Best Virtual Resources to Help Seniors Keep their Bodies and Minds Active

There's no doubt about it, aging in place isn't an easy task, especially for seniors with a complex medical diagnosis. Home caregivers often focus on the medical aspects of care, like hands-on tasks, assistance with activities of daily living, and medication administration. It's easy to forget just how important socialization is for a housebound senior. That's why Senior Helpers of Lancaster County offers a wide range of live in home care and senior companionship options.

Just because your loved one is housebound doesn't mean that their social life has to come to a screeching halt. Here are five virtual resources that housebound seniors can use to maintain an active role in their community. Each of these resources is easy to use, but for less tech-savvy seniors, a home caregiver might need to show them how to access each one the first time.  

Virtual Museum Tours

Museums are a source of knowledge, culture, and learning. For many seniors, taking a trip to visit the world's most famous museums can feel out of reach. Many prominent museums now offer virtual tours or access to select exhibits online. All your loved one needs is a computer and an internet connection. There are no fees or accounts involved. 

While many small and medium-sized museums offer comparable services, here are some of the more notable museums with virtual tours available:

• The Louvre

• The Guggenheim

• The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

• The Metropolitan Museum of Art

• The British Museum of London

• NASA

Virtual Zoo Tours

Just like Museums, many prominent zoos around the country have begun offering virtual tours directly from their website, or they have begun installing webcams in some of their more popular exhibits, giving viewers worldwide a 24-hour look into the lives of exotic animals. Home caregivers can awaken their loved one's curiosity with the following virtual zoo tours: 

• The San Diego Zoo

• Monterey Bay Aquarium

• The Houston Zoo

• The National Aquarium

Online Exercise Activities

Even if your loved one isn't able to walk on their own, they still need physical activity in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The YMCA offers a wide range of online exercise classes for people of all ability levels. Home caregivers can assist their loved one in looking up what their local YMCA chapter offers.  

Free College Courses

There is no better way to stay social and active than by engaging in personal development. Harvard currently offers a number of free online courses ranging from business, to technology, to the humanities. There's only a cost involved if you want course credit listed on an official transcript. For seniors who view themselves as perpetual learners, taking an online course is the perfect way to combat social isolation. 

Sometimes online resources just aren't enough. That's why Senior Helpers of Lancaster County offers senior companionship services designed to give your housebound loved one a chance for unique one-on-one socialization, as well as helping to alleviate the burden placed on home caregivers. Please contact us today to learn more about how we can help your loved one age in place successfully.