Question

What type of activities or environments do you think would be most helpful in maintaining the intellectual functions of older adults who require skilled nursing care?

Answer 1

Ans) Nursing home residents with dementia for example pre enjoyed a variety of hobbies and activities before they moved to nursing homes.

- Yet their current activities in nursing home settings were very limited and uninteresting.

- Activities should be expanded and tailored to their needs and interests.

- Flexible schedule and provision of resources and accommodation is also imperative to engage them in their preferred activities despite limited functioning.

- Physical activities provide the foundation for all other forms of senior wellness. A sedentary lifestyle during the senior years can lead to greater susceptibility to injury, higher incidence of obesity, cardiovascular problems, and a number of other serious diseases. Oppositely, persons who continue to stay active into their senior years decrease the risk of these adverse conditions. Additionally, senior physical activity decreases the risk of stroke, cancers, type 2 diabetes, depression, and dementia. It also arrests the deterioration of overall health and allows seniors to maintain their independence longer.

- Elderly activities with a social focus are also crucial to overall wellness, especially for the maintenance of a meaningful and satisfying life. Without consistent social interaction, seniors can experience a variety of distressing conditions, including debilitating loneliness, depression, and an increased risk of dementia. On the other hand, when seniors consistently engage in social activities, they experience significant improvements in their physical, mental, and emotional health outcomes. Much of this improvement results from the ability to maintain healthy relationships and a continued sense of being part of society.

- Activities that engage the mental faculties are also incredibly helpful to overall senior wellness, especially in preventing or slowing the progress of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.

The variety of helpful activities is wide enough to accommodate many individual preferences and includes puzzle solving, dancing, board games, reading, and practicing a musical instrument. These sorts of mental activities will also improve the emotional health outcomes of seniors, especially when combined with physical and social activities.