Your parents’ retirement is well deserved, but adjusting to a life with much more leisure time can be difficult. You can visit your parents and find things to do together, but they shouldn’t have to rely on you for entertainment. After all, you can only visit for so long before you return to your family, job, and other commitments.

Your loved ones are in the process of rediscovering hobbies, passions, and other leisurely activities to do in their spare time. Still, you can help them by suggesting senior-friendly, all-season activities to do in Deptford, New Jersey like bowling, bingo, or chair yoga as fun activities to keep them active and connected with their community.

Bowling

Bowling can be a great bonding activity between friends and family and a way to meet new people in the community. There’s room for both casual and laid back bowlers, as well as for bowlers with competitive spirits.

Most bowling alleys also have options for food and drinks, as well as discounts for events, parties, or special passes, which makes bowling a great opportunity to have fun.

Movie Theater

Now that many movies and TV shows are readily available on our devices, there’s something special and nostalgic about leaving the house to go see a movie. The strong but familiar smell of movie theater popcorn, the big screen, the sound system, walking out to bright daylight after a matinee show – it adds a little bit of zest to your day.

Many movie theatres (AMC Theatres included) also provide discounts for people over 60 who bring valid ID. There’s also more savings to be had if you choose to attend a discount matinee or weekly discount Tuesdays.

Senior Bingo

Bingo is a classic community game that is often catered to seniors. The Deptford Township offers Senior Bingo every second Wednesday of the month at the Deptford Community Centre, only for Deptford residents over age 55. Since this event is sponsored by the Deptford Township Mayor and Council, it’s a great opportunity for your loved one to meet others in the community.

Beyond being a fun activity, playing Bingo has hidden benefits for seniors, including enhancing coordination, boosting cognitive health, maintaining physical health, encouraging socializing, and improving an emotional state of mind.

Line Dancing

Maybe your loved ones are a little bit more active while still want something a little more engaging than a simple walk or a visit to the park (though those are both excellent options, too). A cheap line dancing class is available in Deptford on Tuesdays and Wednesdays that gives seniors a chance to listen to great music, have fun, and get some great exercise.

Dancing as a form of exercise is fantastic for many reasons, including:

Promoting cardiovascular health
Encouraging healthy joins
Improving coordination, balance, and muscle tone
Stimulating memory and attention
Dealing with stress and depression
Boosting self-esteem

If line dancing isn’t your loved one’s cup of tea, try suggesting other dance classes like salsa, ballroom, or even ballet.

Tai Chi

Another method of physical exercise good for seniors is Tai Chi: an ancient Chinese martial art that has evolved into a gentle and non-strenuous form of exercise. In Tai Chi, practitioners perform a series of deliberate, flowing motions while engaging in deep, slow breathing. This method encourages a connection between the mind, body, and soul.

The Deptford Township offers free Tai Chi classes on Thursday mornings at the Community Centre to encourage seniors to improve their balance, strength, agility, and coordination, promising a “whole body tune-up.”

Chair Yoga

Another fun physical activity you can suggest is chair yoga, which is a great way to gently stretch joints and muscles while performing easy balance exercises. This can be particularly helpful for anyone with conditions that can cause balance concerns, like arthritis, migraines, cardiovascular disease, vision impairment, or side effects from medication.

Affordable chair yoga for seniors is available with the Deptford Township on Friday afternoons but can be done anywhere, with anyone – so long as you have a chair. These types of therapeutic activities offer wonderful cognitive stimulation for seniors and can also be a great moment of solo reflection.

On-Site Senior Living Activities

While going to activities in and around your community is a wonderful way to stay active and keep busy, it can be equally enriching for your loved ones if the events come to them. Many senior living communities offer numerous on-site activities that encourage movement and exercise as well as activities meant to entertain and stimulate the brain.

Distinctive Living offers a wide variety of activities to give your loved ones options that best suit their interests in tastes, including:

Physical activities like sittercise, group exercise, and Zumba
Cognitive & emotionally stimulating activities like pet therapy, puzzles, and arts & crafts
Community & group activities like tea parties, themed dinners, and religious devotionals
Hobbies and interests like baking, cooking, and gardening
Entertainment like Wii games, musical performances, and even pet therapy

6 Fun Senior Activities in Deptford, NJ