Retirement is the perfect time to keep learning and improving!

Now that you’re retired and have more free time and personal resources to pursue passions and develop new skills, what are you going to do next? We invite you to become a lifelong learner — to stay curious, keep exploring and seek out more enriching experiences — in retirement at Royal Oaks. Senior living has come a long way over the past few decades, and today’s Life Plan Communities are bustling with events and opportunities designed to help residents live life to the fullest.

Lifelong learning is about self-initiated continuing education and learning experiences beyond formal schooling or corporate training. It’s for personal development and self-fulfillment, rather than any formal requirement to complete a curriculum. An AARP study on lifelong learning reports that “55% of Americans ages 45 and older are actively learning new things. Many more say they intend to engage in learning as they age.” The majority of those surveyed believe the active pursuit of knowledge is both a positive and essential part of life.

At a Life Plan Community like Royal Oaks, lifelong learners have endless opportunities to develop new skills and expand knowledge. No matter what your interest, chances are you’ll find something new that captures your imagination. From woodcarving to golf groups and everything in between, you’ll find new passions, hobbies, interests right on campus. Lifelong learning includes things like:

• Developing or learning a new skill that interests you
• Contributing to a better society through volunteer efforts
• Learning how to maintain your health at our Wellness Center
• Acquiring new knowledge by attending lectures, classes and outings
• Learning to use a new technology with our Apple watches and fitness trackers

In retirement, taking opportunities to learn new skills is not only fun and social, it can give you purpose and add more meaning to your life—but the benefits of lifelong learning don’t stop there. In addition to experiencing the excitement and sense of accomplishment that continued learning and social engagement provides, studies show that learning has a positive impact on the brain. Those who participate in lifelong learning activities may reduce their risk of cognitive decline. Consider exercising your brain to be similar to physical activity—the less physically and mentally active you are, the more strength and ability are lost.  By participating in lifelong learning, you can:

• Reduce your risk of cognitive decline. Studies published on the National Institutes of Health website show that lifelong learning — which means engaging in mentally and socially stimulating activities—can reduce the risk of developing dementia
• Protect against Alzheimer’s. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, “Higher levels of education appear to be somewhat protective against Alzheimer’s, possibly because brain cells and their connections are stronger.”
• Strengthen cognition and memory. Since your brain is like a muscle—the more you use it, the stronger it gets. When you learn something, new neural connections are created, which improves your capacity to remember and your ability to problem solve.
• Boost your self-esteem and confidence levels by learning new things. Some experts recommend setting and achieving goals and learning new skills to create positive feelings of accomplishment and a greater sense of purpose.

We make it easy for residents to participate, continue learning and keep growing at Royal Oaks. Delivering on our mission to foster engaged retirement living, we offer a wide variety of outlets to feed your interests and curiosity—all in an active and social setting. Just as you continue to grow and change, so does our resident-led list of options. It’s your time to follow your passions and explore new ones. When you choose a Life Plan community like this, you’ll have everything you need readily available on campus to start your journey as a lifelong learner.

If you’re ready to experience all that incomparable, independent retirement living has to offer and keep your brain social, engaged and active, come take a tour of what we have to offer. Schedule a time on this contact form or give us a call at 623-208-6621 to make a plan to come see what life is like at Royal Oaks.

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