12 Creative Ways for Caregivers to Encourage Socialization

“It got my husband interested in going back to the theater and it was a wonderful connection,” says Levine, editor of Always on Call: When Illness Turns Family into Caregivers.  “He got more attention and satisfaction dealing with actors than from his former colleagues, who found it difficult to be with him,” she says.

The fact that they lived in New York City made this much easier, but Levine says it can work in any city with community theater.

Overall, she says, it was a win-win: Howard was entertained and the young actors took joy in telling their stories about trying to break into theater.

Liam Eisenberg

5. Involve grandchildren who drive.

Few socialization activities are more successful than those that involve grandchildren. And this can be particularly successful if the grandchildren can drive themselves to visit their grandparents, says Nancy Kriseman, author of The Mindful Caregiver: Finding Ease in the Caregiving Journey.

In many caregiving families, the older person doesn’t want their adult children to tell them what to do. But that approach can greatly soften — and the socialization can significantly improve — when it’s with a caring (adult) grandchild who can talk and connect about their lives. This generally works best if it’s on a weekly schedule.

6. Spoil loved one with spa days.

If you can find a way — and financially afford — to do “spa days” at a salon, there will be additional socializing. But it’s also fine to do them at home.

This is all about “spoiling” your loved one on a semi-regular basis — but also getting them out of their everyday habits and surroundings, if possible.  When Kriseman’s mother, who had dementia, was living in a Jewish nursing home, the facility had its own beauty salon. On the days the salon was technically closed for business, Kriseman arranged with the management to allow her to bring her mom there for a personal spa day.

Kriseman would bring all her own supplies — from shampoo to brushes to body creams — and lovingly wash her mom’s hair while massaging her scalp. Her mom had very dry skin, so she also took time to put cream on her face and her hands. “I’d try to figure out ways to spend time with her where I could enjoy it, too,” says Kriseman.

Liam Eisenberg

7. Spread out visits by involving friends.

Kriseman recalls sometimes feeling resentful of all the time she devoted to visiting her mom every weekend, as well as on most of her days off from work. It started to become more of a burden than a job. So, she devised a “circle of support” for her mom and herself.

Kriseman was fortunate to have an extensive network of friends and she decided to ask a handful of her close pals to occasionally help by visiting with her Mom for a few hours once per month. 

“If you have four, five or six friends, you spread it out and you’re covered (once weekly) for six months,” she says.

One friend even had a grandmother in the same facility where Kriseman’s mom was living and arranged to at least stop and visit her mom every time she visited her own grandmother.  Kriseman returned the favor with her friend’s grandmother while visiting her mom. That resulted in increased socialization for the loved ones and less caregiver stress.

8. Visit playgrounds. 

Because society often isolates older adults — particularly from younger people — it’s incumbent upon caregivers to find ways to break down that wall.

Perhaps the easiest and most welcoming way to do that is to bring your loved one to a playground, says Abbit. That’s what Abbit did with her mother -, who was living in a residential care facility. . The facility would help transport her mom there in her wheelchair and Abbit would sit with her at the playground watching — and sometimes interacting with — kids.  She says her mom’s eyes would always “light up” when the kids engaged with her.

Abbit typically took her mom there in the morning, when it was mostly preschool kids with their moms or nannies. They even started to build relationships with the mothers and nannies who would walk over to talk with them.

9. Start a garden — even a small one.

Few activities have more socialization built right into them than gardening. “People who love plants love to share a clipping or a gardening secret,” says Abbit.

You can try to arrange for any interested neighbors to meet occasionally with your loved one to assist in gardening. She says it’s not unusual for these types of meet-ups to ultimately lead to an invitation to attend a garden club meeting.

“Plant people can’t wait to talk about flowers and plants,” said Abbit.

Beyond the socialization, Abbit says, gardening involves lots of bending and lifting, which can be terrific exercise, in moderation, for older folks.

10. Set up a book club.

All it takes to start a book club is finding and gathering a handful of people who share an interest in reading. Meeting once a month typically works well for the older adults, says Abbit.

She says the key is to let the attendees pick the books that interest them. Biographies and historical fiction are often the most popular books for these clubs.

While some book clubs are highly structured, it’s probably best to keep it very simple by only asking participants to read the books and show up prepared to discuss them. Abbit has been involved in book clubs and she says the group often search online for good book club questions that will spark lively discussions.

11. Visit farmers’ markets.

A trip to the farmer’s market offers unique socialization opportunities for older people because of the wide variety of attendees and the fact that they are held outdoors, says Benton.

She says some farmers’ markets also feature live music, which can enrich the experience. Other markets offer early hours for older adults who enjoy the gatherings but don’t want to deal with the crowds they can attract.

The markets also offer the special opportunity to interact with farmers who often sell their own products. Encourage your loved one to chat with the vendors when they give out free samples of the fruits and vegetables — they usually like to hear feedback about apples, peaches or tomatoes they’re selling.

12. Go to a dog park.

Visiting a dog park doesn’t necessarily mean you must go inside and frolic with the pups. Benton says that older adults can safely stand outside and still have just as much fun.

Folks with dogs typically like to talk with anyone interested in their furry friends. “You don’t have to have a dog to go to a dog park,” says Benton.

What’s more, if you regularly go to the same park at the same time, you not only get to know the dog owners but also some of the dogs themselves.