According to CDC, adults, 65 and older, are at higher risk for severe illnesses, such as COVID-19. As the fatality rates caused by the Coronavirus continue to soar higher, more and more seniors are now being forced to stay home and be physically disconnected from their loved ones.
For some, life was already lonely and boring pre-COVID-19, but back then, family and friends can visit, traveling to other parts of the world allowed and going out for shopping was easy. Now, it’s a different story. We are all stuck at home thinking of ways on how we can entertain ourselves.
If you’re already running out of ideas, let me share with you _ activities to enrich and entertain you during home quarantine.
1. Visit virtual museums and zoos.
Thanks to the power of technology, you can now “walk through” museums and enjoy looking at animals at the zoo without leaving your couch. There is a long list of museums, galleries and zoos offering virtual tours for free. Below are my top picks, or just search a museum or zoo that you’ve been wanting and see if they offer virtual tours.
- The Louvre
- Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
- The Vatican Museum
- National Aquarium
- Georgia Aquarium
- Houston Zoo
2. Watch a livestreamed classical concert.
If you’re into classical music, Classic FM came out with a list (which they update regularly) of all the major classical concerts and events being streamed online.
3. Read something new.
Remember that book that you’ve been putting off for a while now? Well, now is the time to do that. But if you don’t have anything to read right now, there is a myriad of e-books available online. “In His Service Christian Press” has a great selection of Christian Romance novels that I am sure you will love.
Lastly, there are lots virtual book clubs that you can join to make your reading experience even more enjoyable – such as “The Quarantine Book Club.”
4. Start a journal or a blog.
Now, more than ever, during this difficult time that we are in, is the perfect time to reflect and put our thoughts, worries and insights into writing. It will not just help us release the stress and tension of what’s happening right now, but it will also help us to reflect deeply about life, strengthen our spirituality and of course, have something to look back to in the future when all of this is over.
5. Start preparing your garden.
You can’t just lock yourselves inside the walls of your house, you need to go out too for some breath of fresh air. But of course you can’t go really far, so your backyard or front yard will do. You can start a garden, or improve yours if you already have one.
LA Times have all the gardening times you’ll probably need during this quarantine.
6. Clean and get organized.
Get productive and start your spring cleaning and organizing. Sort out your stuff and do some decluttering. Trust me, your post-COVID-19 self will thank you for that.
7. Learn something new.
You are never too old to learn something new – whether it’s a musical instrument, a language or a dance move. Spending your time to learn something new would definitely be a productive and enriching way to spend your quarantine days.
8. Arrange Video Conferences with family and friends.
Even if you are disconnected with your loved ones physically, that doesn’t mean you can’t bond with them anymore. Take advantage of the internet to connect with your friends and family wherever they are. You can video call your children, arrange video conferences with friends, or send video and chat messages to your grand kids. One great video conference service is Zoom, which has a free version (40-minute limit, but otherwise identical to the $15/month account).
Right now, the world is facing such a difficult time, but trust that everything will get better. What’s important now is that you’re healthy and doing well. I hope this article helped you with new activities to try out.
