The great Greek philosopher Aristotle once said, “The quality of life is determined by its activities.” His statement still rings true hundreds of years later! As humans, we thrive on movement, thinking, competition, and being socially engaged with our peers. We at Voyage can’t agree more with the late philosopher, and that’s why we have such an emphasis on keeping our residents at our facilities engaged in interactive activities every single day. Here a few key benefits to investing in activities:
Daily Activities Keep Depression at Bay
Depression hates a moving target. When we stop moving physically and mentally, it’s easy to fall into a depression. It can be difficult to engage in activities that we used to love when we are feeling down. Our brains have a funny way of realizing that once we are engaging in something fun, we have a renewed sense of energy. This energy builds to the point that soon you realize that you’ve been pulled out of the grip of depression by interacting with others and participating in stimulating activities.
Structure Leads to a Happy Life
Everyone thrives when there is structure. Nobody likes to play a game unless the rules have been laid out. The same goes with nursing home residents. It’s easy to sit in your room all day and focus on the negative. Structure helps keep life balanced and gives guidelines to help residents have defined routines and schedules that they can look forward to. Don’t you feel better when there is a plan? So does everyone else!
Activities Prevent Boredom
Residents in nursing homes find themselves in a unique situation. It’s a little like being a kid home from school on summer break. Those were the days, weren’t they? They don’t have to go to work, cook, clean, or pay bills. But if you were like most kids, you probably found yourself bored within a few weeks of doing nothing but watching television. Without all of the daily tasks taking up their day, it is absolutely vital that residents have something constructive to fill their time with.
Maintaining Their Identity
Our identities as individuals tend to be based on the things we do or have accomplished. Who are we when we are no longer able to accomplish what we used to? Therapeutic recreation provides the opportunity for new experiences and helps residents find creative ways to continue old interests that might be challenging due to disabilities.
Activities Foster Socialization with Peers
Residents often believe there’s no one in the nursing home they can talk to. This myth is dispelled through recreational activities, especially those that encourage the residents to speak up, such as trivia or group reminiscence.
Life Needs Purpose
Activities that allow residents the opportunity to contribute to society give purpose to life. Residents can raise money for a world-wide cause or create a gift for a family member in their art class.
Purpose can also be found in personal satisfaction such as besting a Wii bowling record or appreciating a musical performance.
To learn more about Voyage Long Term Care and the long term care facilities they manage, visit http://www.voyageltc.com.