The benefits of senior education include decreased isolation and better mental and physical health.
Walk into practically any store this time of the year and you’ll be bombarded with displays of sale-priced backpacks, pens, notebooks, and lunchboxes – and aisles full of parents scrambling to check off items from kids’ back-to-school supply lists.
And although we may connect the new school year with children, it is crucial to change our mindset and include senior education, which provides lifelong learning benefits such as:
- Improved cognitive functioning. Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital recently paired up to undertake a study on the benefits of intellectual stimulation throughout life, and found a marked decrease in memory issues such as those displayed in Alzheimer’s disease. Besides that, a separate research study through the University of Texas at Dallas took it a step further, discovering that seniors who participated in a new, mentally-stimulating hobby actually achieved a long-term boost in their memory skills.
- Better physical and mental health. Continued learning is linked to a diminished rate of depression and anxiety, including a reduced rate of numerous chronic conditions such as diabetes, stroke, emphysema, heart problems, ulcers, asthma, and more. And just reading for as little as six minutes helps lessen stress through lowering our heart rate and reducing muscle tension, resulting in lower blood pressure, improved cardiovascular health, and a more robust and efficient immune system.
- Increased socialization. Of particular concern in senior loved ones is the propensity for isolation. Taking classes allows for the experience of community and camaraderie that is so essential to our general feeling of wellbeing, along with the opportunity to form long-term friendships with those who share similar interests.
Along with onsite courses, there are unlimited opportunities to learn online, in the comfort of home. And in many instances, classes on the web may be offered free of charge, or at a lowered rate for seniors who aren’t seeking to earn academic credits. Seniors can select from many different topics of interest, and work at their own individual pace and according to their particular schedule. AARP offers a directory of some of the top e-learning websites for seniors here, that range from cooking tips to learning new languages, computer programming, musical skills, and more.
Absolute Companion Care is committed to ensuring older adults optimize quality of life each day, and we encourage lifelong learning. We can help investigate classes of interest, set up online programs, provide transportation and accompaniment to onsite classes, and even take care of housework, meals, and laundry to permit seniors to focus on their newfound passion!
Contact us any time at 410-357-9640 to learn more about our professional senior care in Phoenix, MD and the surrounding areas depend on. Let us help your senior loved one make the initial step towards a richer and healthier lifestyle.