers are an excellent alternative to helping seniors who struggle with mobility and are in need of regular social interactions. This is a cost-effective alternative to nursing homes and home caregivers, and will likely provide more opportunity for social and recreational activities.
At Nevada Adult Day Care Centers, we help our senior citizens suffering from dementia and disabled participants to continue to move about their environment in a way that is safe and is still providing them the social activity they need. To learn more about the social and recreational activities we provide our senior and disabled participants, view our Social and Recreational Activities Services and make an appointment to visit us anytime.
