It is important for seniors to keep their mind active in order to prevent dementia, depression and various other mental illnesses. Not every senior has a hobby that they enjoy or will explore. One pastime that anyone can enjoy, at home or at an assisted living center is reading. Luckily, there are a variety of ways to incorporate reading into their lives that will also enrich their experiences.
Read Out Loud
Everyone loves to listen to books being read. There are a variety of places that seniors can volunteer to read to others. The local library always has opportunities for seniors to read to children. Some even offer the ability to read to other seniors that might not be able to see the words or those that just like the companionship of listening to others read.
Book Clubs
The benefit of joining a book club is twofold. There is the obvious benefit of reading new books, possibly even those that they would not normally have read. In addition, it gives seniors a social outlet. Most clubs meet monthly to discuss the book and to determine the next book to read. This gives everyone a chance to exercise their brain even further by talking about the book and interacting with other people.
Learn a New Hobby
If there is something that a senior has always wanted to learn or do, it is never too late. There are thousands of books on every topic, even those geared toward senior citizens. Whether they want to learn new technology, a new hobby or perform research, reading about it is the best way to exercise the mind.
