As spring arrives, your parents are eager to get outside. You’re hoping to get them outside for fun activities that help them also stretch and tone their muscles. What are some of the best outdoor activities for your aging parents that you and their senior care aides can help them partake in?
Bird Watching
Bird watching is a popular activity. Instead of sitting and watching the birds throw windows or from their patio, get your parents up and active. Go to a local nature park and see what birds are spotted along the groomed paths.
If you have a nature preserve in your area, there will be plenty of birds to view along the way. It also gives your parents a change of scenery from their neighborhood or yard.
Before you go, grab a pair of binoculars, a checklist of birds in the area, and a bird identification guide. You can turn your afternoon out into a friendly game and see who spots the most birds from the checklist.
Gardening
Gardening is an activity that offers multiple benefits. Bending over to weed stretches the muscles. Digging and turning the soil over by shovel works out the shoulders, arms, and back. Bending over to plant seeds is also a gentle workout.
If your parents opt for a vegetable garden, they’ll have fresh produce through the spring, summer, and fall. It saves money at the grocery store.
Golf
How about a round of golf? Walking on the hills and flat areas of a golf course provides excellent exercise. It doesn’t have to be a full golf course either. You could take your parents to a miniature golf course to stretch out and have fun as a family.
If golf isn’t appealing, ask them about alternatives like disc golf or football golf. With disc golf, you threw a frisbee-like disc into cages along the course. Football golf is similar to golf only you kick a soccer ball into extra-large holes.
Swimming
If your parents have a lake, pond, or ocean cove nearby, swimming is a great activity for stretching muscles. If there is space, an inflatable ring pool isn’t overly expensive. They can fill it from their hose if they’re on city water and don’t have drought restrictions. Otherwise, they could hire a water hauler to fill it.
Do your parents want to do things outside but lack the confidence to go outside alone? Schedule senior care services and have caregivers there for moral support. Your parents don’t have to be alone. They’ll have senior care aides to remind them to apply more sunscreen, ensure they drink enough water, and take breaks when needed.