Gerontologists study the physical, mental and social changes in seniors as they age. They’ve found that getting older doesn’t have to mean you’re guaranteed to end up with a bad back or lose your memory—far from it! In fact, if you take care of your mind and body—if you nurture your health and balance the difficulties in life with positive choices and attitudes—you can age successfully. There’s a reason (in fact, 10 of them that we detail below) it’s called the Golden Years, so, sit back, relax, and take a peek at the top benefits of getting older:

1 - You have more time.

When the kids were little, you had a lot to juggle. From driving to hockey games and dance recitals, to organizing mealtime and homework, running a household and raising a family perhaps left you with no time for yourself. Until now. These are the years when you can start checking things off your bucket list. Whether it’s joining a senior’s travel group, taking up new hobbies, or simply meeting like- minded friends or connecting with old ones, your schedule just opened up. No matter what age you are, having the time to explore, learn and foster meaningful relationships, makes for happier and healthier people.

2 - You know who you are.

Through experience, you know your own mind, and you’ve developed a confidence that makes you more comfortable with being yourself. The freedom that comes with saying goodbye to chasing things that don’t matter (read: The Joneses), and spending more time doing things that do matter, seeking quality, comfort, and long-term value, is priceless.

3 - You’re a font of knowledge.

Others can benefit from your experiences. You have the wisdom to give sage advice and the skills to be resilient. When you were younger, you might have scoffed when an older relative or colleague tried to give you well-meaning advice. Now you realize that their experience gave them insight you didn’t have then. Now it’s your turn. When your children come to you, listen to them. Give them time to express themselves. And when they ask for your trusted advice, you will have so much to share.

4 - You’re done standing at a hot stove.

You’ve cooked and cleaned for years. You’ve hosted dinner parties, birthday parties and everything in between. Now’s the time to give yourself a break. Luckily there are plenty of senior meal delivery options that are convenient, healthy and specially tailored to your nutritional needs. You can order online or by phone—it’s so easy you’ll have lots of time to enjoy your other hobbies or even just take some extra time for yourself.

5 - You can give back.

Volunteering is a wonderful way to make a difference in the lives of others. Maybe you want to lead an art class at your local senior’s center or read to a kindergarten class at your neighborhood public school. You can care for animals at a shelter, help out with an upcoming election or knit booties for a hospital that cares for premature babies. No matter what your interest or where you live, opportunities to get involved and give back are plentiful.

6 - You get discounts.

That’s right, say it with us: Senior Discounts. You’re now eligible to save money in many different ways. Drugstores, and entertainment, and meal delivery services, oh my!

7 - You can be active in new ways.

You might not be able to move like Jagger anymore, but why not join a low-impact exercise class, senior walking group, aqua fit program or even a Pickleball league. It’s also a great time to exercise your mind. Get a group of friends together and learn a new game, such as Mahjong, canasta, and the ever-popular bridge.

8 - You can be social without leaving home. 

While you can still write a letter or pick up the phone, your options for staying connected just got better. From the comfort of your home, technology makes it super easy to text, video call, and use social media on a smart phone, tablet or computer. With the simple swipe of your finger or a voice command, you can be navigating the world of likes, shares and LOL’s in no time.

9 - You have more freedom to express yourself.

Now that you’re a senior, you may not have as many inhibitions as you used to have. As mentioned above, you know yourself, what you enjoy and where your interests and talents lie – you have the confidence as a senior to care less about others’ judgements. So, goodbye fashion police, because those sensible shoes are super comfortable, and hello to painting with abandon or writing that memoir you’ve always wanted to put to paper. Read our blog on Craft Your Way Through Quarantine 

10 - You can sit back and relax a bit.

As a senior, you’ve likely already made many of the super stressful, life-changing decisions, such as choosing a career, a spouse, and where to live. Now, you get to reap the benefits of your decisions.

Pile the candles on our birthday cakes because everything from being your true self and doing more of what you want, to more opportunities to stay connected and active, are further proof that getting old is great.

Do you have questions about senior nutrition? Download our FREE eBook to learn more: Click here to Download NOW! 

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