Senior Classes to Exercise Your Mind

There is a lot of focus on physical exercise as you age, but it is also important to exercise your mind. Challenging yourself with different activities can help to keep your mind sharper. Contact your local senior center to see what classes they offer or where there are other opportunities within your community to socialize and get involved. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Art Classes
  From painting to drawing to working with clay, art classes give you the chance to stimulate your creativity. Looking at blank canvas or a blob of clay and turning it into something out of your imagination can be exciting. It’s all about adding detail and expressing yourself through different mediums.

• Music Classes
  Whether you enjoy singing or playing an instrument, participating in a music class can keep your mind focused. You have to pay attention to pitch, tone, volume, key, tempo, and so much more. You engage multiple areas of your brain as you practice and perform with others.

• Cooking Classes
  Cooking requires following directions and measuring ingredients in specific amounts. You have to make sure you follow the steps in the right order. There are so many different styles of cooking and baking to try. You can learn how to make foods from other cultures or refine your skills at baking more complex desserts. Plus, you get to taste the final product.

• Low-Impact Exercise Classes
  Low-impact exercises such as biking, swimming, walking, Pilates, and yoga not only work your body but also engage your mind. You have to focus on the proper form and maintaining your balance and coordination. Many activities have a strong mind-body connection.

• Puzzle or Game Groups
  Join together with friends and play board games that require strategy and skill such as chess or checkers. Hold a trivia night and test your memory and knowledge of different events. Find a fun puzzle and see how quickly you can find and manipulate the pieces to put it together. You can also do puzzles on your own such as crosswords, logic puzzles, word finds, or Sudoku. They allow you to practice your critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

• Book Clubs
  Reading is great for exercising your mind. Books can keep you guessing and trying to figure out what happens next. Participate in a book club so that you’re not only reading different stories, but also analyzing and discussing them. Others can provide different perspectives you hadn’t considered and challenge you to look at issues in a new light.

Find classes that interest you and try new things. Get your friends involved too so you don’t have to go alone, or make some new friends while you are there. Make it a point to do things that stretch your mind and keep you practicing your skills each day.

An in-home caregiver can be a wonderful companion and also help you access resources and attend classes in your area. Contact Always Best Care at (855) 470-2273 to schedule a free consultation and find out how you can benefit from working with an in-home caregiver as you age in place.