Aging, by design, brings new challenges to all of us. The adage that age is just a number may be a pleasant thought but falls flat in reality.
That doesn’t mean older people have to give up on things. Instead, they must find ways to live differently. Jane E. Brody wrote an article “How to Age Gracefully” and subtitled “Inspired by a new book, ‘Stupid Things I Won’t Do When I Get Old,’ I’m taking stock of my life and deciding what I need to reconsider.”
In the New York Times article, Brody writes that “When I asked a woman my age how she was feeling, she said, 'I have issues,’ and I said, ‘We all have issues. The secret to successful aging is to recognize one’s issues and adapt accordingly.’ Brody said she assesses constantly what she can and can’t do, and then asks for help when necessary.
At ALLE Learning™, we applaud this sentiment and agree that successful aging includes “accepting changes and finding meaningful activities,” as an article on WebMD states. Meaningful activities can include “travel, spiritual pursuits, hobbies, new social groups, lifelong learning, or recapturing time with family if one lacked the chance during the career years,” according to the article.
ALLE Learning™ aims to be a key component in lifelong learning to allow people to retain a robust quality of life as they age and face changes. It taps into people’s passions and interests to help them contribute and feel valued, loved, and connected.
Our affordable programs make it easy for senior communities to provide classes that are much more than one-sided lectures. They include lesson plans, speaker notes, discussion questions and much more. Even if seniors aren’t quite as active as when they were younger, they often don’t want to stop trying new things.
We have seen it ourselves time and again: When people find ways to age well and retain a certain level of engagement and activity, they’re happier and healthier.
Learn more about the curriculum options offered to senior community centers by visiting Phoenix-based ALLE Learning™ at www.alle-learning.com, emailing us info@alle-learning.com, or calling us at (800) 990-9806. Learn about our related companies that focus on community-based curriculums, EngAGE EnCOURAGE,™ or our home-based activities for caregivers to share with loved ones, Engaging at Home.