7 Exciting Retirement Activities to Stay Active and Engaged
Staying healthy in your senior years isn't about eating more salads or scheduling more frequent doctor visits.
True vitality in later life is all about staying active, and the secret to staying active is finding things you enjoy.
If you have recently retired, perhaps you want a new hobby or healthy living plan. If so, read on. This guide will share seven exciting retirement activities to help you feel young, even when the birthday candles tell a different story.
Fitness and Well-being Classes for an Active Retired Life
Looking after your physical health is crucial in your senior years. So, you should try to incorporate some sort of fitness class into your weekly schedule. Here are some ideas for fitness activities you might find in a senior living community:
- Pilates
- Strength and conditioning
- Aerobics
- Using equipment in a fitness room
- Water aerobics
- Swimming
- Power walk
- Yoga
- Tai chi
If you have disabilities, speak to instructors to find classes specially adapted to seniors with mobility or cognitive issues.
Always focus on finding an activity you can enjoy because that's the best way to get both the mental and physical benefits of exercise.
For some, that might mean a more social activity where they can get together with friends. For others, the beauty of the great outdoors will be the perfect background for a quiet, solitary walk or early morning tai chi classes.
Fulfilling Retirement Ideas: Arts and Crafts
Perhaps you have a creative streak or want to use your retirement years to learn new skills. In that case, ensure you have an arts and crafts activity on your weekly schedule. Here are some class ideas you could try:
- Painting
- Pencil drawing
- Scrapbooking
- Pottery and ceramics
- Knitting or sewing
- Jewellery making
- Woodwork
Engaging in arts and other creative pursuits can help you meet like-minded people, so it's excellent for building a strong social network in your retirement years.
It's also calming and therapeutic, so it can help support your mental well-being. Plus, it's valuable for strengthening cognitive skills in later years, such as fine motor skills and focusing on small details.
There is a sense of accomplishment in every finished piece of art to display in your home.
Join a Book Club
If you love reading, learn about book clubs near you or your senior living community.
Book clubs are a great way to keep your mind active, commit yourself to reading regularly, and keep that grey matter occupied. It's also a chance to expand your horizons and read novels and genres you've not tried before.
However, the best aspect of joining a book club is undoubtedly the social element. And in a senior living community, that's a vital way to protect residents from loneliness and isolation in old age.
You can meet weekly to chat about plot lines and book suggestions and bring in guest authors to talk about their writing.
You can also create a social atmosphere for any book night by providing drinks, food, and comfortable surroundings like a library or lounge in your senior living community.
Take Part in a Gardening Group
Connecting with nature and the outdoors is great for physical and mental health. Plus, there is something satisfying about seeing your plants and flowers bloom from when you first planted them as seeds.
If this sounds like it could be your favorite retirement hobby, join a gardening club in your senior living community.
You could work with others on a beautiful community garden, being part of a team that makes everyone's surroundings more welcoming. Or you could work on individual plots, perhaps planting and growing fruit and vegetables.
Gardening is also an excellent pastime to improve your mobility as you age. Digging, stretching, and crouching can keep your joints active and supple.
Fun Retirement Hobbies: Group Trips
Some of the most enriching activities in later life involve venturing out and exploring new places. Day trips and group visits to local tourist attractions can highlight your monthly calendar. Here are some ideas to get you thinking:
- A visit to a local museum or historical landmark
- A local cultural event or local festival
- A visit to the theatre or concert
- Visits to parks or botanical gardens
- Trips to nearby hiking trails
- A visit to a local shopping center or restaurant
These trips are also an excellent opportunity to meet new people and form friendships.
They're also a great way to add variety to a planned list of regular activities. Plus, since group outings are such a broad category, finding an activity that matches your interests and hobbies is easily achievable.
Classes and Lectures
One way to boost your knowledge in your senior year is to attend classes and lectures. Find out what your senior community has to offer. You could learn:
- How to operate the latest technology
- Attend a guest lecture on a topic of interest
- Learn a new language
- Healthy aging tips and seminars
It's never too late to develop new skills. And some skill sets can help boost your confidence and independence in your senior years, especially ones that teach you about new and emerging technology.
That can help you discover valuable skills like setting up FaceTime calls with distant relatives.
Join a Volunteer Program
Why not use your later years to help others? Volunteer programs can help local communities benefit from your wisdom and experience. You could:
- Join a local team looking after the environment
- Work on a local program like a youth mentoring scheme
- Set up a charity event for a cause close to your heart
These engaging senior activities are a great way to form friendships and give back to others. It's fantastic if you have valuable skills to offer, like organizing high-profile events or working with troubled teens.
Retirement Activities for Anyone to Enjoy
The secret to enjoying your retirement activities is to find something you love. Once you do that, everything else falls into place. You'll develop skills and meet many like-minded people, forming friendships along the way.
Would you like to discover more about enriching senior activities in a community near you?
Head here to learn about the exciting range of activities and amenities we offer at Walker Place Assisted Living in Shelbyville, IN. You'll see why so many make it their first-choice senior community.