It feels like overnight, the ground has become blanketed with a soft frost, and we are reaching for winter jackets in the wardrobe. The change of seasons means we are spending the days bundled in hats, scarves, and mittens while dreaming of crackling fires and cups of cocoa. While hustling through your daily schedule, you wonder how the frigid temperatures impact your beloved family members. Growing up, you loved shoveling your grandparents’ driveway and making forts in their front yards. As you’ve grown up, you realized the importance of this simple act and how important it is to visit your parents. Winter is especially challenging for the seniors and leads to months of isolation. Keep everyone toasty with our list of winter activities for adults, ensuring a reason to smile through the season.
Staying Safe Tips For Winter Season
It is even more important to stay vigilant about your older family members’ safety with the colder temperatures. They are more vulnerable than others with black ice and biting winds, and a simple walk can be challenging. Follow these winter weather safety tips to keep everyone safe.
Keep Emergency Supplies Stocked
With the frosty temperatures, an unexpected power outage can be life-threatening. Double-check that your parents and older family members have an emergency kit at home including candles, blankets, a flashlight, and batteries. During this frosty season, it is also important to keep daily medication stocked at a minimum of a week.
Review Road Safety
If your older family members are still driving, make sure they are up-to-date with winter road safety tips. These include what to do during whiteout conditions or how to handle a patch of black ice. Double-check their car has a spare tire, up-to-date insurance, and a winter emergency kit complete with a bottle of water and blanket.
Eliminate Unnecessary Errands
During the colder months, winter safety also includes eliminating unnecessary errands. Find a neighborhood volunteer or a snow removal company that will also salt any walkways your relatives use. We also recommend switching to a grocery delivery service.
Other Precautions To Consider
Double-check your relatives’ footwear for non-skid soles. If they use any mobility aids like canes or walkers, make sure to check that the rubber tips are not worn down and replace them if necessary.
Indoor Winter Activities For Adults
We’ve made a fun list of winter activities for adults that happen in the warmth and safety of their homes. Find out how to fight the winter blues by staying toasty this season.
Movie Night
What’s better than popping the corn and settling in for a family classic or new blockbuster movie? Taking turns picking the film also gives everyone a chance to share their passions and discuss entertainment changes.
Puzzles
Guaranteed hours of winter fun, a puzzle is great for also keeping our brains engaged. If your relatives do this activity alone, it’s a great way to help with memory and focus.
Home Workouts
With the dangers of a slip and fall increasing outside, encourage your beloved family members to do simple workouts at home. Daily stretching is a great way to stay limber, and daily exercise will also help regulate your relatives’ levels, which helps improve their brain function and increases feelings of happiness and well-being.
Trying New Recipes Together
Pick a day that works for everyone’s schedule and fill the house with the delicious aromas of home cooking. Trying a new recipe together is a great way to make sure your relatives maintain a nutritious diet and gives you a chance to restock their fridge with staple items and easy to reheat leftovers.
Make A Gingerbread House
Take a walk down memory lane with this nostalgic activity. As you build the gingerbread house together, it’s an excellent chance to bring up favorite memories and connect on new experiences.
Outdoor Winter Activities For Adults
During the winter months, the fresh outdoor air can be great in short bursts. The main thing to remember is to keep your relatives hydrated and warm.
Find A Scenic Walk Route
During the cold weather, there are many beautiful outdoor decorations. Pick a spot for you both to enjoy a walk and find somewhere to enjoy a warm cup of coffee afterward. Also, if the spot is popular it will be well maintained and easier to walk without falling.
Outdoor Exercise
Depending on your parents’ fitness levels, they might enjoy going ice skating, sledding, or cross country skiing. These are all great excuses to get a bit of cardio and spend time together as a family.
Attend A Local Sport Event
Check if any local teams are playing sporting events, and make a day of cheering for the home team. This activity is a great balance of going outdoors but staying comfortable.
The Right Time To Transition
One perk of moving into a community space before winter is potentially escaping the seasonal blues. When you live alone, the winter months can highlight loneliness and isolation. Living in 12 Oaks managed communities, we encourage friendships and offer daily support.
We love to make every day festive at your local 12 Oaks Senior Living Community and plan a month-long social calendar focusing on exercise and creative winter activities for adults of all ages.
If you have questions about winter activities for adults or any conditions discussed here, connect with us and learn more.
At 12 Oaks, our team of caring professionals is dedicated to keeping residents safe, engaged, and connected to their families and friends while still leading fulfilling lives. There’s no better place to enjoy the encore season of life than at a 12 Oaks community. For questions or to schedule a visit, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
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