Colder weather is on its way. And while we’re not quite ready to trade fall colors for snow and ice, the fast-approaching winter months inevitably mean spending more time indoors.
For older adults, that can sometimes mean fewer opportunities to get out, see friends, or enjoy favorite activities. But it can also create opportunities to try something different. A healthy winter can include plenty of things to learn, do, enjoy, and look forward to.
Here are some ideas to consider, plan for, or even start now, so you’re ready to make the most of the season when winter arrives.
1. Find Ways to Keep Moving
When cold temperatures, snow, and ice make outdoor activities less appealing, it’s easy for regular movement to fall by the wayside.
The National Institute on Aging recommends that older adults aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, along with muscle-strengthening activities at least two days a week and balance-improving activities. Those 150 minutes don’t have to happen all at once. They can be broken into manageable amounts throughout the week.
Walking indoors is one option. Meth-Wick residents can also take advantage of fitness and wellness opportunities right on campus. Or turn on the computer or smart TV and try an online exercise class. YouTube offers everything from chair yoga and stretching to low-impact cardio and strength workouts designed for older adults.
The key is to find activities that fit your abilities and that you enjoy enough to keep doing.
2. Grow Something on the Windowsill
You don’t need a garden, or even much space, to enjoy growing something.
A sunny windowsill can be home to a small herb garden with basil, chives, mint, parsley or thyme. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach offers helpful information on growing herbs indoors.
Don’t have a green thumb? Try growing a few flowering bulbs indoors or simply add a new houseplant to your space. Caring for something living provides a small daily ritual and the satisfaction of seeing new growth during a time of year when there isn’t much green outside.
3. Write Letters
When was the last time you received a real letter in the mail?
Consider asking a friend, sibling, grandchild, or other family member to become your winter pen pal. You don’t have to write pages. Share a funny story, an old photograph, a recipe, or simply a few details about your week.
Writing gives you a reason to reflect, and receiving something personal in the mailbox gives you something to look forward to.
4. Put Some Color in the Calendar
Flowers don’t have to be reserved for birthdays and anniversaries.
Treat yourself to a bouquet at the grocery store every few weeks, sign up for an occasional flower delivery, or make it a tradition with a friend: one month you send the flowers, the next month they do.
It’s a small indulgence that can bring a welcome dose of color and nature indoors during the year’s grayest months.
5. Become a Birdwatcher
You don’t have to bundle up and hike through the woods to become a birdwatcher. Even in the middle of an Iowa winter, there’s plenty of activity happening right outside your window.
Place a feeder where you can see it from a favorite chair or window and start paying attention to who’s stopping by. From cardinals and chickadees to woodpeckers and blue jays, you may be surprised by the variety of birds that visit during the colder months. Keep a notebook of the birds you spot and see how many different species you can identify.
Not sure what you’re looking at, or hearing? The free Merlin Bird ID app from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology can help identify birds from a photo, a description or even their songs and calls. Its Sound ID feature can listen to the birds around you and suggest which species you’re hearing. Before long, you may start recognizing your regular visitors!
6. Give Yourself a Winter Project
That box of old photographs you’ve been meaning to sort? Winter may finally be its moment.
Take some time to organize your family photos, add names and dates, and digitize old favorites. Write down the stories behind treasured family recipes, record childhood memories, or share stories your grandchildren have never heard.
Interested in exploring your family history? FamilySearch is a free resource for researching historical records and building a family tree. Its tools can also help you preserve family photographs, documents, and stories for future generations.
The goal isn’t necessarily to accomplish something big. It’s having a project you enjoy returning to and, in some cases, creating something meaningful to share with your family.
7. Learn Something Just Because You Want To
When was the last time you learned about something simply because it interested you? Winter can be a great time to explore art history, technology, music, travel, photography, current events, or practically anything else you’ve wondered about.
You don’t necessarily have to enroll in a traditional class, either. Senior Planet from AARP offers free online classes and programs designed for adults 50 and older, including technology, fitness, finances, wellness, and more.
Another resource may already be as close as your library card. The free Libby app lets you borrow eBooks, audiobooks, and digital magazines from your local library and read or listen on a phone, tablet, or computer. Pick something that makes you curious, not something you think you should learn.
8. Rediscover Something You Used to Love
Trying something new gets a lot of attention, but sometimes an old interest is just as rewarding. Think back 10, 20, or even 50 years. Did you paint? Play piano? Sew? Bake? Work puzzles? Research genealogy? Build things? Write?
Consider picking it up again, without worrying about whether you’re as good at it as you once were. The point is simply to rediscover something you enjoyed.
9. Find a Way to Give Back from Home
Volunteering doesn’t always require leaving your home. Depending on your interests and abilities, you might write cards or letters, knit or crochet items for donation, or reach out to a favorite nonprofit to ask whether there are projects that can be completed from home.
You can also explore virtual volunteer opportunities through AARP’s Create the Good. The site can help connect volunteers with ways to use their time and talents from home, making it easier to find an opportunity that fits your interests, skills, and schedule.
10. Create a Winter Tradition
Give yourself something small to look forward to every week. Maybe Tuesday becomes homemade soup night. Friday afternoon is always coffee with friends. Sunday is a phone call with a family member. Once a month is movie night. It doesn’t have to be elaborate. A recurring tradition adds a little rhythm to the season and gives you something to anticipate.
11. Go Somewhere Without Going Anywhere
A snowy Iowa afternoon doesn’t have to keep you from exploring.
You can wander through a museum or visit a national park without putting on a winter coat. The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History offers virtual tours that let you explore exhibits from your computer or mobile device. The National Park Service also offers virtual experiences that bring national parks, programs, wildlife, history and scenery to you.
Or look for virtual concerts, lectures, and tours from destinations you’ve always wanted to visit. A computer or tablet can open the door to an enormous number of experiences from home.
12. Tell Your Story
You don’t have to consider yourself a writer to start recording the stories of your life. Winter can be a good time to jot down memories, keep a journal, or begin telling the stories you want your family to remember.
Start with a single question: What was your childhood home like? What did you do for fun as a teenager? How did you meet your spouse? What was your first job? What family traditions have meant the most to you?
You don’t have to tell your entire life story. One memory at a time can become something meaningful for you now and something your family may treasure later.
Make Winter Your Own
Wellness can mean many things. It’s taking care of your physical health, but it’s also staying connected to other people, continuing to learn, having a sense of purpose, and finding things that bring you joy each day.
At Meth-Wick Community, winter doesn’t mean campus life slows down. Residents have opportunities to stay active, learn, socialize, participate in activities, and spend time with neighbors throughout the season. The online wellness and recreation calendars are a great way to see what’s happening throughout the month. The Life at Meth-Wick newsletter also details upcoming events and outings.
Sometimes, the best winter wellness strategy is the simplest: find something that sparks your curiosity, gives you purpose, or adds a little fun to your calendar. Spring will arrive eventually. There’s no reason to wait until then to enjoy yourself.