Did you know your curiosity and love of learning are good for your mind and body? Research into senior health shows that the process of learning late in life offers big benefits, including improving memory, slowing cognitive decline, reducing depression and boosting self-esteem.

To enjoy these and other benefits of learning, it’s important to choose activities and hobbies that actually challenge you in some way. A study published in the journal Psychological Science showed that only participants who learned a new skill gained significant benefits. If you’re ready to explore learning opportunities as a way to improve your health, keep these suggestions from experts in mind.

To get the most out of lifelong learning:

  • Choose fresh topics, ideas and experiences. If you’re in your comfort zone, you’re not learning.
  • Challenge yourself. Do something that requires your sustained focus as well as time and effort to develop proficiency and understanding.
  • Pick something you enjoy. Do you like astronomy, history or art? Have you always wanted to try photography or learn to ride a motorcycle? Choosing something you enjoy means you’ll be more likely to stick with it.
  • Learn a new language or skill. They’re among the most effective ways to improve your brain health.
  • Combine the mental and physical. Now you have more reasons than ever to learn to tango, try pickleball or take up tai chi. Challenging your mind and body at the same time offers even greater benefits for your brain.
  • Share what you know. Consider sharing your knowledge or skill, either through teaching a class or mentoring a student.
  • Add people. Whether you’re taking a group class, teaching others or discussing juicy plots in a book club, the interaction and socializing help your health.
  • Do it often. Your brain benefits most when you’re actively using it. Be sure to mix in learning opportunities — big and small — all year long.

 

One of the best things seniors can do for mind and body — choose an engaging place to live that fosters learning.

At Beatitudes Campus, our senior living community in Phoenix, Arizona, you’ll find it’s easy to keep learning. You can pursue your interests, gain new knowledge, learn new skills and reap the benefits that come with it.

In fact, our entire community has been built on that very idea. From the beginning, our founders created Beatitudes Campus to reflect the vibrant learning and open, welcoming atmosphere of a college campus. With more than 100 programs and activities offered every month, you’ll discover learning happens organically and enjoyably all around you.

The heart of learning here is the Beatitudes Campus Center for Lifelong Learning. Emulating a traditional academic setting, the Lifelong Learners program features nearly two-dozen non-credit courses each semester held in spring, summer and fall.

The courses continually change but often include popular subjects such as astronomy, architecture, literature, history and foreign languages. In addition to learning about art, music and science, you can also build your skills with technology you use every day such as the internet, computers and tablets. Residents manage the program, choose the classes and print a course catalog every semester.

Beyond gaining new knowledge or learning a new skill, Beatitudes Campus’ classes encourage participants to explore and discuss topics and exchange ideas without the stress of tests and grades. This dynamic socializing offers a number of health benefits, including better physical health, a lower risk of dementia and possibly living longer. Evidence suggests that socializing is good for your brain health, according to Psychology Today. “People who connect with others generally perform better on tests of memory and other cognitive skills.”

Register for a class

The classes taught through the Beatitudes Campus Center for Lifelong Learning are open to prospective residents. We invite you to register for an upcoming class. It’s a great way to experience our academic atmosphere for yourself, and without obligation.

To register for a class or schedule a visit to hear more about how Beatitudes Campus fosters learning, simply give us a call at 602.833.1358 or contact us through our online form below.

Keep On Learning—It’s Good For You!

Throughout our lives, we’re teachers and learners. It doesn’t just stop when we reach a certain age. In fact, it often increases when we get older and have more free time. As we celebrate a new year, it’s exciting to think about the new opportunities that await us. Did you know that beyond increasing our knowledge, learning is actually good for our health?

Lifelong learning programs are growing all over the world, according to Pass It On, an international grassroots organization that promotes teaching and learning opportunities for older adults. In many countries, it’s common for older adults to attend classes alongside younger students. The topics range from the serious—law, politics, science, and technology—to the fun and entertaining—fashion, belly dancing, music, and art.

When it comes to lifelong learning, experts tout big benefits, from generating new neuron connections in your brain to a feeling of overall well-being.

Here are more benefits that come with lifelong learning:

Discover lifelong learning at Beatitudes Campus
As we live longer and healthier, enjoy access to enormous amounts of information, and have myriad ways to shape the world around us, older adults are taking charge of their learning. And, it’s happening right here at Beatitudes Campus.

With traditional education, peer-to-peer learning and new experiences, it’s easy to be a part of this important growing trend. Beatitudes offers guest speaker presentations, art classes, day trips, social and entertainment opportunities and more. The topics and venues continually change to give you a rich variety of easy in, easy out learning experiences.

Meanwhile, the Beatitudes Center for Lifelong Learners offers a structured academic program akin to a college environment. Entirely managed by residents, the program features nearly two-dozen non-credit courses each semester. There are no grades or tests. The relaxed classes foster an atmosphere of learning by encouraging discussion, exploration, and understanding.

In tandem with learning, Beatitudes Campus offers the chance to pass on what you know to others through teaching and mentoring opportunities—from leading a committee to participating in our own Design Studio (the campus residents’ “think tank”) to teaching a literature course and more. Our new Life Enrichment & Activities Guide highlights these and the many other options available here on campus.

If you’re as excited as we are about the new year and looking forward to sharing what you know and learning more as you go, we invite you to visit Beatitudes Campus. To schedule your visit or request a FREE Life Enrichment & Activities Guide, call us today at (602) 833-1358 or submit a form online. We look forward to hearing from you!