Summer Activities for Older Adults | Discover What We've Been up to Across Our Homes This Summer

Here at ACI Care, we believe in providing exceptional care and creating enriching opportunities for our residents.

This summer, we’ve curated a diverse range of engaging activities for older adults, ranging from gardening and social visits, to local performances and much more.

Read on to find out what our residents have been up to:

Activities for Older Adults: Animal Therapy

Research has shown that animal interactions can have a host of benefits for older adults.

Spending time with pets can offer our residents a sense of identity and companionship, whilst positively impacting their mental wellbeing, and enhancing their social engagement.

Engaging with animals can also aid in reducing stress among elderly individuals, providing significant advantages for those coping with dementia.

At Fairways, in line with our ‘Together-We-Can‘ initiative, we organised a visit from Annie the Alpaca and her companions, fulfilling the lifelong dream of one of our cherished residents, Dave.

Living in the moment, the residents enjoyed cream tea in the summer sun, whilst making memories with the friendly herd of alpacas.

Dave even wore his, ‘Adventure? Alpaca my bags’ hoodie for the occasion!

At The Old Rectory, we welcomed our beloved furry friend, Poppy the Dog, for her usual visit. Meanwhile, over at Mountside, they had the pleasure of a visit from the charming dog, Pat.

These visits make great activities for older adults, whilst increasing sensory stimulation and creating bonds with some adorable companions.

Activities for Older Adults: Keeping Moving

We aim to keep our residents active with regular social visits, local performances and engaging classes.

At Fairways, we took our residents for a senior lunch at the Levin. Complemented by an entertaining performance from Duck Soup, our residents enjoyed dancing along!

A local clarinet club treated our residents at The Old Rectory to a captivating performance, whilst Denis and his guitar encouraged everyone to move with him!

Mountside had the pleasure of hosting GFitness, who conducted an enjoyable exercise class. Whilst encouraging increased physical activity among our residents, this also helped to stimulate their minds and enhance their concentration skills.

Providing a range of activities for Older Adults, Gabriel Court residents experienced dance parties hosted by our wonderful carers, as well as engaging chair yoga sessions.

Music is an integral part of the day across each of our homes, filling residents’ heart’s with both joy and laughter. Additionally, it serves as a powerful tool to manage pain, enhance sleep quality, and create a sense of accomplishment and contentment among our residents.

Gaming Activities for Older Adults

To celebrate World UFO Day, Fairways organised a series of fun activities for older adults, featuring themed colouring and an exciting ring toss game.

The day truly was ‘out of this world’!

Additionally, we had the pleasure of our Fairways residents sharing their wisdom by asking: ‘What advice would you give to the younger generation?’, and it was great to see what they came up with! Head over to our facebook page to find out what they had to say!

Celebrating 4th July in style, Mountside hosted an exciting American-style quiz, followed by doughnuts and homemade milkshakes!

Throughout the month, our residents also enjoyed regular activities, such as bingo and lively karaoke afternoons. Singing has been proved to enhance cognitive functions, as it helps residents memorise lyrics and express themselves effectively, whilst bingo helps to promote coordination and comprehension.

Gabriel Court introduced an AR app to its residents, which saw them driving cars, flying helicopters and studying fish!

AR apps can help to combat loneliness by providing activities for older adults through interactive experiences. They can also promote independence and control by enabling residents to manage the tasks.

Our Fundraising Events

To raise money and awareness for Alzheimer’s, The Old Rectory participated in a charity walk.

Staff, residents and family members took to the local area on a sponsored walk, and managed to raise an incredible £913 for the Alzheimer’s Society. You can read more about the fundraiser on our website.

Mountside hosted our summer fayre, raising a generous £740, and bringing people coming together to enjoy a delicious spread as well as plenty of exciting activities.

Creative Food Activities

In the kitchen, our Fairways residents took to baking some delicious blueberry muffins!

Baking provides residents with physical, cognitive and emotional benefits, whilst following recipes promotes stimulation through memory recall, measuring ingredients and the use of all the senses.

Our residents also experienced an afternoon of milkshake tasting, where banana was found to be a clear winner!

Embracing the Wimbledon spirit, the residents at Mountside enjoyed a treat of strawberries and cream while watching the thrilling matches!

They also took part in a spot of baking throughout the month, which promoted bonding across residents, and provided an enjoyable activity for older adults.

Over at Gabriel Court, our residents indulged in mocktails during their tasting session! They enjoyed a range of refreshing, alcohol-free beverages whilst socialising with one another.

The Benefits of Gardening

Gardening offers an array of benefits for older adults, including better physical and mental health, improved balance, strength and range of movement, and reduced stress.

Both Fairways and Mountside residents took part in flower arranging. This is great for those with limited mobility, allowing them to connect with nature and feel a sense of serenity.

At Gabriel Court, our residents put their gardening gloves on and enjoyed the fresh air whilst planting some gorgeous flowers. This helped them engage their senses through the feeling of the soil and the smell of the flowers.

At ACI Care, we ensure our residents have a diverse range of activities available each day to enhance their overall health, happiness and wellbeing.

Contact a member of our team today to find out more about our homes and services.

Alternatively, why not read our previous blog to discover our 5 tops for ageing well?