One challenging aspect of aging comes later in life when older adults seek new and interesting ways to continue having purpose and meaning in their lives. Retiring from a job, moving from a long-time home, or feeling disconnected from familiar daily routines can lead to depression, anxiety, or poor health.
Psychology Today introduces us to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that reports a person's idea of whether they're living a worthwhile life "appears to be positively linked to just about every aspect of their lives, not just health." The sample of 7,304 men and women aged 50 and older suggested that independent of age, sex, education, or socioeconomic status, higher feelings of worth were associated with everything from stronger personal relationships to better mental and physical health.
How can we support our resident's needs to have purpose and meaning in their lives? In this "age of distraction," it is easy to catch their attention but not so easy to keep them engaged. Explaining why you present certain activities informs and enlightens them about what they will be doing and why it is good for their brain & overall health – no matter how simplistic or silly the activity might be, there needs to be a purpose and meaning in what they are doing even if that purpose is to laugh and have a great time.
Connecting residents to meaningful and purpose-filled activities help strengthen the community and support strong socialization and less isolation.
ALLE Learning™ makes it easy to provide these connecting experiences with a full set of programs tailor-made for lifelong learning. All materials are downloadable and come with lesson plans, a collection of colorful slides, speaker scripts, and more—everything you need to inform, enlighten, and entertain.
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 (602) 418-5196. Learn about our related programs that focus on community-based memory care, EngAGE EnCOURAGE ™, or our home-based program for persons living with dementia and their care partners, Engaging at Home™.