Activities that may be regarded as leisure activities can be board games, drawing, singing, reading and discussing what has been read, chair exercises, shorter or longer distance trips out, going to the church, library, listening to music, watching selected movies, going shopping etc.
Participation in leisure activities aids the well-being of individuals in the way that the process itself helps the person be more active, interested in the surrounding world, it encourages curiosity, creativity, helps to remember or not to forget things that the person used to like or used to do, encourages the person feel and be the part of the community, not forgotten and not neglected.
The potential benefits of trying out new leisure activities from time to time can help understand if there are residents in the home that can be interested in these and also it can be a good variation to what might have been done for a long time and might have made residents feel bored. Every new activity creates the basis and possibility to raise interest in more and more people who might have not been interested in the previously suggested activities.
The individual’s recreational needs, preferences and interests are identified during the one to one sessions, asking questions about their preferences, filling in the forms in the care plan.
During a one to one session with the person we need to agree which new or existing leisure activities are likely to suit the individual’s needs, preferences and interests so that in the future we know what activities to offer to one or another resident in order not to make them annoyed by forcing them to take part in the activities they are not fond of.