Creative Ways to Engage Older Participants

May 14, 2025

By Madeleine Martin
Senior Behaviour Support Practitioner
(Specialising in Older Participants) 

Engaging older participants can involve fun and inviting activities that provide meaningful engagement and improve their quality of life. It's important to understand each individual's abilities and strengths to design programs and activities that are within their physical and mental capabilities. For example, a person with a high risk of falls can participate by staying seated, with the activity adapted to their needs. Another participant with limited mental capacity might benefit from sensory-based activities that offer appropriate and meaningful engagement. 


Here are some ideas: 



  • Gardening – high raised garden beds for those who are unable to get on the ground or are high falls risk. A wheelchair/chair can be placed next to the garden bed to ensure that they can be involved. Benefits include boosts physical health, reduces stress, enhances memory, provides purpose, encourages socialising, and promotes healthy eating in older adults. 
  • Audiobooks are a great option for older visually impaired people to be involved in “book club”. 
  • Painting and Colouring provide an excellent opportunity for everyone to be involved including those with dementia and encourages self-expression. You don’t just have to paint canvas’s, try painting rocks and pots for your garden. 
  • Cooking/Baking is a great activity for those who may be “sensory seeking” and its PICA safe (other than raw eggs). It can provide people with opportunities to make their childhood nostalgic recipes and share them with others. 
  • Bocce ball is a gentle, social game where players roll balls to get closest to a target. It improves coordination, encourages movement, and promotes social interaction for older adults. 
  • Toss games – this can include your traditional ring toss or a variation of it like the below “jumbo inflatable pizza toss game”. It helps older adults improve hand-eye coordination, balance, and focus, while promoting gentle movement, social interaction, and a sense of fun and achievement. 


Did you know?


HenPower is a creative ageing program was developed in the UK in 2014 has now been adapted in Australia.


The program includes chicken keeping with a structured arts and crafts program. It is designed to improve residents social and emotional wellbeing. The benefits of the resident’s chicken keeping include improved general health and wellbeing, significant reduction of depression, reduction of loneliness and brings benefits of animal therapy into residential care daily.


Pets also offer a great physiological benefit by triggering a release of oxytocin—the “feel-good” hormone that helps reduce stress. For older adults, this stress reduction can improve pain tolerance, making it easier for them to move around and stay active. 

 


Pictured above: Madeleine’s Silkie Bantam chickens.

 

Learn more about supporting the quality of life for your older participants here


References: 


News & Insights

Check Our Latest Resources

Kia’s Big Leap: From Challenges to Triumph at McDonald’s

November 7, 2025
At helpz, we love celebrating milestones that highlight resilience, growth, and the power of support. Today, we shine a spotlight on Kia, a young woman whose journey reminds us that with compassion and belief, incredible things are possible. Kia has faced more challenges than most her age. Growing up in foster care and overcoming significant hurdles in her early years has not stopped her. Kia has not let her life story define her spirit. Recently, she achieved a life-changing milestone: she proudly started her first job at McDonald’s . This isn’t just employment; it’s a symbol of her growing confidence, independence, and belief in herself. Working at McDonald’s is more than flipping burgers and serving fries. For Kia, it’s an opportunity to develop essential life and work skills; communication, teamwork, following routines, and managing new responsibilities. Each shift strengthens her sense of purpose and pride, proving that she’s capable of thriving in a structured, supportive environment. The McDonald’s team has played a vital role in Kia’s success. Their welcoming and inclusive approach ensures she feels supported as she learns at her own pace. Patient guidance from colleagues, combined with ongoing encouragement from her behaviour support practitioner, Marika Williams, has created a foundation where Kia can flourish. Equally deserving of recognition is Renee, Kia’s Living Skills Keyworker from Catholic Care . Renee has worked tirelessly alongside Kia, providing consistent, grounded support that has been instrumental in helping her reach this milestone. Her dedication, patience, and unwavering belief in Kia have made a profound impact, and we deeply appreciate the role she’s played in Kia’s journey. Starting a customer-facing role is no small feat for someone who has experienced social anxiety and depression. Every interaction, every smile exchanged, is a step toward conquering fears that once felt overwhelming. Kia is not just earning a pay cheque, she’s building confidence, practising social skills, and connecting with others in meaningful ways. Kia’s journey is a powerful reminder that with the right supports, compassion, and belief, people can achieve incredible things. She is discovering her strengths, embracing new challenges, and proving to herself, and to all of us, that she is capable of greatness. Congratulations, Kia! Your courage and determination inspire us all. Here’s to many more milestones and a future filled with possibilities.

Disability Awareness Hub: Huntington’s disease

November 7, 2025
Understanding Huntington’s disease

The new NDIS needs assessment

November 7, 2025
Are you ready for a fairer, simpler NDIS? What the new support needs assessments mean for you and your clients The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is evolving, and one of the most exciting changes on the horizon is the introduction of support needs assessments, set to roll out from mid-2026. These assessments promise to make planning fairer, more consistent, and less stressful for participants, families, and providers alike. So, what’s changing and why does it matter? What are support needs assessments? Support needs assessments are a new way for the NDIS to understand what supports a person with disability truly needs. Instead of relying on participants to gather their own reports and evidence, the NDIS will use a validated, strengths-based tool called the I-CAN (Instrument for Classification and Assessment of Support Needs) — developed by the Centre for Disability Studies and refined over 20 years. This tool focuses on a person’s support needs, not just their impairments, and is built on the globally recognised International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. Why this is a game-changer For too long, participants have faced the burden of sourcing costly reports, navigating complex systems, and advocating for their needs in planning meetings. The new assessments will: remove the need for participants to provide their own evidence create fairer and more equitable budgets offer more flexibility and choice in support arrangements ensure consistency across the NDIS planning process And importantly, the government will fund these assessments, not participants. How will it work? Trained, accredited assessors will meet with participants aged 16 and over to complete the assessment. The process will include: a personalised interview using the I-CAN tool consideration of environmental and personal circumstances additional assessments for complex support needs The NDIA is working closely with the disability community to co-design this process, ensuring it reflects lived experience and is accessible to all. What’s next? The rollout will be gradual, with full implementation expected over five years. This phased approach allows for real-time feedback and continuous improvement. Most participants will continue using the current planning process for now, but the NDIA will notify individuals when it’s time for their assessment. Final thought: planning with purpose This isn’t just a new tool — it’s a new mindset. By focusing on what people need to live well, rather than what they can’t do, the NDIS is taking a major step toward a more inclusive, empowering future. Are you ready to support your clients through this change? Now’s the time to learn, prepare, and embrace a more proactive approach to planning.