By Vista Springs Assisted Living
With the gentle passing of time, and as we grow in experience and maturity, we can sometimes find ourselves getting bored with the hobbies that we’ve been enjoying for many years. That’s not to say that the hobbies haven’t been pleasant, but at this point, it just may seem like—something is missing.
Having more time in retirement offers the opportunity to expand our knowledge base in new, exciting places. Not only can this be a fun journey, but it also offers tremendous benefit to health, happiness, and mental sharpness.
An opportunity to turn dreams into reality
A large percentage of people who retire eventually elect to downsize from a large home, condo, or co-op to an assisted living community that can better meet the needs of aging adults. Their lives may have changed dramatically, and they now feel the emotional need for a comfortable transition to a more relaxed and fun-filled lifestyle that is more suitable for aging adults.
Moving into a well-run, friendly and luxurious assisted living community can be an excellent opportunity to make new friends, try a few new things and discover new passions. Let’s be frank, who doesn’t want more leisure time to enjoy life’s pleasures? This remains the case for those dealing with health challenges and disabilities.
Exciting new activities
With assisted living activities, the objective is helping people enrich their lives in a new home and friendly community. These activities encourage people to have fun and try new things whether it’s learning to play chess, learning to play pool, or exploring computer classes where they can send and receive photos of their adult children, grandchildren, and their siblings. They may not physically be able to visit foreign countries, but they can take a tour via the internet.
Assisted living activities like arts and theater appreciation improve the quality of life for both caregivers and loved ones. Artistic expression can put a sparkle in their eyes and an uplifting sense of achievement.
For those who have had a burning desire to create and develop a blog, write a children’s book, or try their hand at poetry, assisted living creates an ideal and safe environment for this type of artistic exploration.
Gardening is also an extremely popular choice. It provides community members with the opportunity to experience nature in a very intimate and personal way. It’s also perfect for stress relief, relaxation and heart health. Nurturing and caring for a tiny and delicate flowering plant as it slowly grows into a magnificent work of nature can be an incredible experience.
There are so many activities that can ignite a fun and active spirit no matter the participant’s age. And even if it’s something entirely new to you or your loved one, the key element is finding the strength to embark on something new. Who knows? It just may be the key part to discovering a brand-new passion in life.
Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.
