There are many wonderful benefits of practicing meditation in general. However, there are five really great benefits of meditation for boomers and retirees. They are:

1. Increased Health and Wellness. Meditation has been scientifically proven to help decrease heart rate, stress and inflammation while increasing immunity, mood and emotional stability. In fact, Dr. Michael Irwin, the head of psychoneuroimmunology at UCLA found that breast cancer survivors partaking in a certain type of meditation experienced significant down-regulation of the genes that lead to inflammation, and up-regulation of the genes that help protect the body from viral infections. According to Dr. Irwin’s research, the lower the body’s inflammation levels were, the lower the risk for cancer recurrence was in his female test subjects. 
2. Refashioning Neural Pathways. We sometimes forget how much power we have as human beings to control the thoughts that shape our everyday realities. According to recent neuroscientific findings, certain types of meditation have been shown to actively rewire the brain’s neuroplastic networking. “Neuroplasticity” refers to how our brains decode incoming stimuli to conform to our expectations for how reality looks and functions. Rewiring our neural pathways can help boost mental awareness and foster a more empowered, positive outlook on life. This can not only lead to increased cognitive awareness, but also an appreciation for many little things in life we might have taken for granted for most of our lives up until now.
3. Learning to Live in the Moment. Many people spend their entire lives working toward something, but not necessarily appreciating the moments they spend doing said work. As we age, we see more and more people who have worked so hard for what they have lose the ability to enjoy what they have earned for one reason or another. Certain types of meditation can help block out external influences that keep people focused on the future, in order to help them fall totally in the love with the present moment(s) they are given instead. 
4. Projecting Our Thoughts into Reality. Certain types of meditation can directly affect physical reality outside of one’s own head…. Seriously! In numerous clinical trials, Stanford Physicist William Tiller’s test subjects altered the electromagnetic frequencies of electrical devices they were not in the same room as, nor in any direct contact with at any point. This means their minds were able to physically affect matter outside of their own heads. Think about the implications of being able to project thoughts into conscious reality, and then realize how much power we actually have to control the realities outside of our own heads in kind.
5. Meditation Helps Increase Global Cultural Awareness. We live in a world that grows smaller and more intimate everyday. This is a trend that will only increase as technology keeps bringing people closer together. People who choose to open their minds and hearts to other cultures, ethnicities, religions and social backgrounds are better positioning themselves for happiness and harmony inside, as well as with their human neighbors near and far alike. In fact, a clinically validated experiment in Washington D.C. during the summer of 1993 demonstrated that those who partake in certain types of meditation can positively affect their human brethren by the thought intentions they emit where the reduction of social strife is concerned.

​There are many different types of meditation. The only way to know which type of meditation is right for you is to try different types until you find the one you feel works best. There are many organizations and groups that instruct people just like you in meditation techniques. 

One of these organizations is The Human Radio Educational Research Project. The Human Radio is dedicated to helping its students work on their own evolutionary development through a proprietary, deliberately scaffolded visualization meditation curriculum. This organization works with folks of all cultural, religious, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds promoting human empowerment and compassion both inside of one’s self, as well as with one’s human brothers and sisters near and far alike. They rely on donations and the money they bring in from their services to sustain their global presence. You can learn more about The Human Radio by clicking here. You can also try out their introductory visualization meditation exercise in the comfort and privacy of your home on their website, or on YouTube by clicking here. 

No matter what person or organization you choose to help you learn meditation, or what type of meditation you find works best to enhance and enrich your life, the mounting body of scientific evidence only keeps bolstering what many people have intuitively known for thousands of years…. that we are all the masters of our own destinies. People who choose to take the reins of their own destinies with the help of meditation are facilitating their own holistic health and happiness above and below, inside and out alike.

Is lifelong learning a recipe for aging well? It is according to researchers. Here’s why your education should never stop, even when you’re well past traditional schooling age.
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It’s hard to talk about well-being without encountering the ideas of lifelong learning. This is especially true for retirees, who can reap all sorts of benefits by enrolling in a class. Those benefits aren’t just intellectual benefits, either. Lifelong learning can benefit senior health and act as a preventative agent for some mental and physical ailments. Here’s how. 

Many of the benefits of lifelong learning for retirees have to do with socialization. As people retire or begin to age, they are more likely to become restless, particularly those who live alone or haven’t replaced work with a hobby. If you have retired from your career and you are not an active part of a community, how do you spend your time? Take a class! This will allow you to meet new people and acquire new skills or knowledge.

You may think you can learn things from the comfort of your own home and your television set or computer. This may be true, the history channel has a wealth of educational programming, but it won't provide the same social opportunities. If you want to fight restlessness, you need to stimulate your brain through continued learning and social interaction.
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Why is social interaction important? Restlessness, if left unaddressed, can turn into loneliness.

Loneliness contributes to a number of health problems, including: 

• Cognitive decline. Feeling lonely has been linked to cognitive decline in older adults. Keep in mind that one person’s idea of ‘lonely’ may differ from someone else’s, it’s the perceived loneliness that matters. 
• Higher mortality. Social isolation has been linked to higher mortality rates in older adults. 
• Depression. Loneliness may also lead to depression in middle-aged and older adults. 

​There are more health risks associated with loneliness, but this gives you an idea of how loneliness can negatively affect health. 

Enrolling in a class helps enrich life on several levels, not the least of which is the social aspect. Whether it’s enrolling in a course at the local community college, gathering for classes near home in a senior living community, or participating in courses online, a class is social and helps seniors form bonds with like-minded individuals.
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Social interaction and mental stimulation are great ways to combat restlessness, loneliness, or depression.

After retirement, there’s less stimulation to keep us on our toes. Finding new challenges in a class can keep the mind sharp.

You never know, you may set out to sharpen your mind and find your passion along the way! Once your children have left the nest and you have retired from your obligations, it’s time to look inside yourself and find what makes you happy and what gives you purpose. Try new things! Take a dance class, learn to paint, expand your pallet and your recipe list. As you sharpen your skills you will be one step closer on the journey to finding your passion. 

Another issue some people face after retirement is an ever-narrowing social network. Going back to school, whether it’s for accounting or basket weaving, can open up new channels of socialization as we meet people both inside and outside the classroom. 

Maybe Gandhi said it best:

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” 
― Mahatma Gandhi

Learning about the topics you love, that spark your interest, can add a new dimension to life. Everyone benefits from broadening their horizons, even seniors who’ve already packed a lot of experience under their belts.

A great way to continue learning and challenging yourself is to engage with your grandchildren or younger members of the community. As the old adage goes, everyone knows something you don’t – exchange experience and knowledge with younger generations.

Many retirees and older Americans find a surprising challenge in their new lifestyle: how to stay busy with all that free time. Many miss a daily routine or a set schedule. A class can bring regularity to the week’s schedule that many crave, and fills the time in a way that makes one proud. Wouldn’t you rather end the day knowing you enriched and challenged your mind?

Have you ever considered learning a new language? This could provide new and exciting opportunities! You can make new friends, try a new restaurant that offers exotic cuisine, or even travel with your new ability to communicate and translate.

A little earlier we mentioned that taking a class keeps the mind sharp, but did you know it can help prevent or delay disease? Continued learning has been shown to help stave off the kind of cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease, according to a study released in 2012. Again, it seems that daily challenge is good for the brain, just as daily exercise is good for the body.

These are just a few reasons lifelong learning benefits senior health and keeps us younger. There are plenty of classes out there, so take your pick. If it’s not for you, try another until you find one you like. You’ll be improving your mental health and feeling younger while having a wonderful time.

At Acts Retirement-Life Communities, residents are encouraged to continue learning and use their skills to better their community. Since Acts offer’s maintenance-free, resort style living, residents are free to pursue their passions, pastimes, hobbies, and enjoy the multiple social opportunities offed.