Discovering New Hobbies and Interests in Senior Living Communities

Moving to a new place can often open up exciting new opportunities—and senior living is no exception. In the same way that numerous classes and clubs are a hallmark of the college experience, senior living communities offer organized activities, outings, and interest groups right at your doorstep. These all offer accessible ways to try new experiences, connect with your neighbors, and hone your skills and talents. And without the responsibilities of homeownership, there’s much more time to explore both new and favorite interests.

Keep learning

Because of neuroplasticity, we now know that the brain is able to adapt and grow at any age—and the act of learning can help slow cognitive aging. Learning new skills or concepts can also build confidence and strengthen our sense of identity and competence. So if there’s a subject, field, or craft you’ve always been curious about, the benefits make it worth exploring. And the right senior living community can make learning that much more accessible. Whether you want to join a discussion group on current events or attend a lecture on a topic that interests you, there are many senior living communities that offer a range of activities to facilitate learning.

Practice creativity

Nurturing creativity isn’t just important for mental and emotional health—it’s also important for our sense of meaning and contribution to the world. Senior living communities commonly offer activity clubs that can be sources of encouragement and support as you try out your talents. These groups might be centered around creating art, writing, and music. It’s never too late to tap into your creative side and discover new ways to express yourself.

Take advantage of cultural outings

Senior living communities often organize lively social outings to parks, sporting events, museums, and music performances. These outings are a great way to feel part of the community and take in and appreciate all types of beauty. But they’re also a chance to enjoy festive group gatherings, create memories, and strengthen connections with your friends and neighbors.

Find new local opportunities for volunteering

Whether through staff or resident-driven activities, senior living communities often offer opportunities to get involved in supporting local neighborhood needs. If volunteering is something that you’d like to get more involved in, ask whether your senior living community has any current groups you can join. Or, use this chance to start your own initiative that you can invite other residents to help support.  When we volunteer, everyone wins: not only is volunteering good for the body and soul, it also strengthens your connection to your new home.

Enjoy meeting like-minded neighbors

Many people are attracted to senior living for the same reasons. They want to join a community, stay socially active, and try new things. So while making new friends isn’t always easy, it may help to know that you may already have these values and goals in common. And by joining activities and clubs, you can find others who share specific interests and the desire for growth and connection. These can all form a strong base for starting conversations, building friendships, and creating support systems.

A move to senior living actually makes it easy to keep an active, healthy, thriving lifestyle—debunking that myth of seniors slowing down. If you have more questions about what senior living could look like for you at Era Living, get in touch: we’d be happy to answer them via phone or email.