8 Great Summer Activities for Seniors When Temperatures Rise

8 Great Summer Activities for Seniors

Don’t Let the Summer Temperatures Become an Issue for Those in Elder Care

One of the most important ways that seniors can stay healthy is to stay active! Our Great Summer Activities for Seniors can help. When it gets hotter outside, people tend to gravitate towards indoor, more sedentary activities. However, if managed properly, warm temperatures don’t have to mean that seniors are confined. Yes, it’s important for seniors to protect themselves from the sun and heat by wearing appropriate clothing and staying hydrated. However, there are many outdoor activities that seniors can and should take advantage of when the weather gets warmer. Here are some great summer activities for your senior loved ones to try when temperatures rise and the dog days of summer set in.

Gardening for Seniors

Gardening is number one when it comes to summertime outdoor activities for seniors. Working in the garden typically involves light aerobic activity, which is great for the circulation. But it also keeps seniors out in nature, which is good for breathing and general mental well-being and it allows seniors to stay creative. Even a walk through a beautiful garden doesn’t have to be elaborate in order to be beneficial. However, tending to just a few plants or vegetables can bring seniors a lot of joy, and help promote health and wellness at the same time.

Get Seniors Out Walking… at the Right Time of Day

Once it’s seasonally warm outside, it can be a great idea for seniors to get on a consistent walking schedule. A simple walk once or twice around the block can help maintain cardiovascular health and give seniors an opportunity to stay connected with the world. Some seniors can even combine walking with another activity, like bird watching. Just be mindful of extreme temperatures, and plan for morning or late evening walks.

Music in the Park, Anyone?

Concerts are a fun way to get out and enjoy a relaxing day or evening, soaking up nature and good company while listening to relaxing sounds of live music. Music-related activities can also be great summer activities for when it gets too hot to go outside. Seniors can bring out their favorite instruments or just sing along to some classic hits.

Photography

Thanks to digital technology, it’s easier than ever to take great pictures. Using a smartphone camera is something virtually any senior can master, and it can provide an opportunity to get outside, be creative, and appreciate the beauty in nature.

Swimming

Swimming and summer go perfectly together. By getting out to the pool, you can stay cool even when outside in the heat and get some great aerobic exercise without putting pressure on tired joints.

Tai Chi

Signing up for a Tai Chi group can be a fun way for seniors to be part of a community, enjoy the outdoors and stay healthy. Tai Chi has been found to help prevent falls in seniors and can help people feel more alert and present.

Berry Picking

Berry picking might not be an activity you do every week, but when you do it, you can make a fun day of it quite easily. Start by driving out to the countryside with your loved ones. Then, find the right berry patch, pick and choose your favorites. Next, make those berries into jam or pie for everyone to enjoy.

Hiking in Accessible Parks

Our Columbia River Gorge area and the greater Portland area are waiting for you to hike and explore. Many seniors just need a safe place to walk. Also, when a a hike is marked ADA accessible it means the terrain is generally flat making an easy hike! Our Portland Metro (a regional governmental agency) funded Portland’s Access Trails project! Everybody has different levels of strength, stamina. This project expands on local trail information. It is great help for people of all ages and abilities to choose their own outdoor adventure level. Check out this website to help you pick terrain-appropriate areas to traverse. Here are a few excellent trails in Portland to engage the out of doors.

Don’t Let Summer Beauty Pass You Up

As you can see, there are many great ways for seniors to enjoy the summer, so encourage the seniors in your life to get away from the AC and the television for a couple hours and really take in what the outside world has to offer. It’s hard to enjoy the outside world if your home life isn’t settled. When need help finding the right home situation for an older loved one in the Northern California or Portland, OR metro area, please contact Golden Placement Services for help today.

Original Post on Falls and Seniors on Aug 12, 2019. This post has been recently updated as of June 2022.

Resources: Read more from the Golden Girls Senior Placement Specialists: Find Care Facilities for Your Loved One

Here are some resources to help you learn more about Summer Fun and what we do for senior placement:

Diane Delaney, Placement Specialist Extraordinaire

Diane Delaney, Golden Placement Services — Diane Delaney

Delaney is the founder of Golden Placement Services. She began this business with a healthy dose of compassion for helping families make educated decisions regarding senior placement. Focused to relieve stress in uncertain senior housing crucial moments. For all those involved, Diane brings about loving change of lifestyle with grace. Beside being an accomplished executive manager, Director of Operations in senior housing she enjoys sharing her experience by writing about the full spectrum of the transition process for seniors and family members.

Read more from Senior Placement Specialist Diane: Ultimate Senior Living Resource Guide >>

LaVona Tombrelin, Senior Placement Specialist

Tombrelin brings a high level of education and experience to you as your Senior Placement Specialist at GPS. She loves writing about improving the lives of Elderly working in private care and in-home care for over 36 years. Geriatrics, Memory Care. Plus holds Master of Psychology Behavioral Health with the goal of advocating for those who needed a voice. Helping the families to make good decisions and to relieve their stress in uncertain times makes life worthwhile.

Learn More: Read articles from Placement Specialist LaVona: End of Life Transition a heart felt Guide >>