Wellderly Week is here, which means there’s no better time than the present to celebrate senior wellness, vitality, and joy! From March 17 to 22, 2025, Wellderly Week encourages older adults and their loved ones to focus on cultivating healthy habits for seniors that promote longevity, happiness, and independence.
Whether you want to pick up a fun hobby, explore new fitness routines, or engage in social activities, Wellderly Week is your invitation to celebrate senior wellness in all its forms. Let’s dive into what makes this week special and some tips on how you can embrace the spirit of senior wellness this year.
What is Wellderly Week?
Wellderly Week, celebrated every year during the third week of March, is the U.S. holiday dedicated to fostering senior wellness by helping older adults live their golden years with purpose, passion, and vitality. Wellderly Week emphasizes the importance of aging well by addressing every facet of senior life – from maintaining physical mobility to ensuring financial independence to feeling more joyful. It’s a reminder that aging is not about slowing down but instead about living fully and embracing opportunities to grow, learn, and thrive.
Senior wellness can look different for different people. For some it might mean physical pursuits – like taking a daily walk, joining a yoga class, or trying aqua aerobics. For others it’s about mental stimulation – like solving puzzles, learning a new language, or reading challenging books. It might even look like reconnecting with your spiritual side – like practicing meditation, attending a faith-based group, or spending time in quiet reflection.
How Can I Celebrate Wellderly Week?
Communities nationwide celebrate Wellderly Week with events and programs tailored to seniors. For example, senior centers often host group activities like gardening lessons, painting workshops, or fitness classes. Local libraries might offer book clubs or technology classes to help seniors stay engaged. Towns and cities often organize wellness fairs, where seniors can access resources for aging well, like health screenings, financial planning advice, and fitness demonstrations.
But Wellderly Week isn’t limited to group settings. Individuals can also embrace this celebration by exploring solo pursuits that bring them joy. For example, you can use this time to try out a new hobby at home, like baking, writing, or crafting. You can take a reflective walk in your favorite park, or set aside time to journal and focus on gratitude.
Whether you’re participating in a bustling community activity or enjoying solitude at home, Wellderly Week reminds us that wellness is a personal, lifelong journey that deserves our attention, no matter our age.
23 Tips for Seniors and Caregivers to Celebrate Wellderly Week
The following healthy habits for seniors are a fantastic way to set you and your loved ones on a renewed path of senior wellness this year.
Senior Physical Health
1. Start the Day with Chair Yoga
Chair yoga is a gentle way to improve flexibility, balance, and mobility, making it perfect for seniors who want to stay active without strain. A consistent chair yoga practice has tons of benefits for senior health, like helping alleviate joint pain, easing stress, and making daily activities easier. Learn more about the benefits of chair yoga here.
You can start a chair yoga practice at home right now with GoGo’s guided YouTube sessions! Check out our chair yoga playlist here to try out our free chair yoga classes.
2. Set Up a Daily Walking Routine
A simple 20-minute walk every day can significantly improve heart health, aid digestion, support weight management, and boost mood. Regular walking also boosts metabolism and encourages better sleep patterns by helping regulate the body’s natural circadian rhythm. And the best part? You can start walking right in your own neighborhood – or even walking in place in the living room!
3. Plan Weekly Nature Walks
Nature walks are a wonderful opportunity to increase mobility while connecting with the natural world. Walking outdoors in the fresh air and sunshine has the added benefit of being in nature, which helps improve mood and ease stress.
And getting to your local park doesn’t have to be stressful. GoGo Rides can help you travel stress-free around town, so you can explore new parks and trails in your area without having to worry about traffic or parking.
4. Incorporate Strength Training
Light weightlifting or resistance band exercises help build muscle mass and improve bone density, which are crucial for aging well. This makes living independently more manageable by giving you the strength and ability to handle everyday tasks, like climbing the stairs or lifting groceries.
Like chair yoga, GoGo offers free strength training classes on YouTube! Whether you’re a novice or a pro, our guides will help you safely and comfortably enjoy a muscle-toning strength training session from the comfort of your home.
5. Attend a Local Dance Class
Dancing provides a full-body workout that improves heart health, balance, and coordination. It’s also a fun way to socialize and release dopamine, making it fantastic for senior mental health. Find out if your local gyms, dance studios, or rec centers offer ballroom, line dancing, or Zumba Gold classes to get started. You can also find free dance classes on YouTube.
6. Explore Functional Fitness
Incorporating weekly functional fitness training is one of the most beneficial healthy habits for seniors. Functional fitness exercises support senior independence by mimicking real-life movements to help strengthen muscles needed for daily activities, like getting out of a chair or carrying shopping bags.
GoGo offers free, professionally-led functional fitness classes on YouTube. Members can also join our virtual events for classes in real-time.
7. Try Aqua Aerobics
Water-based fitness classes are gentle on the joints and help improve mobility and flexibility. Aqua aerobics provides a low-impact cardiovascular workout, so it’s ideal for seniors with arthritis or joint pain. Check out local gyms and rec centers to find senior aqua aerobics classes near you.
Senior Mental Health Tips
8. Take a Creative Writing Class
Writing stories, poetry, or personal memoirs keeps the brain sharp and improves memory retention. Writing is also a meaningful way to share your experiences, reflect on your life, and connect with others. Consider joining a local or virtual writing group to help you figure out what kind of writing or journaling feels most authentic to you.
9. Learn a New Language
Picking up a new language enhances cognitive abilities and works new parts of your brain, which can help reduce the risk of dementia. Which language should you learn? Any language that intrigues you! You could learn Italian if you dream of traveling to the Amalfi Coast, or you could learn your new neighbor’s native language so you can help them feel more at home. Local classes, library resources, or online courses make learning a new language accessible and fun.
10. Sign Up for a Nutrition Class
Understanding your personal dietary needs can empower you to make healthier choices, which in turn can improve energy, minimize fatigue, and reduce the impact of chronic health conditions. Plus, the process of learning about nutrition fosters a sense of accomplishment and control over your own senior wellness, which can enhance both physical and mental resilience.
11. Participate in a Book Club
Book clubs provide mental stimulation – like memory and critical thinking skills – and social interaction, both of which are critical for senior mental health. You can find a local or virtual book club that reads genres you’re most interested in, whether that’s nonfiction, romance, or horror.
12. Attend a Technology Class
Learning how to use modern gadgets or apps can help you stay connected with loved ones who live far away. For example, you could take a class on using Zoom or Facetime, so you can video chat with children or grandchildren who live in another state. Virtual reunions allow older adults to share memories, stay connected, and strengthen family bonds, even from a distance.
Emotional and Social Senior Wellness Tips
13. Host a Recipe Swap with Friends
Sharing your favorite recipes with friends in a “recipe swap night” fosters connection and creates opportunities to try new, nutritious meals. Cooking together is also a fun and fulfilling way to bond with loved ones. Plan a potluck night with loved ones to try it out!
Get all the ingredients you need delivered with GoGo Grocery. GoGo Grocery makes meal planning and prepping a breeze. All your groceries are delivered right to your doorstep without the hassle of traffic, crowded supermarkets, or carrying heavy bags. Learn more about GoGo Gocery here.
14. Create a Gratitude Journal
A gratitude journal is a simple yet powerful way to improve senior mental health. Simply thinking about or writing down three things you’re grateful for each day enhances emotional resilience, promotes positivity, and fosters senior wellness and joy. Learn more about the benefits of meditation and mindfulness here.
15. Volunteer in Your Community
Helping others provides a deep, authentic sense of purpose and fulfillment. Giving back fosters a sense of connection that can help combat feelings of isolation and loneliness. And there’s no shortage of ways to volunteer! You can assist at a homeless shelter, house foster dogs, read to children, be a business mentor, work the booth at a fair, spoon soup at the local food bank, and so much more. Check local organizations to find open volunteering positions.
16. Host a Game Night
Board games and trivia nights are a fun way to keep your mind active and have fun with friends. These gatherings encourage meaningful social interaction that helps maintain senior mental health. Just don’t be surprised if it becomes an ongoing tradition!
Some classic and popular board games to try out include Scrabble, Monopoly, Yahtzee, Checkers, Chess, Sequence, Trivial Pursuit, Family Feud Trivia Game, Bananagrams, Catch Phrase, Pictionary, Ticket to Ride, and so many others!
17. Join a Local Hobby Group
Engaging in activities like painting, knitting, or gardening nurtures your creativity and can feed your soul. Joining a hobby group with which you can share these passions also fosters meaningful social connections based on shared interests.
Use GoGo Rides to get to your painting class or community garden without stress. Just call one of our friendly operators to schedule a ride, and we’ll get you there stress-free – so you can focus on what really matters to you.
Other Senior Wellness Tips
18. Declutter Your Home
Organizing your living space reduces stress and creates a more comfortable, inviting environment. Tackling small projects to improve your home can also enhance focus and provide a sense of accomplishment.
Want a clean home but don’t want to tackle it alone? Reach out to GoGo Home Services. We can help you connect with local home professionals like handymen or organizers to help you get your home in tip-top shape.
19. Explore Local Museums
Museums are a treasure trove of opportunities to learn and explore art, history, and science. They can also be a social experience, as guided tours and special events often encourage interaction and shared learning with others. Many museums offer senior discounts, making them an affordable and enriching way to spend an afternoon.
20. Take Up Journaling
Journaling promotes self-reflection, helps process emotions, and encourages goal setting. It’s an excellent tool for emotional and mental clarity, particularly during transitional phases of life or dealing with new health and life challenges. Journaling is also a creative outlet that can help you document meaningful memories or express your thoughts, fostering a deeper sense of connection to your personal journey.
21. Discover a New Genre of Music
Listening to different styles of music stimulates the brain, evokes memories, and enhances mood. Experimenting with different music genres can be both relaxing and invigorating. Music can also inspire physical movement, such as dancing or gentle stretching, which benefits senior mental health and physical wellbeing.
22. Plan a “Staycation” Day
This Wellderly Week, design a day just for you. Incorporate all your favorite activities like reading, watching movies, painting, or trying out an at-home spa treatment. A staycation helps you rest and rejuvenate, making senior wellness a priority.
23. Organize a Photo Album
Sitting down for an afternoon to build an album or scrapbook is fantastic for senior mental health. Going through old photos fosters connections with your past, and you’re creating something new and beautiful out of your memories.
Why Wellderly Week Matters for Senior Wellness
Wellderly Week is an opportunity to rediscover passions, prioritize senior wellness, and foster connections that enrich your life at every stage. And by embracing these healthy habits for seniors, you’re not only changing your own life – you’ll likely also inspire others, creating a ripple effect of positivity that extends well beyond this special week.
This March, let’s celebrate aging as a journey of growth, resilience, and vitality. Together, we can ensure that every senior enjoys a life filled with purpose, joy, and wellness!
GoGoGrandparent makes it easy to embrace senior wellness this Wellderly Week without worrying about logistical challenges. Catch a ride to your favorite social activities, get grocery delivery for healthy eating, or hire a local home professional to help you maintain a comfortable living space.
Register with GoGo now to start prioritizing your health and wellness in 2025.
