Hobbies For Fun As We Age

Posted by Donna Mae Scheib on July 22, 2019

Hobbies For Fun As We Age

We all know that a good diet and exercise regimen on top of safe and healthy living conditions can bring longevity, but it’s important not to understate the role that good ideas of hobbies to do as we age can play. Physical and mental health, as well as a social activity, have a harmonious relationship –especially for seniors, who have greater health risks on average than younger populations. There are no shortages of hobbies to undertake in our golden years. Physical activity includes walking, swimming, dancing, gardening, traveling, and various sports. A social activity and mental stimulation include raising pets, cooking, puzzles and other games, reading, playing and listening to music, and joining community groups. This article details the benefits of various hobbies that seniors can easily undertake.

Walking

Increasing the amount of walking you already undertake regularly if you are able-bodied can easily benefit your health and independence. Even if locales are as close and routine as your living space, the store, and at nearby parks, walking in them regularly will keep you in shape. Exercises such as Nordic Walking, which reduces strain and promotes upper body strength with walking poles, can connect you with others and varied natural environments. All kinds of walks are a prime opportunity to share conversation and other social interactions with loved ones as well.

Swimming

Because people often do it in groups, swimming can foster community ties among seniors. Furthermore, swimming benefits cardiovascular health and is an excellent exercise method for relieving the pain of osteoarthritis without feeling more of it. You may find yourself more flexible, energetic, and strong without the joint pain other exercises may bring.

Dancing

Ballroom dancing improves moods, posture, mobility, and even mental stimulation that reduces risk of dementia according to an Albert Einstein College of Medicine study. Whether you take lessons or attend events, you will have plenty of opportunities to befriend others with the same hobby.

Gardening

Whether through senior living or the broader community, you can easily find a community garden that helps you foster connections with other people and nature. Gardening increases brain function, mobility, dexterity, and endurance while reducing stress. Whether you plant beautiful flowers or delicious fruits and vegetables, you can get both fresh air and a fond reminder of how your mindful efforts can bloom into something wonderful.

Traveling

Senior Living Link’s post on travel outlines several means, considerations, and destinations of travel that depend upon your health, fitness, and budget. You can select the international or cross-country destination you’ve always wanted to see, meet new people in a senior touring group, and/or learn more about your local surroundings. The sky is the limit unless your travels by airplane eliminate even that barrier. Wherever you go, you have ample opportunities for a healthy change of scenery and new connections.

Sports

Many sports are accessible to seniors, among them golf, bowling, tennis. These sports all benefit mobility, flexibility, and strength with minimal strain on the body as associated with rougher sports. Furthermore, you can meet and befriend plenty of new people in the sports teams or senior living groups that share the game with you. Sports of all kinds improve moods and mental states by focusing your attention on a straightforward goal.

Raising pets

Cats and dogs can provide valuable companionship to people of all ages, and they actually have proven therapeutic effects. Petting them reduces cortisol (the hormone that causes stress) and increases serotonin and oxytocin (the hormones that cause happiness and relieve anxiety). Raising a pet can balance your sense of responsibility given the requirements of caring for them, even if you choose a lower-maintenance pet such as a bird, rodent, or fish.

Cooking

Sharing and passing down cherished family recipes can bring you and loved ones closer together. A special sense of satisfaction comes from cooking something great on your own, as opposed to having a pre-prepared meal. Choosing quality meats, vegetables, fruits, herbs, and spices can help you practice healthy eating and master great recipes you never got around to making in the past.

Games

Jigsaw puzzles, board games, cards, crosswords, and other games offer mental stimulation that can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and Dementia. They provide an easy and fun family bonding activity within your living space and simple solutions to boredom when you’re on your own. Increasing numbers of seniors now play video games as well; original puzzle video games and digitized versions of classic games strengthen memory, while platformers and other genres strengthen hand-eye coordination.

Reading

Books are here to stay as an age-old medium for storytelling and relaying information. By the time you reach retirement age, you probably have a good sense of which genres you like the most. You can rediscover a nostalgic old story, discover an exciting new one, or learn something invaluable. Tablets can provide easy access to e-books nowadays, but reading from a physical book aids with sleep much better than looking at a screen –with all the same memory benefits that absorbing information imparts.

Music

Listening to beloved old music can reinscribe the sense of happiness you first felt hearing it, and keeping up with new music can bring you excitement and new connections (especially on the community scale). Playing music can improve your hand-eye coordination, time management, and mental clarity, especially if you’re learning a new instrument. Many people avoid picking up an instrument they never learned in youth because they stress about it being “too late” –but with determination, no such time limit actually exists. It takes longer to learn instruments in adulthood, but that is precisely why learning benefits the mind.

Community groups

There are community groups for all of the above hobbies. Arts and crafts, in particular, have the benefits of stress reduction and memory stabilization. Adult learning groups can ease you into all sorts of valuable hobbies you may have worried it was “too late” to learn. Whatever your interests, you can easily connect with like-minded individuals. Increasing numbers of seniors are also now turning to online social media such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Skype, and WhatsApp. These sites can be a great way to reconnect with old friends and keep up with what family and newer friends are doing.

It’s never too late to learn new things. Hobbies are crucial for health and happiness, so follow your bliss wherever it takes you.

Want more resources?      Learn More >>

Want to stay updated with our blog posts and other resources? Sign up for monthly newsletter >>