Getting your loved ones involved in various activities as part of senior living in Sanford, NC, is a great idea. Not only do they get the benefits of socialization which include better mental health, but they also are less stressed and physically active. However, if your loved one is not socially active, they may initially resist being part of events ad activities. Here are some of the ways that you can motivate your loved one to get active.
Find Activities That They Love
One of the best ways to encourage your loved one to participate in events and activities is to match them to activities close to their interests. For example, if you are thinking of getting your loved one to volunteer their time and knowledge for a charitable cause, it might help if that cause is aligned with the things they love. If your loved one is into environmental conservation or animals, find opportunities. This is likely to motivate them more to participate in the activity rather than volunteer in an area they are not interested in.
Seek Their Opinion
Rather than try to get them to do something they don’t want to do, it makes sense to find out what activities they would like to participate in. By getting their buy-in into the idea, you make it their own, which keeps them motivated to participate in such activities. This approach of pulling them into the idea rather than pushing it on them works more effectively and helps to keep their interest levels high.
Check Their Ability To Do The Activities
Another reason your loved one may be reluctant to participate in activities and events is that they cannot perform them. You or your loved one may be struggling with physical or mental problems that hinder their ability to do certain things. For example, people suffering from joint problems such as arthritis may struggle with any task that involves standing up for long hours. As a result, your loved one may get quickly discouraged if they end up with aches and pain at the end of the day. It is important to evaluate what you ask them to do against their ability. In fact, a good rule of thumb is to get a doctor to give the go-ahead, especially if you or a loved one suffer from any physical condition.
Make It Meaningful
Another common reason your loved one may be reluctant to participate in an event is that it does not offer any meaningful result at the end of the activity. People are motivated by different things, and it is important to ensure that whatever task you ask your loved one to do has a meaningful result. Putting together activities and events to fill time is usually a surefire way of attracting resistance from the participants. For example, gardening is a great activity that results in items your loved one can enjoy. These include fresh flowers or delicious vegetables, the latter of which can contribute to your loved one getting all the nutrients they require to stay healthy.
