Trending News

Senior's Activities For The Mind, Body & Soul

By Staff Reporter | Update Date: Nov 26, 2018 03:52 PM EST

Retirement may be a time to relax, but it's not necessarily a time for idleness. When work is challenging, family matters spin out of control and you feel like you don't have a minute to yourself, it's tempting to think when I retire, I'm just going to lay around and sleep.

Of course, when retirement finally arrives, it is common for people to miss their jobs and the drama of raising children. Catching up on rest and getting an opportunity to take some time for yourself is a welcome aspect of one's senior years, but the days still need to be filled with meaningful connections and work that feels relevant.

For this reason - and others - folks often seek out a retirement residence that will meet the needs of their personal care and also their desired lifestyle. Life without kids in a condo or a house can get lonely and a retirement residence puts you in direct contact with other seniors and a wide array of personnel and support workers. It's not just the presence of others that can make your senior years more vibrant, but also joining together in shared activities to exercise, exchange ideas and make a difference. When you look into luxury senior living homes in your area, be sure to research what kinds of resources and programming is available - some residences are merely glorified hotels, while others go the extra mile to foster an exciting, friendly atmosphere and culture.

Here's a list of ideas for groups to join or start when you enter a retirement residence. We've made an effort to provide suggestions that will nourish the mind, body and soul!

Book Club

 

For heavy readers, one of the most attractive aspects of retirement is the freedom to tackle a massive pile of books and revisit old favourites. Starting a book club is a great way to bring people together to discuss their favourite authors and stories over tea and cookies. Whether it's The Edible Woman, Tender Is the Night or The Remains of the Day, great novels have a way of drawing people out of their shells to discuss their personal lives and opinions. Quality retirement residences typically maintain a respectable library, and public libraries are often happy to lend out multiple copies for independent book clubs.

Knitting & Crafts for Charity

For those who are addicted to knitting, even when you're finished knitting hats and scarves for your own family, there's a good reason to keep going. Donating knitwear to less fortunate families around the holidays is an act of kindness that will warm everyone's heart. Baked goods, handmade ornaments, pottery and carvings also make great gifts or, alternatively, could be sold at a charity event to raise money for community shelters around the city.

Hiking

Another typical feature of a quality senior's residence is a van or shuttle bus to help folks get around. This is convenient for shopping excursions, but you could also take it upon yourself to organize a trip to a nearby hiking trail. Walking is amazing exercise, and although there are likely fitness classes in your residence, fresh air and an encounter with nature will cheer you up and stir your soul!

Whether you live independently or in a retirement residence, consider these activities for ways to stay busy and connect with others in your golden years!

© 2023 Counsel & Heal All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
* This is a contributed article and this content does not necessarily represent the views of counselheal.com

Join the Conversation

Real Time Analytics