The best at home hobbies for keeping the elderly mind active

It can be daunting for an elderly person to have a whole day stretching out before them with no plans in place, so we’ve put together a list of possible hobbies they could take up at home to not only keep them occupied during their spare time, but to also help keep their minds active.

Jigsaws/puzzle games

You can’t beat a good jigsaw. They are great for keeping the mind active and healthy. The more pieces the better, as before you know it you will have spent a good portion of the day trying to fit all the pieces together.

Other puzzle games such as Sudoku and word searches are also good for keeping the mind ticking over.

Chess/dominoes

Strategic games such as chess are great for exercising your memory and can stimulate the growth of dendrites, which are the bodies that send out signals from the brain’s neuron cells.

Birdwatching

Birdwatching has many benefits so becoming a bit of a twitcher at home is a great idea. You can install bird feeders in your garden and watch from the window as birds come to feast. Identify the different species, commit them to memory and continue to test yourself as new birds fly over.

The birds will certainly benefit from all that food too, especially in cold weather.

Knitting/crochet

Taking up a hobby such as knitting or crocheting is great for the brain as they consist of reading and learning patterns and repeating them. They are also great for your mood, allowing you to relax and any anxieties to drift away. Plus, all those blankets you make will keep you warm in the winter.