Activity Suggestions Brain Fitness • Zoo tour Brain Fitness is a popular topic among • Historic walking tour of homes, older adults. Here are some ideas to incor- museum, town square, etc. porate brain fitness as part of your Senior Day event. Copy the brain fitness senior • Designated location walk—to and health information handouts to distribute at from a place of interest or an event your event. • art gallery or exhibit • Tai Chi demonstration. Recent research • band shell featuring live entertainment shows that this ancient Chinese exercise • Mall walk with incentives at may help improve mental health and checkpoints or after each lap activity. • Scavenger hunt/treasure hunt • Brain Healthy Foods. Invite a local medical/health expert to discuss how Exercising certain foods can help maintain your brain health. The following exercise activities are organized into three groups, based on the • Physical Activity and Brain Health. primary benefit derived from the exercise: Recent studies show regular physical aerobic, strength, or flexibility. You might activity can help brain health. Invite a want to offer at least one activity from each local health educator to discuss the ben- benefit group to emphasize the importance efit of regular exercise for brain fitness. of cross-training. Walking • Aerobic exercise for cardiovascular strength, weight management, • Scenic walk. Through a public park, and endurance with checkpoints along the way. At each • aerobics/step aerobics station, participants answer health ques- tions and get their walk/run log stamped. • low-impact aerobics • Jazzercise® • Fitness trail with exercise stations ® along the way • Tae Bo /cardio-kickboxing/martial arts • interval training Laps around an outdoor or indoor track • • bicycling—group ride on a bicycle path • “Dog walk/run” to a dog park or pet • Spinning® class store, with healthy treats and fresh • jumping rope water for all • rowing • Nature walk led by a local expert: • identifying flower and tree species at a botanical garden • bird watching at a park, lake, or river • squash • Resistance training for strengthening bones, muscles, and tissues • table tennis • professional equipment • Miscellaneous sports • hand weights or soup cans • billiards • Thera-Band® exercise bands • Nintendo® Wii™ video games • resistance tubing or rings • bowling • Flexibility, range of motion, balance, • archery and strength • golf • bending and stretching/sculpting • low ropes course • Tai Chi • Outdoor/lawn games • Pilates • fishing • Yoga • croquet • balance boards • bocce ball • combined Yoga/Tai Chi/Pilates • lawn bowling • Martial Arts: Judo, Jujitsu, Karate, • shuffleboard Kendo, Kung Fu, or Tae Kwon Do • horseshoes ® Recreational Sports and Games • Frisbee golf • lawn darts This section contains many ideas for recreational sports and active games. • Active games for fun These activities can be organized as • relays/races drills, workshops, tournaments, or - carrying an egg on a spoon noncompetitive games. - stacking cups • Team sports - hula hoop rolling • basketball - passing the baton • softball • capture the flag • soccer • parachute fun • volleyball • water balloon toss • field hockey • musical chairs • indoor broom hockey • wallyball (an indoor variation Water Activities of volleyball) Water exercise is beneficial for maintain- • Racquet/paddle sports ing fitness, preventing injury, and for reha- • tennis bilitation. Each of these activities can be conducted as a group activity, as a demo, • racquetball or both. Invite participants to try a range • badminton of water activities that promote aerobic, strengthening, and flexibility exercises. • Swimming • Dance classes • recreational lap swim • ballroom dancing • stroking techniques • ballet/modern dance • treading water • tap • Water exercise classes • jazz/hip hop • water aerobics • belly dancing • water ballet • hula dancing • Aqua Toning using beach balls, kick- • ethnic dancing boards, styrofoam dumbbells, • clogging hand paddles, and “noodles” • line dancing • Aqua Dance with music • square dancing • Aqua Kickboxing • contra dancing (folk-style dance) • Aqua Pilates • swing • Aqua Yoga • folk dancing • Aqua Tai Chi • Party ideas—incorporate costume and • Other water exercises food into party theme • “wall” warm-ups and exercises • Country western • water-walking/jogging/running - square dancing Water therapy for: - line dancing: Macarena, Cha-cha • slide, Cotton Eyed Joe • injuries • Crazy dances • arthritis, diabetes, and other conditions - Hokey pokey • Water sports/games - Chicken dance • scuba/snorkeling - Conga line • water volleyball - Bunny hop • water basketball - Mexican hat dance • dive for coins or objects • Dancing through the Decades • water polo - Roaring 20’s—featuring the Charleston • Water safety - Sock hop—featuring the Twist • lifesaving techniques demo/class - Disco fever—featuring the Hustle Dancing • Contests • limbo You may want to offer one or more types • dance-a-thon of dance classes, have a dance party, or contests. Props and costumes always • rock-a-thon in rocking chairs add interest. Health Information Activities • how to prepare for surgery If you will have seniors in different age • grief management groups, select a broad-reaching topic or • obesity consider addressing two issues simultane- • loneliness/social interaction issues ously that will appeal to different ages. Safety/Prevention Health information topics can be covered • with a speaker, panel discussion, question • exercise safety and answer session, demonstration, or a • healthy back exercises combination of these formats. • taking care of your feet • Medications • skin health: mole mapping and • understanding over-the-counter skin assessments pain products • dental health and hygiene • managing your “meds” • stroke prevention/quick response • medication interactions with • preventing falls certain foods, beverages, and - fall-proofing your “living quarters” herbal supplements - safe footing/footwear • discussion of routine vaccinations, - balance exercises boosters, etc. • CPR/Heimlich maneuver • Coping with specific issues/disorders • fire prevention and safety • Parkinson’s disease • disaster preparation • lupus • safe driving tips • SAD—seasonal affective disorder • safe travel tips • sleep disorders • crime prevention tips • edema management • self-defense • asthma • telephone scam prevention • Alzheimer’s disease and caregiver is- • identity theft prevention sues Exercise-related topics • urinary incontinence, bladder disorders • • warm-up/cool-down routines • arthritis (PACE – People with Arthritis Can Exercise) • buying the right athletic shoes • mental health/depression awareness • dressing for the weather • hormone replacement therapy— • correct breathing techniques is it for you? • benefits of cross training • make-up and hair care tips for cancer • target heart rate clinic survivors/people with skin disorders • do’s and don’ts of using light weights • fibromyalgia • how to find a health club • knee and hip replacement surgery— • proper use of therapy balls why are they so common • keep it up: exercising while traveling Screening and Testing Activities • home exercise equipment: The goal of screening and testing is to what do I need? increase awareness and highlight any needs • before/after testimonials from that may require further investigation by a seniors who have begun exercise rou- doctor or other professional—not to make tines definitive diagnoses of medical problems. • bike safety discussion—helmet fitting Participants will be most interested and • joint maintenance/flexibility concerns engaged by screenings/tests that provide immediate results or feedback. Certain • Miscellaneous screenings, of course, should be kept • training for a fitness event—marathon, confidential: for example, cancer, weight, triathlon, walkathon body fat, and memory diagnostics. • memory sharpening tips You may want to consider including any of • living will the following screenings/tests: • myths and facts about alcohol arthritis assessment consumption • back problem risk assessment • advances in medicine • • new health and fitness products on • blood glucose the market • blood pressure • latest health and fitness books, • BMI (body mass index) calculations cookbooks, CDs & DVDs body composition/body fat analysis • alternative health • - reflexology • breast cancer - acupuncture • cholesterol - magnet therapy • coordination test - Reiki™—energy healing • dental exam/oral cancer screening - aromatherapy • diabetes testing • demystifying health insurance fitness assessment • Medicare drug coverage • flexibility, endurance, and strength testing • truths and myths about healthy aging • • the importance of laughter • foot assessment for bunions, proper arch support, nail disorders, etc. • health benefits of pets • finding reliable health information on • hearing the Internet • lung screening/pulse oximetry • senior respite or home help • memory diagnostic testing programs • osteoporosis analysis/spinal screening/ • presentation on organ donation bone density • financial planning strategies • keeping a health history • posture/gait analysis/balance • Eating strategies • prostate cancer • why mini-meals and “grazing” may be healthier than “three squares” skin cancer/melanoma • • healthier eat out/take out strategies stress level testing • • “guess-the-calories” contest • thyroid • safe dieting • vision and night blindness testing/ • kickoff a healthy weight-loss program cataract and glaucoma screening • how sound are