Benefits of Reading for Senior Adults & Spring Reading List
As the weather begins to shift, and we begin to see and feel little hints of spring blooming all around, it is the perfect time to start a new book! Whether you have a favorite reading nook in your home, a cozy spot in one of our communal spaces, or even a cherished spot outdoors, there’s nothing quite like unfurling the world of possibilities that awaits us inside a good book.
The Benefits of Reading for Senior Adults
According to research done at the Beckman Institute, developing a routine practice of leisure reading is a great foundation for preserving and strengthening our mental capabilities. Regularly reading for pleasure can strengthen our memory skills as we age.
A study on the connection between reading and mental preservation was conducted by the Beckman Institute and the Champaign Public Library in 2022. During their research, they learned that senior adults who read for 90 minutes per day showed significant improvements to their episodic and working memory within eight weeks. *
Researcher, Liz Stine-Morrow added “There's more promise in engaging fully in the stimulating things that we already do in our lives. That's probably the best pathway to maintaining our mental ability and offsetting the effects of Alzheimer's disease.”
Not only is reading a great stress reliever, an enjoyable hobby, and something that can be enjoyed alone or in a group setting – it is a step toward sharpening our mental skills and enhancing the health of our memory!
Spring Reading List
Now, it’s time to get cozy and embark on a new adventure! With spring swiftly approaching, it’s the perfect time to start a new book or series. Whether you enjoy reading alone or like to participate in a book club, we have the perfect recommendations for you!
Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery is the perfect story to escape within. Set in the idyllic town of Avonlea, on Canda’s Prince Edward Island, Anne of Green Gables tells the tale of a young orphan girl’s arrival to a strange new town. Inside these pages, you’ll enjoy stunning descriptions of the plentiful, natural beauty of Prince Edward Island; laugh out loud as you follow Anne and her new friends along many silly adventures; and even shed a tear as you embark on Anne’s heartwarming journey to find belonging.
Anne of Green Gables is the first book of several in the series, which continue to explore Anne’s life as a young teacher, a wife and mother, and more!
Social and Emotional Benefits of Reading
Whether you pick up Anne of Green Gables, or grab an old favorite to begin again, reading is a wonderful way to learn new things and explore new worlds. We’ve learned that reading regularly can strengthen our mental faculties, but the benefits don’t stop there!
Opening ourselves up to the stories of others, fiction or nonfiction, can increase our ability to feel and express empathy toward others. Participating in book clubs can significantly improve feelings of loneliness and offers us common ground to share with others. Reading is also a relaxing activity and doing so before bed can help you to fall asleep faster. Being opened up to different stories and worlds can improve our imagination and sense of creativity, our ability to concentrate and to comprehend, and can even expand our vocabulary!
Whether you are a seasoned reader, or just starting out, challenge yourself to read a little bit each day, and lean into all that you can gain from the experience.
Source:
* Lai, Melinh. “Reading for Pleasure Can Strengthen Memory in Older Adults, Beckman Researchers Find.” Default, 5 Dec. 2022, beckman.illinois.edu/about/news/article/2022/12/05/reading-for-pleasure-can-strengthen-memory-in-older-adults-beckman-researchers-find#:~:text=The%20results%20were%20incontrovertible:%20in. Accessed 19 Sept. 2024.