3 Benefits of Learning a New Skill in Senior Living

When moving to an assisted living community such as our White Mountains community in Lakeside, Arizona, one might wonder how to fill their time. Without the daily chores and upkeep a house requires, or grocery shopping and food preparation, there’s a lot more free time in the day. This means that the senior in your life has the time to learn a new hobby, a new skill, or a new language!

Here are three benefits of learning a new skill in senior living:

1. Social Connections

Making friends as an adult might be more difficult and may take more time than when we were kids, but the benefits of friendships are legion. People with more social support tend to live longer, healthier, and happier lives.

Attending a class is an excellent way to learn something new. Whether it’s painting, cooking, a music class, engaging with new technology, or yoga, being in close proximity with new people will create opportunities to promote friendships and connections. Friends help seniors feel less isolated and engaging with people will create shared interests, or a way into learning more about the others around you.

2. Improved Cognition

No matter what age you are, when you learn new information, the neurons in your brain create a connection. When you make learning a lifelong goal, your brain will be healthier in general because of this neuron activity. Cognitively-stimulating activities include reading, watching documentaries, and exploring the world around you, but sometimes these activities are solo prospects. Attending a class or going on a day trip to a museum is an excellent way to bundle together learning with creating a social connection!

As we age, our cognition tends to decline. It may become difficult to understand common concepts or topics. Combat this decline by committing to becoming a lifetime learner; it will slow the progression of that decline, and maybe even stop it!

3. Better Memory

Memory loss is a common complaint of getting older, but learning something new can help you retain your acuity. By keeping up with a class, you can help keep your brain engaged and maintain your memory and recall skills intact for a longer time. Your brain is also a muscle, after all! And while it’s good that you do a daily Sudoku puzzle, or the crossword, your brain needs stimulation of various kinds, like any muscle. Keep doing your daily puzzles, but get out there and learn something new that you hadn’t thought about before—a music class, a technology class, or a language you always wanted to learn. You’ll enjoy the benefits of a stronger sense of memory for longer.

Our Solterra Senior Living community in Lakeside, AZ is called White Mountains, and includes three different levels of care: independent living, assisted living, and memory care. This resort-style community offers a variety of activities and special events—you will consider yourself an active older adult in no time! Contact us today to schedule a tour.