It’s never too late to learn and one of the best things seniors can learn at any age is a new language. Besides the obvious help when travelling, learning a new language when you’re elderly is good for cognitive ability and has social benefits also. It is challenging and time consuming but the health benefits you reap are more than enough reward.
What benefits are there in seniors learning a new language?
- Learning to speak a second language can delay aging. By training your brain you can ward off or delay the onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s. New ways of learning increase the strength and agility of your brain. It becomes more flexible and efficient which means you will think more quickly and make better decisions. Your memory will improve and overall cognitive function increases.
- One reason many seniors like to learn a new language is for travel. If you are interested for instance in travelling to France or Italy, you will find it much more enjoyable if you can speak the words of the land. You will be able to make friendships in other countries and learn more about the places you visit by speaking the same language as the locals.
- Many of us realized when we were young that we were quite adept at languages. For those of us who would like to continue working into our senior years, speaking more languages means having more job opportunities. More employment is opening up overseas so now is the time to learn the languages you need or are interested in.
Learning a new language is now a lot easier than it once was. There are various websites online where you can learn at your own pace. There are even websites where you can converse in another language with someone who wants to speak your language! Learning new things can help you age well and learning a new language can be fun. For more information on the benefits of learning a new language as a senior, click here.
