LEARNING CAN KEEP YOU BUSY IN RETIREMENT

 

How Lifelong Learning can Keep You Busy in Retirement

Lifelong learning is that not-so-secret sauce that promotes healthy aging by keeping your body and mind active and alert. It helps prevent or reduce the risk of memory loss by challenging your mind, increasing your knowledge and boosting your self-esteem. Read on to learn how later life learning can keep you busy in retirement, while offering a host of other physiological and emotional benefits.

Stay Physically, Mentally and Socially Active through Lifelong Learning

Staying busy in retirement is a critical aspect of making your golden years meaningful and satisfying. Embracing formal learning opportunities has many proven benefits. This includes improved cognitive abilities, a greater sense of purpose and accomplishment and improved social life and sense of community.

Here are some options to pursue lifelong learning and stay mentally, socially and physically active when you retire:

  • Go Back to School: Find courses to upgrade your existing skills, learn new real-world skills, complete an unfinished degree and explore subjects of interest that you didn’t have time to pursue during your working life. Once you start looking, you will find that there are many continuous learning courses, specifically designed for older adults. For example, several Toronto universities offer degrees, diplomas, certificate courses, and online learning classes for seniors. Some educational institutions also offer older adults various opportunities to:
    • Participate in research studies
    • Register for community programs to engage in discussions with well-informed speakers on a wide variety of subjects
    • Enroll as listeners or auditors for courses without assignments and credits

  • Stay Social: Connecting with new people, being part of a community and forging new friendships significantly impacts longevity by offering a sense of fulfillment. Staying social in retirement not only leads to enhanced self-esteem, but also creates a support network that you can lean on during difficult times. Seek out opportunities to meet other like-minded older adults through social groups, activity groups, clubs, volunteering, and other such opportunities.

  • Remain Active: While going for walks, running errands, and doing household chores will help you remain physically active, you can also invest in physical wellbeing through structured learning opportunities. For example:
    • Sign up for formal classes to learn yoga, meditation, or forms of dance or workouts.
    • Get a gym membership or hire a personal trainer to burn some calories and strengthen your joints and muscles.
    • Participate in specialized wellness programs run by your local community centres to focus on healing of specific health problems or lifestyle diseases. 

Explore Lifelong Learning Opportunities at The LIFE Institute in Toronto

The LIFE Institute at Ryerson University in Toronto, Ontario offers a range of opportunities for older adults (50+) to stay busy in retirement. Through learning, socializing and contributing to your community, you will enjoy a friendly, welcoming, high-quality environment that keeps you physically, mentally and socially active in your golden years.

Through our affiliation with Ryerson University's G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education, you can take advantage of exceptional educational experiences. Among the many benefits of a LIFE membership, you get access to all the top facilities and services at Ryerson’s age-friendly campus. Our programs provide opportunities to upgrade your skills and knowledge as well as meet and make friends with other older adults who share your passion and interests.

Learn more about the integral role of lifelong learning in healthy aging. Find a program at The LIFE Institute and choose from a variety of opportunities to keep you busy and engaged.

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