Activities for Seniors Confined to a Wheelchair

Games

• Seniors in wheelchairs are more mobile than you might think. Many communities have wheelchair sports, such as adaptive basketball, tennis, volleyball and track. The games are slightly restructured to give senior wheelchair-dependent athletes a fair chance, but the competition is fierce. If team sports or athletics do not appeal to your senior, introduce him to board games, puzzles, word finds and card games. Play these at a table where he can sit in his wheelchair comfortably.

Outdoors

• Seniors confined to wheelchairs are able to participate in many of life's simple pleasures. Encourage your senior to take advantage of good weather and explore local paved paths and smooth sidewalks. Many public lakes have wheelchair accessible docks for people to fish from, enjoy the view or use to get on a boat. Larger pontoon boats easily accommodate wheelchairs, as do some flat-topped fishing boats. Public parks often have covered pavilions on cement slabs available for picnics, potlucks and parties. If your senior enjoys gardening, build a raised bed she can tend to from her wheelchair.

Indoors

• Cooking and entertaining friends can be done from a wheelchair, as can most household tasks. Seniors who enjoy socializing can attend community dances, Bingo nights and parties, though not every building is wheelchair accessible. Community classes are commonly held in schools or public buildings that are accessible, so if your senior wants to learn a new skill, refresh her foreign language skills or participate in a craft class, being in a wheelchair shouldn't stop her. A senior can sing in a choir, play hand bells or other instruments. She can join a knitting group or book club, provided the group meets in an accessible area.