It’s no secret that people are living longer than ever before. The average life expectancy is currently 83 years old! While this is great news for aging family members who want to enjoy their retirement years and stay active in their senior independent living in Hope, IN, some factors could make an independent living community (ILC) more appealing to residents than other options assisted living or nursing homes.
This post will detail why lifelong learning is important for older adults and how it can impact your overall well-being as you age.
Developing Your Hobbies
A hobby is something you do for enjoyment in your spare time. It can be anything from gardening to playing an instrument or reading a book. The key is that it should be something you enjoy and look forward to doing again.
Hobbies can keep your mind active and provide an opportunity for social interaction with other people with similar interests. A good example of this is the piano player who plays at his local community center once a week; he gets some exercise from playing and meets up with friends who share his love of music!
Learning Something Completely New
Learning something completely new can be challenging, but it’s also fun. Learning something new is one of the best ways to stay active in your retirement years and meet new people.
For example, if you’ve always wanted to learn how to paint or play an instrument but have yet to have time, this could be an excellent opportunity! Or you have always wanted to learn a language. Now that your schedule is less busy with work and other responsibilities (or even fewer people around), it might be easier for you than ever.
Mental Stimulation Helps You Stay Young
Mental stimulation is another important aspect of maintaining your mental health as you age. Research shows that mentally active people are more likely to live longer than those who are not mentally active. One study found that people who regularly engage in intellectual activities such as reading or playing games have an average life expectancy of 7 years longer than those who don’t!
Mentally stimulating activities can also help keep your brain sharp and even improve memory function over time. One study found that older adults who engage in mentally stimulating activities like crossword puzzles or chess show less decline in their cognitive abilities over time than those who do not engage in these activities.
Finally, staying mentally active helps us feel happier overall because it keeps us from getting bored and gives us something meaningful to focus on during our free time – which makes retirement even better!
So, the next time you’re considering retirement in an Independent Living community and want to know what it’s like, think about how learning new things can help prevent memory loss. Learning new things keeps your brain active and prevents depression by keeping your mind sharp! It also helps keep your brain healthy by encouraging new connections between neurons as they form memories (or “learning”).
