For many seniors, television has become almost a constant companion. It gets turned on when they wake up in the morning and enjoy their first cup of coffee, it stays on during the day and then entertains them at night. And while TV has a lot of positive benefits, studies have shown that more than 3.5 hours of TV a day can have negative affects on cognitive ability. It can also skew a person’s worldview and cause extreme stress, especially if the day is spent watching negative news stories or violent TV shows.
One of the best ways to help your aging parent break the habit of too much tv is to give him other things to do with his time. Going outside and doing physical activity is always a great alternative but since most of the country right now is dealing with cold temps and unwelcoming winter weather, there are also some great ideas for indoor diversions from television as well.
Get outside
Whenever possible, getting outside will be one of the best reasons to step away from the TV. A simple walk around the block can provide both physical activity and mental stimulation. If there are concerns about safety, have your senior care provider join your parent on his walk or drive him to an indoor place where he can walk safely – both from the elements and from getting too close to others
Get in the kitchen
Assuming your parent doesn’t have a TV in the kitchen, getting him up off the couch and into the kitchen for a little meal prep or baking is a great alternative to staring at the TV for hours on end. Composing a meal gets the brain working with memory and processing. Baking can evoke memories and provide endorphins with the smells and tastes of freshly baked breads or sweets. This is another area your senior care provider can assist in if your parent would like a little help with the prep or process.
Get out the games
Set up a table somewhere (preferably away from the TV) and create a place that your parent can plays games by himself (like a game of solitaire or even putting together a puzzle) or with others (having that chess board out all the time will remind him to invite guests to play chess with him).
Get a comfortable place to read created
Reading keeps the mind sharp. Find a cozy chair, blanket, and good lighting to set up a place to read. If your parent needs encouragement to read, see if he’ll be willing to join a book club so that he’ll meet others and must discuss the book he’s reading. While many book clubs aren’t meeting in person right now, they do meet via Zoom so if your parent hasn’t used Zoom yet, be prepared by having yourself or your senior care provider ready to show him how to meet others online.
There are lots of great activities to pull your parent away from the television and your parent will benefit from stepping away from the “boob tube.” Set him up for success by making it a bit easier for him to do with activities like the above.
If you are considering senior care in Park Slope, NY, for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Touching Hearts At Home of NYC today at 212-201-6139.
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