Bonita Springs, FL, may not be known for its icy winters, but when temperatures dip below 60°F, that's your cue to stay cozy indoors with board games, winter wonderland crafts, hot cocoa socials, or even a new skill. According to the Cleveland Clinic, up to 20% of Americans experience the winter blues, even in Florida!
Staying active with indoor winter activities for adults, including exercise, is an excellent plan for keeping the seasonal blues away. Being part of a senior living community also offers holistic wellness, from socialization to nutrition, to fight seasonal affective disorder.
Learn more about winter routines in Florida for creative aging.
Games are an absolute must during winter, especially activities that inspire strategic thinking and creative problem-solving. Board games and cards also bring seniors together, which combats isolation and boosts confidence. Getting seniors to participate in activities is crucial during winter.
Monopoly is the perfect indoor winter game. Seniors who enjoy finance or real estate will also enjoy this one. Monopoly is also a highly involved game that requires a lot of strategic thinking, including properties to buy to maximize value.
Classic card games are also perfect for wintertime activities, especially in senior living communities like Diamond Oaks Village. Popular card games include:
Winter is all about word games! Crossword puzzle books are ideal holiday gifts for seniors. Scrabble is a wonderful, cozy activity that challenges seniors ' vocabulary and word memory; it's an excellent game for sharpening the mind.
Of course, Bingo is a crowd favorite. It's both fast-paced and simple to understand. It can improve senior focus by challenging players to find and daub numbers quickly.
Tile games like Mahjong and dominoes also sharpen seniors' minds through pattern matching and object identification.
Winter crafting is a wonderful creative outlet for managing the winter blues. The Community at Diamond Oaks Village even has a craft room to inspire residents' creativity year-round. It's the ideal location to make nostalgic crafts that stimulate childhood memories.
Winter crafts also make thoughtful gifts for friends and family, like knitted Christmas stockings or homemade tree ornaments. Knitting (and crochet) are particularly relaxing as well, since repetitive actions help calm the mind, producing a flow state of creative expression, according to The Avenue Magazine.
Another enriching winter activity that you may find in an active retirement community is DIY snow globes!
This craft uses mason jars as the globe. Crafters can also use empty glass jelly jars or baby food jars. The next step is to assemble a winter scene with the following supplies:
Use an adhesive to fix the objects to the bottom of the jar. You could also assemble the scene on white clay to mimic snow. Final steps include filling the jars with water and adding drops of glycerin and a small scoop of glitter.
This craft is a delightful memory-stimulating activity. Working with miniature toys helps recall childhood memories of past holidays. Plus, it can be enjoyed as an intergenerational activity for extra bonding time with the grandkids.
Nothing says winter quite like hot cocoa! Similar to an ice cream social, a hot chocolate social is a fun and festive way to bring seniors together, whether it's at Diamond Oaks Village or a family gathering. It's also a sensory experience that improves memory recollection about the past.
Start by setting up the DIY hot cocoa station. This is a chance to use all those winter holiday mugs from years' past. Senior guests can also decorate their own mugs for the event or print their own mug designs online.
You'll also need the following:
You could also include additional sweet treats like shortbread cookies or candy canes.
Learn a new skill this winter!
Wreath-making is a festive winter activity that also improves senior dexterity and creative thinking. Wreaths can be made with real Christmas tree branch trimmings or artificial pines from a craft store. You will need a sturdy metal ring for weaving wreath trimmings.
Remember to keep securing the trimmings on the ring as you wrap. It's best to use soft and flexible trimmings.
After wrapping the entire ring, you can wrap another ring until you have your desired thickness. Add various accessories to the wreath, like artificial cranberries or miniature angels.
Luckily, Florida's weather doesn't keep seniors confined indoors all season long. However, on those chilly days, it helps to have some indoor exercises ready to go!
Start simple with indoor walks. This senior-friendly exercise is perfect for Diamond Oaks Village residents. There is plenty of indoor space for walks and an indoor fitness center.
Low-impact aerobics and chair exercises are two more ideas that are gentle enough for seniors with joint sensitivity.
This winter, start a book list to reignite a passion for reading books. It's an important step forward toward more lifelong learning opportunities, like online classes. The retirement years can also inspire a renewed sense of purpose through digital skills and mentoring programs.
Consider starting a foundation or adding more volunteering activities to your schedule. Community involvement can lead to purposeful projects that make an impact.
Remember these indoor winter activities for adults the next time you're stuck inside. This is also a perfect time to consider the benefits of joining an independent senior community like Diamond Oaks Village.
We invite you to learn more about our senior living programs and independent living events. Our guest program offers a two-day stay at our community to experience our resort-style accommodations and experiences. It's the ideal time to ask questions and take in the surroundings.
Contact us today to learn more!