There are many activities for older adults in today’s society. Many older adults still wish to get out and about for recreation and fun. I believe that this helps them to live longer lives and provides them cope with some of the issues that come with growing older. Many of these activities include:
- Silver Sneakers– a program that is offered to Medicare-eligible adults, which provides fitness memberships to participating fitness centers. Older adults can participate in fitness classes, seminars and other fitness related gatherings.
- Senior Olympics– older Americans participate on the state level in a variety of sports. The goal of the senior olympics is to hopefully win a national championship.
- Walking
- Fishing
- Swimming
- Red Hat Society– an organization for women.
- Traveling
- Volunteering
There are also many activities for those older Americans who cannot get out into the community. These activities are provided for older Americans who are confined to the home or a nursing home. Some of these activities include:
- Games-BINGO, various card games, Dominos, etc.
- Monthly Birthday parties
- Holiday Celebrations
- Musical Events inside the nursing home
- Resident discussion groups-some nursing homes provide these on topics of current events, literature, religion, etc.
- Arts and Crafts
- Religious Services
- Various Therapy Groups
Older Americans should be appreciated because they have lived long lives and many have participated in events that we will not be a part of in our lifetime. These adults need a lot of love and care and should be looked up to for the accomplishments that they have achieved. The Yale School of Medicine has stated that social interaction with older adults can have many benefits. These benefits include:
- Potentially reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases, some cancers, osteoporosis, and rheumatoid arthritis
- Potentially reduced risk of Alzheimer’s Disease
- Lower Blood Pressure
- Reduced risk for mental health issues (depression)
I believe that these activities should be a vital part to an older Americans lifestyle. When I become an older American I plan on still being active so that I can live a fun and potentially longer life.
Social Policy 
I really enjoyed this article. I recently celebrated my Grandmother’s birthday (78 years young). She is still very active and enjoys activites such as these. In fact following the family birthday dinner she and her friends were participating in a Senior Citizens Dance at a local community center. These activites keep her spirits high and allow her to continue to enjoy the life she is living. I am told they danced the night away with other Senior Citizens and came in way after her normal curfew. She and her friends were very proud of staying out on a lively night until 9:30pm. I will suggest to her some of your other suggestions for possible entertainment.
I found this article very interesting, I can definitely see how older adults lives could benefit from being socially involved and participating in the activities above. I think it is very important to interact/maintain relationships with older adults and try to keep them active, whether it is mentally, emotionally, or physically based on their capabilities.