16 Fun Activities for Seniors Amid the Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered unparalleled uncertainty and fear in humanity and particularly among those above the age of 60. Seniors are more susceptible to the pandemic because they have chronic conditions and comorbidities, their waning immune response makes it tougher to fight off viruses and they take longer than others to recuperate. The best way of staying safe from COVID is by staying at home.

However, it’s easier said than done! Beyond a time, one is bound to be engulfed in a wave of boredom, loneliness or restlessness, especially retired seniors. Here is a curated list of fun ideas and activities that seniors can pursue to keep loneliness and such at bay, and instead cherish their time indoors.

A. Artistic Pursuits (Crafts, Hobbies, etc.) 

1. Drawing 

Drawing or colouring is an activity that can be easily picked up at any stage of life. There are umpteen free templates accessible online to print or colour books for adults that can be purchased online to keep you entertained for a long time.

2. Origami 

This paper-folding art is fun, extensively popular across generations, and adaptable to any skill level. Free origami tutorials across the net will help you to create origami airplanes, flowers, boxes, ninja stars, and other such projects. Even though you could opt to buy special origami paper for this, it can easily be practised anywhere and anytime with any type of paper.

3. Gardening

Gardening is a wonderful habit to keep seniors busy and engaged. Doing your bit to usher in nature is a beautiful satisfying experience in itself. To witness new leaves sprout, flowers unfold in front of your eyes while ensuring easily accessible fresh, organic, healthy, homegrown veggies and herbs at home can be a fun project and a wonderful experience.

4. Cooking 

Even if you don’t know or love cooking, the conversation and feelings of nostalgia attached to it are worth every bit of effort. It can be relaxing and therapeutic when done by yourself or a socially fun activity that can nurture strong bonds when done as a family. There are excellent free YouTube channels along with cooking shows on cable TV networks that provide a host of recipes for you to follow along. A lot of people have leaned on lockdown cooking for comfort while also refining their culinary skills.

B. Indoor Games and Puzzles  

5. Board games 

From traditional games like “Ludo” and “Monopoly” to new age offerings like “Ticket to Ride” and “Hey that’s my fish” there is effectively no end of options where board games for seniors are concerned.

6. Tile games 

“Mahjong”, “Dominoes”, “Scrabble”, “Boggle” or “Quirkle”, aren’t the only choices when it comes to Tile games for seniors. There are other engrossing & enthralling options like “Blokus Duo”, “Tsuro”, “Carcassone”, “Take it easy”, “Medina”, and a lot more.

7. Puzzles 

Puzzles aren’t just limited to traditional jigsaws but one can go for gripping ‘whodunit’ type of puzzle games such as, “Betrayal At House On The Hill” or “Ravensburger Scotland Yard” or “Family Pastimes Secret Door”.

8. Building games 

These engaging games require seniors to build some structures out of foundational material. For example, in “Sharp Brain Zone- 3D”, you will be constructing a cube and in the popular “Jenga”, you will be building wooden block towers.

9. Abstract strategy games 

Unparalleled and special strategy games like “Chess”, “Checkers”, “Hive”, and “Connect Four” are always cherished and lapped up by the seniors given the high intellectual stimulation they provide.

10. Paper and pen puzzles 

Classical paper & pen puzzle games like “Crossword”, “Spot the differences”, “Sudoku”, “Kakuro”, and others get regularly featured in daily newspapers or magazines. They indeed have created a league for themselves.

11. Card Games 

Research has stated that playing card games is advantageous for seniors as it triggers brain activity and improves their cerebral health. Card games are an economical option for seniors, making one exercise their intellectual, perceptive, judgemental, and decision-making skills.

12. Video Games 

Classic games that seniors enjoy like Solitaire, Minecraft, Animal Crossing, Nintendo games etc, have now been renovated and modernised for seniors to enjoy along with various newer options.

C. Enjoy music, dancing, karaoke 

Music and dance are fabulous drug-free ways to enhance the quality of life and also lower stress, anxiety, and pain in seniors. It has thus proven to be a very beneficial tool in senior care, specifically for those with dementia or Alzheimer’s.

• You can play your favourite albums or songs, particularly the music from your youth to revive fond memories and nostalgic feelings.
• You can sing along to your favourite songs using simple apps on your smartphones like “Karaoke by Yokee Music” or “Sing! By Smule”

• You can dance to your favourite tunes on music streaming services like “Spotify”, “Wynk Music” or  “Gaana”, or go the old school way and tune into a radio channel that plays your type of music.

D. Phone Calls or Video Chats 

Call and connect regularly with family and friends. Fortunately, in today’s time, Physical distance does not entail any lessening of bonding. For more interactive and immersive experiences, you could make use of video chatting platforms like “Zoom”, “Skype”, “FaceTime”, “WhatsApp” etc.

E. Social Media  

The number of seniors using social media is growing exponentially every day. Whether it is connecting with distant family and friends on Facebook, enjoying viral videos from YouTube or Tweets from their favourite politician, or staying updated with the latest news, social media in these times is keeping seniors more engaged and involved in the world around them than ever.

F. Armchair Travel 

Armchair Travel can take the seniors to distant places without them stepping a foot out of their homes. You can select a country or an exotic land, watch suitable YouTube videos, search them up on Google Maps followed up with the theme-based activities (quizzes, word search, colouring, “Geotag” etc.) about the selected place.  With services like Google Earth seniors can now visit far off places in real-time, visit monuments a continent away in 3D & see lakes, mountains and your own street with 360-degree live satellite view. Latest versions of Google Earth even offer guided tours around the world and famous places powered by NatGeo, BBC and the like.

To “flatten the curve,” health experts the world over have suggested that people should stay at home for safety against COVID-19. This has made your need for staying safe, while also being occupied and entertained a trivial factor.

Seniors rely a lot on their social connection and in the present circumstances, when isolated during the worldwide pandemic, they need this connection more than ever. This specific requirement of seniors to have a community or a helping hand is addressed aptly by the Emoha App and Moh TV – India’s first & only live infotainment channel for seniors, by seniors. Watch live interactive shows curated for seniors on several topics ranging from spirituality to health, fitness to food, art & craft to music on demand and so much more. Download the free Emoha App now, to overcome the pandemic isolation pangs comfortably and blissfully.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Are seniors more vulnerable to coronavirus disease? 

Yes. Due to physiological changes that come with ageing (including waning immunity), & potential underlying chronic health conditions, seniors are more at Coronavirus risk.

How can I stop my parents from getting bored? 

• Show them how to explore the world through the Internet
• Indulge in board games with them
• Ask them to write a letter to their loved ones like the old times

• Learn something new together – a hobby or a skill
• Let them work or volunteer for a cause they feel for

How can I motivate my elderly parents? 

• Embolden them to take up a few (and manageable) Goals.

• Egg them on to affirm their self-identity.
• Help and encourage them to learn about new technologies.
• Inspire them to adopt adaptive and flexible coping skills.
• Keep them positively engaged with other members and activities of the house.

How can seniors stay mentally active? 

Connecting with other seniors through community programs and social activities keeps individuals intellectually stimulated and mentally active. Participating in social activities through the Emoha App and involving in interactive shows for seniors on MohTV TV may support the improvement of the overall mental well-being of seniors.