Seniors are usually close to retirement or are already retired. Reaching retirement age marks the beginning of a completely new chapter in life. The fact that the daily commute to work stops is no reason to come to a standstill. In fact, there is now plenty of time to enjoy the good things in life.
This article about leisure activities for seniors covers the following topics - click with your mouse to jump to the section you want:
- Retirement isn’t a standstill
- Leisure tips for retirees and seniors
- Visiting community centers
- Learning new skills and abilities
- Taking a computer course
- Learning foreign languages
- Creative hobbies
- Reading and writing (together)
- Reading and page-turning aids
- Playing games in later life
- Sports for seniors
- Learning foreign languages
- Creative hobbies
- Day trips, travel and short getaways
- Traveling with incontinence - incontinence products
- Pets
- Volunteering
- Retirement job
Retirement isn’t a standstill - stay active and healthy
There’s no reason to be bored - even though many people find it hard to adjust to retirement after a long working life. Some retirees find it difficult to keep socializing, take up new hobbies or stay fit.
Of course, retirement brings some adjustments. For some seniors, their social circle may have consisted primarily of colleagues. Their children have usually long since moved out and may have already started their own families. People who live alone and widowed retirees in particular often find it difficult to make new social connections. They risk becoming lonely.
Work also provided a fixed daily routine. Not everyone can motivate themselves to do something when there is no obligation to do so. Many people also simply lack the imagination or knowledge of which activities they could use to fill their new free time.
But loneliness, boredom, or lack of motivation pose dangers of their own. In old age, the body and mind quickly deteriorate if they are not used.
A 2018 survey by Generali Deutschland found that around 90 percent of retirees spend their time primarily watching TV. Fewer than 20 percent of respondents were enthusiastic about more physically demanding activities such as gardening, cycling, crafts, or DIY. At least 28 percent enjoyed going for long walks.
Although conditions such as dementia or Alzheimer's are still far from fully understood, there is plenty of evidence that brain training and physical activity can help prevent them. Seniors don't have to become scholars or elite athletes to do this. Just doing “a little something” every day is enough.
Have fun together at senior recreation centers
Being active, creating something, or maintaining social connections also helps counter the dangerous feeling of being useless, which some retirees experience at the end of a long working life.
Those who give in to their boredom also risk burnout from boredom - even depression and general hopelessness. You want to tell these people that there’s no reason to be bored. That the world is more open to them than ever before.
Leisure tips for retirees and seniors - there’s so much you can do
In this blog post, we’d like to share some leisure tips for retirees and seniors to help you make retirement active and varied.
If you are already a senior and don’t know what to do with your time, ask yourself the following questions:
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What have you always wanted to do but never had the time for?
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What challenges do you want to take on to stay alert and fit?
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Who are the most important people in your life, and which social contacts do you want to maintain?
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Would you like to be an active part of other people’s lives?
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How can you help yourself with things that become difficult as you get older?
Based on your answers, draw up a plan for how you want to spend your retirement. Planning itself is already the first step toward avoiding inaction. If you like, you can also involve family members or friends in planning your leisure activities.
A tip for family members who want to help seniors:
Family members who plan activities for their parents or grandparents should avoid the mistake of being overprotective. It is commendable to support seniors in planning their time and to spend time together with them. But “the old folks” should still be allowed to choose for themselves what they feel like doing.
A word about physical impairments and disabilities
Even with physical ailments or limitations caused by disabilities or the effects of injuries, seniors have many options for enjoying everyday life. Of course, the options also depend on the type and severity of the limitation. But where your feet can no longer take you, you can get around in a wheelchair.
Reading aids, glasses, and hearing aids compensate for declining sensory perception. Many senior centers and other places where seniors can meet people their age are also accessible and well equipped to meet the needs of visitors with physical disabilities.
These are just a few examples, and below we will introduce a whole range of leisure activities for seniors.
Social centers for retirees and seniors
Social centers address a common problem among many retirees: they are retired and have often lost many social connections as a result. So it makes sense to visit places where people their age get together to spend time with one another.
Some retirees may have preferred their own company even before retirement. Some are content on their own; others may not have made any connections so far, perhaps due to shyness. No one should be forced to spend time with people. However, in later life, it is highly advisable to step outside your comfort zone and at least give it a try. You are never too old to make new friends and plan and enjoy leisure activities for seniors together.
Group trips or day trips can also be organized for retirees. One advantage of getting older: with a pensioner's ID, many events and admission to zoos, museums, etc. are cheaper. Although there is no legal entitlement to such discounts for retirees, using public transport is often cheaper too.
Many of the leisure activities we introduce below are offered by senior clubs, recreation centers, adult education centers or other organizations. The internet is a great help in finding these activities. Every year, more older people dare to learn how to use this “new” technology. Their own children or grandchildren often help them. There are also many easy-to-understand introductory guides in book form.
Learning together in computer classes for seniors
Learning new skills and abilities
Learning new skills takes quite a bit of free time. And retirees usually have plenty of time. It's quite possible that some skills are harder to learn in old age.
For example, someone who starts playing the guitar or piano in their early 70s probably won't become a master. But for many hobbies, crafts or other “skills,” the journey is the goal. You can have fun even while learning at a beginner level, while also gaining new insights.
Take a computer course
Computer courses are an excellent way to stay connected to modern news and entertainment media. At the same time, they help bridge the gap with younger generations. Why always have the grandchildren explain the technology?
Those who overcome their aversion to “uncharted territory” like the internet or computers will soon discover how easy it is to learn how to use them. A computer also makes it child's play to plan and organize leisure activities. Trips or courses at recreation centers can be booked online.
Some seniors even learn programming in their later years, discover graphics programs to edit photographs, or delve into the world of computer games.
Naturally, care should be taken to break up sitting at the computer with some movement. It’s easy to lose track of time when sitting in front of a screen—no wonder the grandchildren love sitting in front of their game consoles.
The minimum benefit seniors can get from owning a computer with an internet connection is the ability to receive and send emails and messages.
Communication is important, and the internet makes it easier to stay in contact with family and friends. With the help of chat programs and webcams, seniors can communicate with other users around the world in real time.
Learn a new language
Learning a language is excellent brain training. Adult education centers usually offer numerous different language courses. There are often also language courses specifically tailored for seniors. A senior meetup is a great place to learn in a group. This way, participants can practice pronunciation together, study vocabulary, and motivate one another. This makes language learning a rewarding leisure activity that is fun and trains the “little gray cells.”
If you want to spend your retirement traveling, it’s always useful to understand and speak the language of the country you’re visiting. If you have a favorite country where you always vacation, this should even be quite easy.
Get creative - you’re never too old for art
Many retirees fill their retirement with artistic activities. While art has been a lifelong hobby for some, others may have always dismissed it as “not a money-maker.” But artistic and creative activities such as painting, pottery or crafting are a lot of fun and offer unique ways to express yourself.
It’s a real sense of achievement to display or hang on the wall the artworks you’ve created yourself. Of course, pictures and sculptures can also be given as gifts to bring joy to others. Homemade gifts come from the heart. These are leisure activities that are also great to enjoy together with friends, your adult children or your grandchildren.
Coming up with artworks and bringing them to life, or simply letting yourself go during the creative process and creating spontaneously, is ideal for training cognitive skills. Translating your imagination into paper, canvas or the workbench also keeps motor skills sharp.
From painting to craft courses, there are usually plenty of options at adult education centers or local community centers. At such a leisure center, you can also paint, do crafts, or make pottery together with other seniors.
Many seniors discover their creative side as they get older
Reading or writing together - reading groups and writing workshops
Writing helps you remember. For example, write down your own memoirs. In doing so, even seniors who thought they were boring often discover that they have led a very eventful life. Writing down these experiences helps you remember and will surely bring back one or two beautiful moments from the past.
But even when we make something up, it trains the memory. And if you particularly enjoy it, why not simply publish your own book? Whether memoirs or a poetry collection, thanks to modern self-publishing platforms on the internet, you don’t necessarily even need a publisher.
Since writing classes are attended by like-minded seniors, there can be a lively creative exchange. Texts are read aloud, commented on, and discussed. Many friendships can also be formed through this kind of leisure activity.
Reading is of course always a good pastime in retirement, because there is plenty of time for it. Reading keeps the brain sharp because words unfold their meaning in our minds and create images in the mind’s eye. The brain’s positive changes are measurable and can be achieved at any age.
In research conducted at the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig, people of different ages were examined using magnetic resonance imaging to identify visible effects of reading. Researchers found changes in the cerebral cortex and, in adults, also in the connection between the visual cortex and thalamus. This latter effect in particular was expected to have a positive impact on the ability to analyze and correctly categorize information,.
Reading is therefore a skill that can be learned and improved. This is also known as reading proficiency, which describes the level of complexity of written texts a person can understand. People who read a lot often turn to increasingly challenging reading material over time.
Reading is even more enjoyable when you can discuss a book with others. Reading groups for seniors offer a forum where what has been read is discussed and analyzed. They also often set aside plenty of time to read aloud to one another.
Aids for when reading becomes difficult
Eyesight often deteriorates with age, which naturally gets in the way of reading. Motor skills can also decline significantly, which can make even turning the pages of a book difficult.
Glasses can correct nearsightedness or farsightedness to a certain extent. Sometimes, however, eyesight deteriorates so much with age that additional visual aids are needed to, for example, read small print.
A page turner makes it easier for people with impaired grip to turn the pages of newspapers or books. Even though retirees finally have enough time in their daily lives to read a lot, shaky or weak hands can get in the way of this pleasure. Their sense of touch is simply no longer good enough to grip thin paper and turn individual pages.
A page-turning aid with a strap is slipped over the back of the hand and has a long rubber tip that catches the edge of the page. Simple hand movements are all it takes to turn the pages. It may take a little practice at first, but even with fingers that are almost immobile, you can read books and newspapers again.
With a powerful magnifying glass, even small print is easy to read again
Playing games in old age - strengthening the mind and motor skills
Playing games has a similarly positive effect to reading - and most games also add a social component when played with friends. Board games, card games and other parlor games, whose rules you learn and apply, challenge the brain and keep the mind sharp.
Depending on the type of game, a wide range of skills can be practiced through play. Puzzles and guessing games such as Sudoku, chess puzzles or crossword puzzles encourage analytical and strategic thinking. Memory is a great game for improving memory. Other board or card games keep your reaction time sharp or require cooperation with other players.
Of course, it’s also fun to play together - in fact, it’s even
Exercise for retirees and seniors - stay fit and have fun
Exercise is especially important as you get older. Typical age-related conditions such as osteoarthritis or osteoporosis are more likely when you don't get enough exercise. Even simple movements are very effective – walking a few kilometers every day already has an enormously positive effect on muscles and joints, the heart and circulation, and general mental well-being.
Of course, some movements become more difficult with age, and no one expects seniors to become competitive athletes. If in doubt, you can work with your doctor to plan sports programs or exercise programs tailored to your abilities. Incorporate them into your leisure activities
Stay fit into old age with suitable exercise
Exercise is especially important as you get older. Typical age-related conditions such as osteoarthritis or osteoporosis are more likely when you don't get enough exercise. Even simple movements are very effective – walking a few kilometers every day already has an enormously positive effect on muscles and joints, the heart and circulation, and general mental well-being.
Of course, some movements become more difficult with age, and no one expects seniors to become competitive athletes. If in doubt, you can work with your doctor to plan sports or exercise programs tailored to your abilities. Incorporate them into your leisure activities.
In general, all leisure activities for retirees and seniors should be supplemented with at least some exercise. Those who are not as steady on their feet can use various walking aids.
The classic among walking aids is the walking stick, also called a cane. Leaning on one of these sticks while walking takes some of your body weight off your legs.
People who have greater difficulty walking can still manage daily walks or small shopping trips with the help of a rollator or walking frame. Rollators often have shopping baskets or fittings for attaching them. In addition, the wheels on higher-quality models can be locked, allowing the walking frame to be used as a seat for resting along the way.
Simple, senior-friendly exercise equipment for working out at home:
Auch in den eigenen vier Wänden lässt sich mühelos trainieren. Verschiedene Sportgeräte unterstützen das gelenkschonende Heimtraining für Senioren. Bei der Wahl des geeigneten Trainingsgeräts können Ihnen ebenfalls Ärzte oder Therapeuten Rat geben.
Resistance bands offer excellent ways to maintain or build strength gently and at your own pace. They allow you to target individual muscle groups. Since you can start training with resistance bands at any fitness level, they are also ideal for rehabilitation after surgery.
For example, resistance bands made of natural latex are available in different resistance levels. Each level is marked by a different band color.
Gym balls allow for numerous gymnastics exercises. Since they are very light, you can exercise with them safely and without much effort. They can also be used as a seat ball to practice sitting upright. Since falls must be avoided at all costs during exercise for seniors, a safety gym ball may be advisable. These balls are made of highly elastic plastic, which ensures that air escapes very slowly if the ball is damaged. So the gym ball does not burst like a balloon, but slowly deflates if it develops a hole.
Balance trainers keep important muscle groups fit that would otherwise hardly be exercised in everyday life. To maintain balance on the pads, numerous muscles in the legs, abdomen, and back are continuously tensed and relaxed. This trains, among other things, the pelvic floor muscles – a weakened pelvic floor is one of the most common causes of incontinence problems in old age.
Dancing is also a good “sport” for seniors. Even at an advanced age, complete beginners can still learn a few dance steps. Many senior centers or dance cafés offer dance evenings for seniors. Along with the healthy exercise of dancing comes the company of like-minded people.
Bowling/Darts – these “pub sports” are popular among people of all ages. They require movement and skill, but are not too strenuous. There are also plenty of breaks in between, when you can sit and chat with your friends.
Yoga is another form of exercise that strengthens the body and is gentle on the joints. Don't worry, you don't have to bend yourself into impossible positions - there are very beginner-friendly and retirement-friendly forms of yoga. For any exercises done on the floor, exercise mats are recommended to provide a soft, cushioned surface.
Swimming is another sport that puts little strain on the joints, as the body's weight is supported by the water. Water aerobics is also a great way to stay fit and mobile as you get older.
Water aerobics is gentle on the joints - ideal for older adults
Go on trips, excursions, and short breaks
The great thing about retirement: You no longer have to ask anyone when you want to take a vacation. If you want, you can travel at a moment's notice. Nothing is stopping you from enjoying a relaxing break from the working world and taking a carefree vacation for as long as you like. Many tour operators now offer excursions suited to seniors and trips. If you have health issues or limited mobility, there are also special escorted trips. The best senior travel providers often employ highly qualified tour guides and other staff who specialize in caring for older travelers.
Seniors with disabilities will also find many travel offers that meet their needs. Accessible hotels, buses adapted for people with disabilities and other measures should be offered by reputable providers.
Group trips make it easy to connect with others and form new friendships. You can explore faraway countries together and share wonderful experiences and moments. Of course, nobody is forcing you to travel in a group. Seniors traveling alone should also find many interesting travel options.
Travel may even provide an incentive to learn a new language. You are never too old for that, and learning a foreign language is excellent brain training. It also has the pleasant benefit of enabling you to understand the locals in your chosen destination.
No taboo: Traveling despite incontinence
Incontinence is more common among older people, for example due to illness or weakened tissue. Those affected sometimes hardly dare to step outside their front door, let alone go on a long trip. But today there are many medical aids specifically designed for the needs of people with incontinence.
Incontinence underwear or incontinence pads can be worn discreetly and comfortably under regular clothing. These highly absorbent aids make it possible to enjoy day trips with peace of mind. Modern incontinence products even suppress all unpleasant odors.
Special seat pads protect seats in cars, buses, airplanes, and trains.
There are also special, washable incontinence covers for mattresses in hotels or vacation rentals.
Pets keep seniors fit and happy – suitable animals for older adults
Pets can bring a lot of joy to life. Dogs and cats in particular are loyal companions and housemates. Animals naturally need to be cared for, which involves a regular daily routine with feeding times, playtime, exercise, etc. Dogs in particular make their owners go outside regularly, even if only for a short walk. In return, pets give a lot of love and affection and make you laugh with their antics.
It doesn’t have to be your own pet. If you don’t feel able to care for a pet around the clock, you could instead take on an animal sponsorship. Many animal shelters offer sponsorships so that even animals nobody wants to adopt can enjoy human attention. Often, these are older dogs or cats that may already have a few aches and pains and no longer romp around like puppies. These shelter animals appreciate seniors who treat them with patience and understanding.
The sponsor animals do not come home with you. You visit them at the shelter several times a week. There, you can play with, cuddle, or walk the dogs, cats, or other pets. Both sides benefit from this sponsorship, as the animals also stay mentally and physically fit. And perhaps some retirees who were skeptical at first may decide to adopt their sponsored animal after all.
Volunteering - Continuing to Put Skills and Experience to Good Use
Without people who volunteer, many nonprofit organizations would collapse. Volunteering is an excellent way for seniors to put their life experience and skills to good use.
When choosing a suitable volunteer role, you can draw on skills you have already acquired or try something completely new. Volunteer activities range from caring for children and teenagers or older people to office work at clubs or nonprofit organizations. Whether it’s social work, administration, conservation, or another volunteer role, these activities are generally unpaid.
That doesn't make them any less important. They do meaningful work that helps others. They can also make many new friends.
Boosting your pension with mini-jobs
Of course, retirees can also earn some extra money through mini-jobs. Admittedly, work is not a leisure activity.
But for many retirees who feel cooped up at home after a fulfilling working life, a few hours of work a week could be just right.
Having a job also provides the important feeling of still being needed. It often creates an opportunity to continue working in a profession you trained for - for example, in retail.
The choice of a suitable job naturally depends greatly on what seniors still feel able to do.
Many businesses value seniors' experience and offer jobs for retirees
Typical mini-jobs offered to retirees:
- Light maintenance work: In an apartment building, a caretaker usually has enough to do to keep the work from getting boring, without having to work constantly. Changing light bulbs, hiring tradespeople, ensuring cleanliness and safety - this is a meaningful way for seniors with at least some handyman skills to spend their retirement. You also get to chat regularly with neighbors.
- Retail assistant: Many stores are looking for temporary or permanent assistants to perform simple tasks. These can range from decorating or stocking shelves to quality control of products. Seniors are often also sought for customer service and sales - areas where many years of work experience are especially valuable. Retirees are often more relaxed than their younger colleagues, who are still caught up in the hamster wheel of working life, and enjoy customer interaction.
- Food service workers: A lifetime of experience dealing with people also pays off in the hospitality industry. Mini-jobs for retirees often involve working as a counter attendant.
- Helping care for other seniors: This is not about nursing care, but rather about social engagement. Active retirees can, for example, volunteer to accompany events at care homes or keep residents company.
- Driving services: Anyone who has a driver's license and is still fit to drive can earn some extra money as a driver. The jobs available are mostly courier services - for example, picking up laboratory samples from hospitals and doctors' offices, or delivering medical supplies to them. Taxi companies also sometimes offer mini-jobs for retirees.
Other job opportunities include working as an office assistant, security guard, or mail carrier. Simply check the internet or classified ads to see which jobs for retirees are available in your area.
Conclusion - Seniors and retirees have no reason to be bored
There are plenty of great ways to spend your free time at any age - and as a retiree, you have lots of time to enjoy them all. Whether at a senior center or other leisure facilities, or on your own: travel, keep your mind and body fit, or discover your creative side. Retirement can thus become one of the best phases of life.
Can you think of any other leisure activities for seniors? How do you spend your time in retirement? Feel free to leave us a comment.
