When you sit back and think about how you’d like to spend your days in retirement, what comes to mind? Most of us probably assume the answer is more time devoted to a favorite hobby. Sewing, gardening, fishing, reading – those activities that pre-retirement life doesn’t allow much time for.
More and more, though, aging adults are answering this question a bit differently. Today’s retirees want to try new hobbies and explore their creativity in new ways. They’re not looking at retirement as a time to slow down. To them, retirement is the time to learn new skills and discover new creative passions.
Welcome to the Era of Creative Aging
The desire to retire and pursue new creative skills is known as ‘creative aging.’ A senior who has always wanted to learn pottery making, for instance, now has the time to seek out an introductory pottery class and learn the art of spinning clay. A senior retiring from a long career at a desk may decide it’s time to start a new passion project by getting their hands dirty and learning the art of carpentry.
Whatever the interest, creative aging is about more than the craft itself. It’s the act of viewing retirement not as the final stage in the continuum of life, but rather as a time for new beginnings.
And the benefits of taking a creative aging approach to living in retirement are many. Creative aging:
Keeps Seniors Physically Active and Engaged
Discovering new creative interests in retirement isn’t only enjoyable and fulfilling. It provides a series of health benefits, as well. Getting involved in a new creative space gives seniors a reason to get out of the house and keep moving. It’s the perfect way to socialize with friends and neighbors and meet new friends with similar passions and interests.
Protects Seniors’ Mental and Emotional Health
Creative arts offer incredible mental and emotional health benefits, as well. From quietly painting to joining a choir club, the creative arts and creative aging have the power to fend off isolation, boost our moods, and add to our overall happiness.
Provides Opportunities to Contribute to the Community
Retirement equals freedom for most seniors. But many still want to create impact in meaningful ways while staying connected to the community. Creative aging activities offer a path towards doing just that. Sharing their artistic talents or joining a group of other talented people keeps seniors connected.
Pleasant View is Connecting Residents to Creative Aging Opportunities to Enrich Retirement Living
We’ve seen the benefits of creative aging in retirement among our residents at Pleasant View which is why we’re creating more opportunities for seniors to access arts and culture activities.
Creative aging opportunities are a major focus as we work behind the scenes at Pleasant View Communities to expand into the adjacent Hoffer Farm, the family farm of our founder, Edna Hoffer. Hoffer Farm will soon become a 70-acre expansive space for residents and the entire community to enjoy. And at the center of the reimagined farm will sit the Hoffer Farm Cultural Center – a diverse space dedicated to creative aging and the cultural arts.
The Cultural Center will give seniors and community members access to a wide variety of creative spaces. A few includes:
- Workshops
- Sewing room
- Art studio and kiln
- 3D printing equipment
- Glassblowing room
- And more
Read more about the Hoffer Farm at Pleasant View and our anticipated 2022 groundbreaking.
Reimaging the Hoffer Farm as a creative and cultural resource for Pleasant View residents is now one of the most expansive and most important projects in our community’s history. The Hoffer Farm its Cultural Center will allow Pleasant View to further fulfill our mission to our residents, giving our seniors the opportunity to not only live carefree in retirement but begin a new, rewarding chapter of life with greater access to creative spaces.
Creative Aging Opportunities are Waiting for You at Pleasant View
We welcome you and your loved ones to visit Pleasant View Communities and discover all the artistic opportunities and amenities that our vibrant, active community has to offer. We’ll take you on a tour and show you the beauty and joy of carefree living. Contact us to learn more and schedule a tour.
