You’ve worked for your entire life and are now entering retirement. Undoubtedly, retirement can be a confusing time in your life. After living your whole life in pursuit of a dream, it is time for you to unwind and relish your senior years. But figuring out how you wish to spend your senior year is no easy feat. So how should you spend your retirement age in South Africa?
Just entering retirement doesn’t mean you are ready to give up. Fortunately, you don’t need to give up! There’s no reason for you to spend these years monotonously. Your senior years are the perfect age to share your creativity and live afresh in old age homes. For you confused folks, this blog post is about staying creative and active in your retirement years.
Benefits of Exercising Creativity in Retirement
Various research studies prove that engaging in creative endeavors is good for mental and physical health. Regrettably, there are not many studies that observe the impact of creativity on senior citizens’ health. But researchers and practitioners are gradually integrating their creative pursuits into the medical system because of their many remarkable benefits.
Let’s take a look at the many wondrous benefits of exercising creativity in retirement for a senior when living in a retirement home –
Better Community Engagement
Creative workshops encourage interaction among residents and lessen social isolation like any other community involvement activities. Such activities allow the participant seniors to work together in the same space or pursue their hobbies independently.
Quiet or otherwise non-participative seniors can also express their creativity without feeling stressed. It allows your residents to connect with others who share their interests in similar activities.
Improved Physical Condition
Most of us can grasp the connection between creativity and improving one’s mental health. However, exercising creativity can also benefit one’s physical health. Arts, crafts, music, and other creative activities influence our nervous system. This effect can help maintain hormone and heart rate balance. Additionally, it releases endorphins, enhancing our overall happiness and well-being.
According to a study, older people who participated in creative activities could enjoy the following benefits –
- Better physical health
- Fewer accidents
- They needed less amount and type of medications
- Fewer doctor’s appointments
Better Mental Health
One must actively engage in creative activities to improve concentration and focus. It is the best way to stimulate and exercise one’s brain. A senior’s cognitive functions can decline after a hectic life of dealing with work, home, and personal issues.
After retirement, they can reduce their cognitive function from declining by engaging in creative skills like pottery making, painting, gardening, and knitting. According to studies, art therapy can improve communication among older adults. Additionally, it can lessen depression and anxiety.
Obtain a Sense of Direction and Personal Development
The sense of purposelessness that comes with getting older is common. Most senior citizens retire after a life of diligent work, and they are no longer responsible for raising kids or running a home. But at this age, pursuing educational or technical endeavors might not be within their capabilities or up their alley.
One of the best ways to get back that sense of direction and personal development is to take up a new art and craft hobby. They can advance their skills by practicing regularly. So creative activities can help them regain a sense of life’s advancement and growth.
As people age, they advance in their careers or must care for their children. So most adults need to put their childhood creative interests on hold. They may have lacked the time then, but they can start again in their old age. With the help of creative workshops at their old age home, they can continue their interests from where they stopped years ago.
Ways to Share Your Creativity Even After Retirement
Creativity can improve your life in retirement, both in terms of your health and finances. A fact that applies to planners and impulsive people is that most people are happy in their retirement if they are doing creative activities. But not everyone is creative all their lives.
Some don’t discover their creative selves until much later. Being older doesn’t mean you cannot tap into your creative self now at your new retirement village. All the ways you may share your creativity in retirement are –
Start Blogging
It might be hard to believe how many people want to listen to your story until you start sharing it. Upcoming retirees or already retirees might be searching for creative and active ways to keep busy. Consider creating a blog to document your transition into retirement.
You could also offer advice based on your previous employment or personal interest. There’s no longer any strict schedule that you need to follow. You can write whenever it’s convenient for you. Go ahead and write about any subject you like. You are the only person in control of your blog, and no one will dare to order you around!
Learn a New Sport
Many retired people start playing sports to keep active. It’s best to stay active while doing what you enjoy. Rather than being lazy at home all day, sports can help you put some spark in your life! You can join a sports club to play and enjoy your time with others!
If you wish to chat, play and enjoy a good time, golf can be a good choice as a social sport. But if you don’t like golf, cricket, badminton, tennis or skiing are all excellent options.
Enroll in a Cooking Class
Few of us learn cooking all our lives and miss out on this extremely satisfying activity. The truth is that food is the most enjoyable when you cook it yourself. Yes, we should all eat out occasionally, but knowing how to cook is valuable.
You might even decide to concentrate on a particular cuisine, like French, Thai, Italian, or Japanese. After that, invite your loved ones for an enjoyable breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Start Learning a New Language
After retirement, most of us plan to travel as much as possible. So learning a new language won’t only help you learn a valuable skill but may also help you when you are traveling.
Learning a new language does keep your mind sharp so that you can expand your brain power. Additionally, having a project to work on will inspire you to make the most of every day.
Conclusion
There’s no need to be scared of retirement if you consider it a new beginning rather than an ending. To spend your retirement age in South Africa and enjoy this time to your fullest, exercise your creativity in the old age homes!
Here, I share all the best ways to be creative while residing in an old age home and its benefits. Thanks for reading!
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