mental health header image
   
 
Mental Health Recommended Products
 

Hobbies Elderly Mental Health

Hobbies for the Elderly to Maintain Mental Health

Elderly people respond to mental health differently than younger people. They are prone to developing more psychological disorders and can cope less effectively to triggering factors of mental impairments.
 


Let's first take a look at how an old person lives-

Retiring could be one of the most enjoyable but dreaded years in the life of a person. Anybody who no longer has definite roles to take apart from being an older member of the society begins to question their own importance, sometimes even existence. Since a retired person no longer holds a job, he is free to use his time on any activity he chooses. The problem though is that he cannot establish a certain activity that would make life for him enjoyable for the rest of his life. He also feels that he is no longer important since his children who used to depend on him have already taken up their own lives, sometimes living him without company.

On most cases, people who are old are alone. They sulk into life without purpose, without direction, without the sense of worth. Slowly, they will have experiences that would negatively affect their mental health. They then become depressed, lonely and more prone to developing psychological disorders. Since the society give too little importance to the elderly people, it tends to disregard them. Until they become debilitated enough due to sickness, disorders and old age that the society begins to notice them. But then, by that time, it is already too late.

The usual life of the elderly is marked by the lack of support that will introduce them to activities that will revitalize their lives. They can no longer put up with their old activities since their bodies, by nature, are deteriorated enough to hinder them from moving and performing like they did before. However, old age should not always be like this. Old people should try to look for newer activities in their lives that would make the rest of their days enjoyable and worthwhile.

They say "you cannot teach old dog new tricks". This is a myth. An old person who is willing to learn will learn by all means regardless if his body or his mind limits him. Here are some of the hobbies that an elderly could do to increase his mental health:

Keeping your brain active will make you feel healthy

For some people, the mere fact that they are thinking and can still conceptualize thoughts drive them to be crazy about life. It is never too late to learn to write and for people who used to enjoy writing during their younger years, it is never too late to bring back their attitude towards literature.

Reading could also be a fun activity that would easily let the time pass. Old people who enjoy reading are apparently happier than those who sat idly on their couches throughout the day.

The music of your life

Your fingers may not have the same dexterity they had when you were younger but this doesn’t mean that you can no longer enjoy music. You can learn to play music instruments. The piano, for example, requires too little energy output but the internal satisfaction it provides is high. Also, listening to music could make you think of familiar thoughts that would drive you through the memory lane. This would allow you to meditate on your life. For most people, knowing the fact that they have lived their life well make them satisfied and at peace with themselves. Internal peace is central to achieving the right balance in life.

Pick up your old hobbies

Did you enjoy gardening as a kid or collecting things as a teenager? You can bring back those old hobbies. After all, you already have enough investments in the past that it would no longer be hard for you to start again.

It is often the case of losing the zest for life when one gets old. But through regaining your appetite for life through hobbies for elderly, you might find again that life is worth living for.

 
 

 
 

How I Lost 140lbs And Keep It Off (3/2010) - Basil & Spice


How I Lost 140lbs And Keep It Off (3/2010)
Basil & Spice
To look at me today no one would guess it —I've been at my ideal body weight for over twenty years and I'm a mental health counselor. ...

and more »

Read more...


The Tweetment of Research - Psychology Today (blog)


Psychology Today (blog)

The Tweetment of Research
Psychology Today (blog)
Good general advice on how to use Twitter can be found at Mashable Search for a mental health professional near you. 2. Clearly the Twitterverse is not ...

Read more...


Give the equality commission a break - The Guardian


Give the equality commission a break
The Guardian
Way, way, below that comes Mental Health (might as well be 100th) , while equally as low down, if not even lower, comes Learning Disability (101st) . ...

and more »

Read more...


Hobbies can help reduce stress levels - Buffalo News


Buffalo News

Hobbies can help reduce stress levels
Buffalo News
“Our mental health is really the driver of our physical health.” Ambres said that Western New Yorkers should pay particular attention to their stress levels ...

Read more...


Yakima forum will lay out ways to fight gangs - Yakima Herald-Republic


Yakima forum will lay out ways to fight gangs
Yakima Herald-Republic
A Sunnyside teacher who races pigeons will also be on hand to demonstrate the hobby, which is credited with building discipline and self-confidence. ...

Read more...


 
Translate Page Into German Translate Page Into French Translate Page Into Italian Translate Page Into Portuguese Translate Page Into Spanish
 
 
bottom bar