Have you heard of a staycation? In simplest terms, it’s a vacation where you stay at home or close to home. If you’d like to do something a little different this summer, planning a staycation at your senior living community might be a fun idea. It could be something you plan with your neighbors or with several generations of your family. And we have a few ideas that might help you get started!
Summer Staycation Ideas for Seniors
Indoor Camping with the Grandkids
Depending on their ages, an indoor camping trip with the grandchildren might make for a lively staycation. You can get creative in adapting popular parts of camping trips to work inside your apartment. For example, have the kids create pillow forts and stash their sleeping bags under them.
If you don’t have a fireplace to act as a campfire, you can stream a virtual fire complete with crackling sounds on YouTube. Other camp-worthy sounds to better set the mood might be owls hooting or crickets singing. Decorations can further make the experience more like a true camping adventure. Keep the lights off and use flashlights and battery-operated lanterns once the sun sets. String or tape glow-in-the-dark stars around the room.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a camping trip without the food! Wrap crescent rolls around a hot dog and bake them in the oven. Or you could make hamburgers and hotdogs in a cast iron skillet on the stove top. Don’t forget the classic campfire treat—s’mores! The experts at Hershey’s have some ideas to help you make s’mores inside your senior living suite.
Relaxing Spa Day
Whether it’s a spa day with the ladies in your senior living community or the women in your family, this is a great staycation that doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. While it might be fun to hire staff from a local hair salon or spa to pamper you for the afternoon, there are plenty of ways to host your staycation on a budget.
Make a trip to your local Ulta or Sephora. Or if you prefer to shop online, both stores have lots of goodies on their websites. You can find sheet-style face masks, moisturizing foot masks, and under-eye patches. Small bottles of nail polish in bright summer colors give everyone a chance to make their toes sparkle. Ask each of the ladies to bring or wear comfy clothes and something to protect their hair.
To make it feel like a real day at the spa, you can buy packs of foam pedicure sandals very inexpensively. Don’t forget to serve water with lemon or cucumber slices, salads, and light desserts!
Host Your Own Film Festival
With so many different streaming services offering top-notch, original films, another fun summer idea would be to host your own version of a film festival. You can do it indoors or out. All it takes is a blank wall or white sheet and a projector. The staff at your senior living community might even have these available.
Your film festival can be as detailed or as simple as you like. It might be as easy as having a committee recommend their favorite newer film. Then narrow the choices down to a few that everyone watches together in an afternoon or evening or maybe even over the course of a week. Guests can dress up if you want your festival to be more glamorous!
Plan a Casino Night
Casino night parties can be great fun! If your budget permits, the easiest way is to rent the equipment and staff. It might make for a fun community-wide activity that residents invite friends and family to attend. But a scaled-down version can be equally as entertaining.
Talk with the staff at your community to see if you can reserve a private dining room or community room for an evening. Decide on a few games most people are familiar with, such as poker or blackjack. Recruit a few volunteers to act as dealers. If your budget permits, you can offer prizes in lieu of winning actual money at cash-out.
Casino-themed decorations and food can make the night complete. Online stores such as Party City and Oriental Trading Company have a variety of supplies you can order.
Life is Better at Sunrise
At Sunrise communities, we encourage residents to live life to the fullest every day. Whether it’s helping plan a summer staycation or cheering them on as they try a new hobby, adventure awaits at Sunrise. Use this Contact Form to set up a time to join us for a community event or meal!