BUILDING CONNECTIONS THROUGH LIFELONG LEARNING

Making friends or building connections can enrich your life and health in more ways than you can imagine. From boosting happiness, reducing stress, and improving self-confidence, to coping with loss or trauma and creating a sense of purpose and belonging, personal or social networks offer a number of benefits. In fact, the sheer joy of companionship can significantly reduce several physical or mental health problems, including high blood pressure, unhealthy Body Mass Index (BMI), and even depression.

It’s important to remember that building connections requires a fair amount of time, patience, and commitment. In order to meet new people and make new friendships, you may have to put yourself out there in experiences or situations that allow you to be amidst like-minded individuals.

So, where do older adults go to meet other older adults? Staying social after retirement, joining hobby classes and walking clubs for older adults in Toronto, or pursuing lifelong learning opportunities are just some of the ways to build connections and meet new people.

 

Explore Later Life Learning to Expand Your Network

Most courses in later life learning and continuing education programs are designed around building genuine and trusting relationships in a friendly, high-quality learning environment. Enrolling in such courses can help you:

  • Make New Friends: Meet and mingle with like-minded individuals who share your passion and interests and are willing to try new things.

  • Expand Your Horizon: Developing friendships and connections with others in your learning group could lead to unexpected discoveries that open new doors. It could be a new business idea, a new volunteering opportunity, a collaborative travel plan, or something else that you and your connection may decide to pursue jointly.

  • Enhance your Mental and Emotional Wellness: Whether it is the interactions with your co-learners, facilitators, or trainers, lifelong learning opportunities can:

    • Stretch and challenge your mind
    • Build your knowledge and skills
    • Keep your memory sharp and brain alert
    • Give you a sense of satisfaction and achievement
    • Help you build friendships and connections for life
    • Nurture a strong support network that you can enjoy in good times and also rely on in challenging times


Join The LIFE Institute in Toronto to Stay Connected and Enjoy Lifelong Learning

Whether due to retirement, relocation, separation, death of a loved one, or some other significant life event, our social circles tend to go through many changes over the years. Yet, it is possible to build new friendships at any age, provided you are willing to take the initiative and seek new connections.

Looking for avenues to meet like-minded people? The LIFE Institute at Ryerson University offers a variety of programs for older adults in Toronto. Besides later life learning plans and degree and certificate courses, you will find a host of other lifelong learning possibilities. This includes opportunities to participate in research studies, volunteering activities, hobby clubs, walking groups, free lectures, community programs, and much more. Check out our LIFE member Barbara Britto’s story, inspiring several other older adults in and around Toronto.

With a year-round calendar of activities and events, a LIFE membership will help you feel connected to the community, achieve a healthy body and mind, and build a wholesome and satisfying lifestyle during your golden years.

Explore a LIFE membership and learn more about how you can join a welcoming group of like-minded people. Reach out to us for more information on our many programs where you can build connections for life.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

LIFELONG LEARNING FOR HEALTHY AGING

Image
  They say the most valuable asset you will ever have is your mind and what you put into it. Committing yourself to lifelong learning is not only an exhilarating process, but it can also stimulate your senses and contribute to your overall health and wellbeing. Yet, as we age, many of us tend to take a step back from exploring new things. Thoughts such as “This is too mind-boggling", "I'm too old to learn this new stuff", "What if I make a fool of myself?”, “What if I cannot understand or absorb what they teach?” are quite common. It is important to remember that just as physical exercise nurtures your heart and contributes to your physical health, continuous learning nurtures your brain and boosts mental and emotional wellness. Read on to understand how lifelong learning helps you build cognitive reserve and promotes healthy ageing. The Why and How of Lifelong Learning Lifelong learning is about keeping our memory sharp and our brain alert. Whether you are into...
Read more

The Benefits of Staying Connected Socially in Retirement

Image
After retirement, it is normal to feel like your social circle shrank dramatically overnight. After working for many years with the same colleagues and having opportunities to interact with others daily, it is natural to miss the high levels of human connection and interaction you’ve grown accustomed to. While people from work probably vowed to stay in touch, the reality is that you cannot rely on them fully for social support, especially if they are still working full-time or are keeping busy with their own families and commitments. In our fast-paced world, even your children, grandchildren, and long-time friends likely have a lot on their plates, so you may need to find new ways to stay social after retirement. Staying social in retirement is a very important part of thriving as you age. Research shows that it significantly impacts longevity and fulfilment because, as social creatures, we all need to feel connected in every stage of life. Having positive relationships with others can...
Read more

THINGS TO DO IN RETIREMENT

Image
  How often have you heard yourself or a loved one reminiscing over the “good old days”? As you move closer to retirement, it’s common to feel nostalgic about the years gone by, especially your years at school and university. That time when you laughed every day, forged friendships for life, and learnt something new each day. As you step into your golden years and plan a new lifestyle in retirement, you may be able to bring back and relive those days in a variety of different ways. Whether it is through pursuing active learning opportunities, travelling to new places, indulging in retirement hobbies, socializing, or volunteering, there are a host of interesting things to do in retirement. Do What Makes YOU Happy While it may sound contradictory, staying busy is the key to a successful and satisfying retirement. It is the time to do things that make YOU happy, because now you  have  the time! It is about doing things that give you a sense of purpose, accomplishment and a f...
Read more