Activities for Seniors with Vision Impairments

 

Rarely do people maintain 20/20 vision – especially as they grow older. It can be a normal part of aging, but that doesn’t mean it’s any easier to accept. This change will impact some of your day to day, but it doesn’t have to impact your enjoyment! Here are some activities that seniors with vision impairments can easily take part in from our assisted living team in South Jersey.

1. Audiobooks and Podcasts. This is a great option for seniors who love to read but have difficulty reading the small text. With an audiobook or podcast, you can enjoy “reading” without any strain on your eyes. Almost every book has an audiobook and there are millions of books to choose from, no matter your preference you’ll find something you can enjoy. The same goes for podcasts but they tend to be more educational and shorter than reading a book as they are broken down into episodes. Another beautiful feature of audiobooks and podcasts is that you can listen while you do something else, like go for a walk, or while you’re having lunch! The sky’s the limit here.
2. Arts & crafts. While most people would think you need a good vision for arts and crafts that’s not necessarily true. When it comes to creating it’s more about the process than the result. So depending on your vision, you can sculpt with clay, make collages or paint with bright, bold colors… If you’re still not convinced there are actually many blind painters who create amazing, breathtaking work, like John Bramblitt, or Jeff Hanson just to name a few.
3. Fitness. A lot of physical activity doesn’t require great vision. Something like chair yoga is a great option because you can get moving while still being grounded in a chair. Look for low-impact exercises and make sure you have an open space so you don’t bump into anything. Exercise classes or videos that call out the moves are a notable option if you’re struggling to see the screen. Remember if you’re following any exercise video or class it’s not so much about doing the moves exactly as the instructor but just getting your body moving, you still get all the good benefits of the physical activity.
4. Board games. You might be surprised that this is an option but many well-known board games offer visually enhanced options. For instance, playing cards with large, bright, and bold text. Dominos with large dots or chess with a raised board are just a few options. Many popular games also have braille options like scrabble, playing cards, bingo, and even monopoly!

UMC at The Shores

Thankfully in today’s world, there are a lot of options available to you if you are visually impaired. While this is a big transition to get used to, it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your favorite pastimes, they just might be a little different than before.

If you’re newly vision impaired you might want to consider making the transition to a senior living community. This can allow you to get the assistance you might need while still remaining independent and having access to all the activities and socialization you could ever need right outside your door. If you would like to learn more about life at UMC at The Shores visit our website here or contact us to take a tour today.

https://umcommunities.org/theshores/

This blog was originally published at https://umcommunities.org/theshores/blog/activities-for-seniors-with-vision-impairments/