Arthritis can really hurt and that pain can make life feel really empty at times but the truth is that it’s not the end of life and you can do a lot of fun things even when you have arthritis.
There are over 50 million people with arthritis in the United States alone and these are some of the hobbies that they enjoy.
Yoga
Yoga has been adapted for seniors in the form of Senior Yoga and it’s a great way to exercise without putting too much stress on your joints or over-exerting yourself.
If you attend a class in-person then it’s a good idea to speak to the instructor about your arthritis so that they can help you avoid anything that might aggravate it.
Gardening
Gardening is one of our favorite activities for seniors of all types and if you invest in some joint-friendly gardening tools (they’re easy to find online), then it’s great for people with arthritis too.
If you find that bending is a pain, you can raise your flower beds to make it easier for you.
Dancing
Not only is dancing great exercise for seniors with arthritis but it’s a fantastic way of meeting new people too.
And recent research suggests that learning dance moves can be such strenuous cognitive exercise that it may help to prevent Alzheimer’s!
Cooking
As with gardening, it’s easy to adapt cooking to the needs of someone with arthritis.
Invest in lightweight pots and pans and some special arthritis-friendly equipment and you’re good to go.
Cooking can be elevated to an art form too if you want more than just another meal.
Hiking
Your hikes don’t have to be dozens of miles long to have significant benefit to your body if you have arthritis.
The act of walking like this reduces tension in your muscles and in the cartilage between your joints and makes everything move easier.
Photography
You don’t need to spend a fortune to enjoy photography in your later years.
We’d recommend choosing a camera that feels comfortable if you’re struggling with arthritis and then go out and take pictures.
The more you shoot, the better you get, so there’s really no excuse not to photograph nearly every aspect of life around you and as you do?
You’ll see the world through new eyes.
Swimming
Swimming can be very social when carried out at a public pool and it’s great aerobic exercise which puts no pressure on your joints.
Everyone should take up swimming and if you haven’t learned, yet?
Don’t worry – an hour’s instruction will have you performing lengths of the pool without a problem.
Birdwatching
One of nature’s most fascinating elements is the bird life all around us and you don’t need to live in the middle of a forest to enjoy birdwatching.
Grab a pair of bins (birder slang for “binoculars”) and go for a gentle walk around your neighborhood and see how many birds you can spot.
Then, when you get home see how many of them you can identify online or using bird guides.
It’s very relaxing and also educational.
Stitching/Crochet
At first glance this might seem ridiculous.
After all, crochet and stitching require lots of little hand movements don’t they? The kind that is likely to make arthritis worse, right?
And it’s true, they do. But you can adapt the way that you crochet to enjoy it with arthritis and this YouTube video from Pinky Hooks can give you some great insight into how to do that.
Reading
And then, of course, there’s our favorite hobby of them all. Reading.
You can read books, magazines, graphic novels, newspapers, websites and more and if you find changing pages difficult?
There are plenty of (low cost) devices that you can use to make it easier for you.
Reading broadens the mind and may even help prevent the onset of dementia.
Final Thoughts On Hobbies For Seniors With Arthritis
Arthritis is both painful and annoying but it doesn’t mean you have to stop having a good time of your retirement.
We hope that you’ve found a hobby or two that you’ll enjoy on our list of hobbies for seniors with arthritis?
Why not start one today?
You might also enjoy tackling a few riddles which will improve your mental dexterity without putting any pressure on your joints at all.