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Lifelong Learning for Healthy Aging
Date : 15-07-21

They say the most valuable asset you will ever have is your mind and what you put into it. Committing yourself to lifelong learning is not only an exhilarating process, but it can also stimulate your senses and contribute to your overall health and wellbeing. Yet, as we age, many of us tend to take a step back from exploring new things. Thoughts such as “This is too mind-boggling", "I'm too old to learn this new stuff", "What if I make a fool of myself?”, “What if I cannot understand or absorb what they teach?” are quite common. It is important to remember that just as physical exercise nurtures your heart and contributes to your physical health, continuous learning nurtures your brain and boosts mental and emotional wellness.

Read on to understand how lifelong learning helps you build cognitive reserve and promotes healthy ageing.

The Why and How of Lifelong Learning

Lifelong learning is about keeping our memory sharp and our brain alert. Whether you are into solving crosswords and Sudoku puzzles, reading books, travelling, joining online courses, or something else, every activity is contributing towards:

  • Challenging your mind
  • Expanding your knowledge
  • Beating boredom and staying busy
  • Pursuing interests that you may not have had the time to explore earlier

Lifelong learning can give you a sense of purpose and achievement that you may not experience by simply relaxing, staying in bed, or binge-watching television by yourself. Several studies emphasize the benefits of lifelong learning, especially at a later age. For example:

  • The Ageing and Society journal published a study that covered hundreds of seniors enrolled in continuing education programs in Canada and concluded a strong linkage between lifelong learning and the level of psychological wellbeing among older adults.
  • Margaret Fisher’s study about Informal Learning of Seniors in Canadian Society sheds light on the correlation between lifelong learning and improved health, as well as higher self-confidence.
  • Research studies by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) also suggest that cognitive health interventions (activities that involve thinking, learning and remembering) can prevent or delay the onset of Alzheimer’sor other aging-related dementia.
  • The Lancet Neurology published a study that shows how exercising your brain can strengthen the ability to cope with challenges and help you build resilience to age-related disorders, such as Alzheimer’s.

What are some ways to continue lifelong learning?

  • Firstly, mentally resolve to remain active. Do not shy away from exploring something new. Remember, you can never be too old to learn something new.
  • Next, explore options that will stretch your mind, keep your brain and heart-healthy, and give you a greater sense of fulfilment, purpose, accomplishment, and community.
  • Lastly, distinguish between informal and formal lifelong learning and try to pursue both.

Informal Lifelong Learning: Certain activities offer lifelong informal learning. For example, completing puzzles, reading newspapers, joining book clubs and walking clubs, or simply connecting with new people all contribute towards stimulating the mind, absorbing new information, and remaining alert regularly. Similarly, going for walks, doing household chores, running errands, or playing with grandkids could go a long way in keeping you physically active.

Structured Lifelong Learning: These opportunities also keep you active and feed your mind. However, committing to a structured learning environment will add rigour to your pursuit of healthy ageing while also giving you the chance to interact, socialize, lead, or contribute.

For example:

  • Enrol in Credit/ Non-Credit Courses: Whether it is fine arts, literature, movies, politics, architecture, food and drinks, technology, space travel, or something else that interests you, register for an online course to learn more about your favourite subjects. With easy-to-use technology platforms, a wide variety of topics to choose from, and interactive sessions to connect with your instructors and classmates, signing up for online classescan be a fun and exciting option for structured lifelong learning.
  • Explore Educational Travel: Riding from destination to destination, clicking pictures of what you see, or ticking off items on your bucket list can be enlightening in itself. However, educational travel is about actively exploring new places and being out and about with a purpose. In addition to documenting your travels through photographs, blogs, or journals, think about:
    • Chatting with the locals
    • Taking part in spirited discussions about different cultures, traditions, or languages
    • Exploring off-the-beaten-path places for unique personal learning about the destination

All of these are great ways to absorb and appreciate new information, deepen your knowledge and experiences, and enrich your life.

  • Give Back to Communities: Use your skills, knowledge, expertise and depth of experience to help enrich the lives of others. Whether joining and advising a committee, teaching, coaching, mentoring, or even helping with administrative tasks for local events, volunteering for community activities can be highly satisfying. Such opportunities will also allow you to:
    • Meet new people and learn from their experiences
    • Develop greater appreciation for the diversity of thought and action
    • Broaden your mind and bring about a sense of fulfilment
  • Invest in Physical Fitness: While there may be hundreds of options to keep your brain alert and stimulated, one cannot over-emphasize the importance of eating healthy, exercising, and staying physically active as you grow older. Flooding your brain with feel-good endorphins will reduce stress, aches and pains, elevate your mood and boost your overall health and happiness. Look at structured learning opportunities that incorporate activity into daily living and contribute to your physical fitness and wellbeing. For example:
    • Partner with a personal trainer, workout buddy, or loved one who can help you strengthen your muscles and joints or focus on healing specific problem areas in the body.
    • Sign up for formal classes that teach meditation, yoga, or specific forms of exercise, dance, or even outdoor adventure activities.

Avenues for Lifelong Learning at The LIFE Institute

For individuals 50 and over, staying in and around Toronto, Ontario, there is an easy and exciting path to lifelong learning, socializing, and contributing. The LIFE Institute’s programs offer excellent opportunities for:

  • Expanding your skills in a friendly, high-quality learning environment
  • Meeting like-minded older adults and making friends for life
  • Staying physically and socially active and having fun
  • Sharing your skills and expertise with the LIFE community

Here are some of the lifelong learning experiences that you can explore at The LIFE Institute:

  • Special Events: Connect with other LIFE members, get together over food, drinks, or music, make new friends, or participate in events that recognize volunteers and other achievers. With a year-round calendar of special events, presentations, demonstrations, guest lectures, and other social gatherings, LIFE events present engaging and energizing options for lifelong learning.
  • Clubs: Discovering more about subjects that interest you can be even more thrilling when you do it in a group. At LIFE clubs, you will meet like-minded older adults who share your interests and passion. Our self-governing, on or off-campus clubs create fantastic opportunities for learning new skills in an enjoyable social setting. The clubs are open to all members of The LIFE Institute for no extra charge or a nominal annual fee. Some current clubs include groups for books, climate action, movies, investment, table tennis, photography, writing, e-investments, lunches, and virtual coffee breaks. If you do not see a club that interests you, it is possible to start your own club. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, all Life Clubs operate virtually through Zoom, enabling members to continue their passionate discussions and group learning in a friendly, online environment.
  • Walking Groups: Besides staying active and getting in some steps on your fitness trackers, The LIFE Institute's older adult walking groups in Toronto provide an extensive range of new learning opportunities. Life Walks offers exciting explorations that keep you fit and illuminate your mind, from discovering quaint neighbourhoods and hidden back-alley gems to learning about the city's distinctive architecture, heritage, or points of literary or cultural significance. Nature lovers can enjoy the brisk-paced Green Walks that include parks, beaches, birding, or ravines. There are many moderately paced, themed Grey Walks for the urban explorers with frequent stops with informative snippets about the specific points of interest. As a LIFE member, you can register for any number of Life Walks or consider becoming a walk leader for those you find interesting.
  • Volunteer: No matter your age, education, or professional qualifications, if you are interested in sharing any unique skills, ideas or experiences with the community, The LIFE Institute can be an ideal starting point. Whether you wish to impart your knowledge and skills to others, organize or coordinate community events, or contribute towards community development and growth, The LIFE Institute is always looking for volunteers. While you can keep community outreach programs running, you will also develop your leadership skills, administrative abilities, and knowledge base through such volunteering work. From a few hours per month to multiple days per week, you can choose how much and how often you wish to volunteer. Check out the Become a Volunteer page to discover how you can promote ongoing learning for yourself and your community.

Enjoy Lifelong Learning at The LIFE Institute in Toronto

At The LIFE Institute, our goal is to offer exceptional educational experiences for older adults looking for later-life learning, leadership opportunities, and events. We make the best efforts to accommodate members with vision, hearing, mobility, and/ or learning difficulties. Established in 1991 as a small community of a few hundred members, today, we have a member base of around 2000 older adults who are passionate about our many life-enriching experiences and opportunities. Since we are a not-for-profit, largely volunteer-run charity, our members' skills, leadership, and desire for personal growth drive the goals of our Institute.

We have an affiliation with Ryerson University 's G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education, where we play an influential role in the later life learning and continuing education communities. We are also part of the Age-Friendly University Global Network that aims to meet older adults' social and educational needs. One of the other added benefits of our strategic partnership with Ryerson is that members can enjoy a “true” campus experience and access all the top-notch facilities and services offered by Ryerson University. This includes access to the sports centre, library, campus tours and certain campus events and workshops, a dedicated computer education lab (CEL), and student spaces.

Whether you wish to put yourself out there to try new things, volunteer, or enjoy your retirement years making new friends and discovering fun activities, The LIFE Institute offers plenty of learning, leadership, and individual development and growth opportunities. With many avenues for socializing, participating, and contributing in meaningful and satisfying ways, there is no shortage of options to keep your mind sharp and healthy.

Join The LIFE Institute to accomplish all the above in a learning environment tailored to older adults. For more information on our programs and facilities, write to us at info@thelifeinstitute.ca