Loneliness is the first thing that pops into the mind when thinking about retired life. Whether living with a spouse or leading life on own terms, retirement is the stage of life that most people dread. Besides the wear and tear of bones and muscles, many people think about the emotional hollowness that comes with age.
With children leading separate lives and grandchildren in teens, many senior citizens deal with identity crises while few others feel left out in society and succumb to emotional distress.
However, if people consider pursuing a few hobbies at age free from all duties, they can make life more purposeful and eventful and use the best of their time. Here are the 5 most straightforward yet fun-filled and satisfying activities the senior citizen can engage in.
Before that, let’s take a sneak peek at the benefits of engaging in hobbies at old age:
Benefits Of Pursuing Hobbies At Old Age
Studies suggest that engaging in hobby activities has several benefits for seniors. Here are a few:
- A longer lifespan
- An increased release of dopamine hormone or the feeling of happy and healthy
- A greater sense of self-efficacy
- Increased strength in the face of adversity and stress
- Improved memory, comprehension, creativity, and problem-solving skills
5 Hobbies Senior Citizens Can Take Up
- Writing
Old age makes people look back at the past years of life and often analyse what went right or wrong. Some people become philosophical and spiritual; they talk about good deeds, karma and leading a life that helps stay right in God’s eyes.
However, a few percentages of people engaged in professions like teaching or writing still have the inner flames of a poet or narrator burning inside them.
Writing is bound to give the stooping shoulders and fragile minds some relief and excitement. It can be a creative work of fiction, poetry, life achievements, a survival note for the younger generations to follow, or any emotion they want to vent out.
Additionally, they can offer freelance academic help. Students often see no ends in the tunnel while writing assignments. They fervently wonder – “Is there anyone who can offer my assignment help and save me from this dark pit?
These retired professors can come like a knight in shining armor and use their decades of experience to help improve the student’s grades. It will make them feel purposeful and give them inner content.
Moreover, a study by the American Academy of Neurology highlights that an individual’s memory or information retention rate reduces by 32% in aging adults. Writing will help stop such wear-outs.
- Volunteering
Volunteering is one of the most satisfying jobs one can do as an individual, whether a young or old adult. The happiness that comes from helping others without asking for anything in return is unadulterated. Moreover, it often cools the deepest wounds in the soul and saves the most extraordinary lives in society.
In the US, volunteer service contributes to nearly 30% of the total volunteer service in the country. More than money, most NGOs need individuals who can devote time to care for their varied work.
Today, there are thousands of options to give back to society. There are many choices, from tutoring or mentoring a destitute, providing free medical care, offering a free meal, to collecting at the local arts center.
Volunteering is also liked to reduce stress, and depression, feel a sense of accomplishment, find a sense of purpose, build confidence and strengthen emotional features in a senior. It also reduces the mortality rate in humans.
- Learn to Play an Instrument
One cannot learn everything in life, and there is no age to start learning something new. The employed years are too filled to meet professional or personal commitments. There is hardly any time to pay attention to what the soul wants.
Life post-retirement is free from all such liabilities. One has hours to practice skills and get involved in newly learned musical lessons. Now that online classes are trendy senior citizens do not need to search for a learned tutor in the vicinity.
However, some seniors still apprehend applying for online classes. Keeping the eyes open for community centres conducting music classes and participating there will help share the love for music. Ukulele, harmonica, and piano are some musical instruments that can be played smoothly even with shivering and weak fingers.
Getting involved in learning and playing musical instruments also helps to stay young for a long time. It is because it uses different parts of the brain and helps maintain motor skills through perfect hand-eye coordination – an essential benefit of playing musical instruments.
Apart from that, playing music in a group increase social interaction, reduces stress and anxiety and keeps the mind young. Moreover, it gives the inspiration to live more and communicate the unspoken words through music.
- Bird Watching
For those living away from the hustle and bustle of a city, greenery is just outside their window. Pursuing the once favorite pastimes like hiking and camping is not worth the risk at this age. In addition, physical health often signs a red flag even if the mind wants the adrenaline rush.
Bird watching can give a feel of both pleasures. Bird watching is all about being outdoors, enjoying the true colors of the earth without any need for a safety harness.
A study by National Geographic suggests that 50-430 billion birds exist on this earth. Some birds like staying cocooned in a locality, while others are migratory. Some can be seen throughout the year, while some are seasonal.
A senior citizen must find an excellent spot near the home with a pair of good binoculars and an optional camera. It will help them enjoy the unique calls, feather colors, and behavioral patterns of the one-of-a-kind creature on earth. This hobby also keeps the reflexes strong and the mind sharp in senior adults.
- Crafting
Crafting is one of the age-old hobbies that senior citizens often take up. Crafting, including knitting, painting, quilting and clay modeling, has a calming effect. Psychologists say that the results are similar to that of meditation.
It is also used as a therapy to reduce anxiety and improve hand-eye coordination. The older lots of the society engaged in this hobby and can trade their patchwork, ideas, and unique patterns through club-organized events.
Similarly, seniors more connected to paintings can engage in this activity with water, oil, or acrylic paints to bring out the child in them. In addition, painting plays as a catalyst for adults recovering from serious mental or physical illness. It also helps increase mental focus and increase hand-eye coordination.
Final Thoughts,
Nobody has the same physique, mental strength, or time to spare for new hobby activities. What may add a new life to one’s soul could be physically strenuous for the other. Considering the schedule or physical capabilities is necessary before pursuing a hobby. One can start with a relaxing activity and assess what it feels like. Then they may add a new one to the list bringing a few changes to the lifestyle or schedule and continue with it as long as it does not stress the mind or body.
Author Bio: Jason Haydon is a retired school teacher currently based in the UK. A faithful volunteer, he answers every call whenever any of the children from his favorite orphanage says -“I quickly need you for my assignment help. Please be online.” Apart from that, he also supervises the solutions provided by an academic assistance company in the country.
