According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, September is Healthy Aging Month. National Healthy Aging Month is dedicated to spreading awareness about how seniors can maintain a healthy lifestyle. Seniors who remain mentally and physically active tend to have superior health and mental health outcomes during the aging process.
To celebrate during Healthy Aging Month, keep reading to learn more about how seniors can enhance their well-being as they age by enjoying some fall activities in Arizona.
Benefits of Fall Activities for Seniors
Taking care of your body by regularly seeing your doctor, eating healthy, and staying physically active aren’t the only ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle as a senior. It’s also important to take care of your mental health, and to enjoy yourself regularly.
One of the best ways to do this is to find ways that you enjoy staying socially active, physically active, and keeping your mind stimulated. According to the National Institute on Aging (NIH), seniors with active social lives who engage in hobbies and other leisure activities they enjoy reap the following benefits:
- Fewer instances of depression
- Fewer instances of anxiety
- Fewer instances of loneliness
- Less risk of dementia
- More likely to stay physically active into an advanced age
The Benefits of Staying Physically Active
The NIH notes that staying physically active with proper exercise is associated with the following benefits:
- Significantly reduced instances of death
- Decreased risk of various diseases
- Increased muscle mass (which is needed for maintaining independence)
- Reduced risk of falls
- Delays the pain and disability associated with advanced aging
Fall Activities for Staying Mentally and Physically Engaged This Healthy Aging Month
Not only is physical activity vital to healthy aging, but so is proper mental stimulation. Mentally stimulating activities, such as reading, writing, learning a new skill, or playing interactive games and doing puzzles, may prevent cognitive decline and dementia. In fact, a 2021 study found that participating in mentally stimulating activities may delay the onset of dementia (particularly the dementia associated with Alzheimer’s disease) by as much as five years.
Indoor Activities
To stay sharp and engaged this fall, consider the following indoor activities:
- Treat yourself to a fall-themed jigsaw puzzle
- Read a book
- Get a pen pal
- Invite friends and family over for a pumpkin painting party
- Enroll in a senior yoga class or get an at-home video
- Join a water aerobics class
- Invite friends or family over to play games that stimulate the mind
- Learn a new skill
- Make cookies or pies with the grandkids
Outdoor Activities
Once the heat of the Arizona summer lets up, it can be the ideal time to get some fresh air, sunshine, and enjoy some moderate physical activity, all at the same time. Enjoy fall outdoor activities such as:
- Visiting a pumpkin patch or corn maze
- Attending local fall events in Phoenix
- Enjoying the autumn leaves by going on a leisurely walk with a friend
- Enjoying some light gardening or yard work
- Inviting a friend over for croquet or meeting up to play pickleball
Activities Specifically for Nursing Home Residents
Patients living in an assisted living facility should get to enjoy all the fall fun as well. In fact, with a little guidance from staff, an assisted living facility may be the ideal place to create a safe, inclusive, and enjoyable experience for every resident.
If you or a loved one is living in an assisted living facility, consider the following fall activities for seniors in nursing homes:
- Throw a fall-themed party and let seniors help make the décor
- Start a knitting group for those interested in making winter hats for charity
- Collect leaves and do “leaf print” painting
- Have a craft day where everyone makes seasonal wreaths for door decorations
- Have a pumpkin-themed day with pumpkin treats and pumpkin decorating
- Have a chair yoga class
Tips for Families and Caregivers
Unfortunately, it can be easy to forget to include an elderly relative in the busyness of everyday life. But planning outings that are inclusive and safe can still be fun. This Healthy Aging Month, encourage your loved one to stay active by:
- Inviting them to go on fall outings with you and the family, such as the pumpkin patch or corn maze
- Inviting them to go on an autumn stroll
- Taking them on a car ride to see the foliage
- Inviting them over to taste test fall-baked goods
- Making sure to stop in with the kids for trick-or-treating
Encouraging seniors to stay socially, mentally, and physically active is a key component of healthy aging. This Healthy Aging Month, celebrate by encouraging the seniors in your life to get out and enjoy fall activities with you. If you’re dealing with mobility or pain issues that are hindering you from physical activity, check out Haven Health to see what services we offer that may be able to help, such as physical therapy.
Sources:
Healthy Aging. (n.d.).
What Do We Know About Healthy Aging? (2022).
Wilson, R. (2021). Cognitive Activity and Onset Age of Incident Alzheimer Disease Dementia.