The Importance of Activities for Seniors and Jokes

By Kathryn Cherkas, MPH WHY ARE ACTIVITIES SO IMPORTANT FOR SENIORS? Let's THINK! Brain stimulating exercises aid in better cognition, reasoning, processing speed, attention span, verbal skills, and working memory. Some of the tools we share through our virtual community verbally & visually, and others are physical, with doorstep deliveries of activity worksheets to members: word puzzles, number puzzles, and picture puzzles. PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES & MINDFULNESS Let's MOVE! Join our online instructor-led exercises that flex your body and mind at the same time. These activities promote physical well being, immune health, oxygen flow, blood circulation, lower blood pressure, better sleep quality, stress reduction and self-efficacy. CREATIVE ACTIVITIES Let's PLAY! Awaken your senses and play -music therapy has been shown to be effective in treating adults with dementia, since listening to and singing familiar songs can trigger memories (often time long-term memories) and recollections. Other creative play include art pages delivered to members' doorsteps, guest speakers sharing creative and interesting stories from afar, and JOKES! Humor evokes curiosity, playfulness, and creative problem solving. SOCIAL COMMUNITY Let's come TOGETHER! As social creatures, connection with others is vital to our health. Socializing with friends promotes cognitive awareness, creates a sense of belonging and inclusivity, replaces negative rumination with fresh, positive thoughts, relieves depression and anxiety, improves reaction time, lengthens visual attention, enables task switching, and improves quality of life. *Sources available upon request