The Arbor Company Senior Living Blog

Retirement doesn’t mean sitting in your rocking chair, nor that the most exciting thing in your life has to be your weekly bingo game. Now is a great time to cultivate a new hobby, or revive an old one. Gardening offers a dynamic option that’s full of surprises, challenges, and year-round change, making it the perfect choice for seniors of all skill levels. Whether you grow a small row of seeds, tend to indoor orchids and succulents, or commit to a small farm in your backyard, virtually everyone can enjoy gardening. Even if you think you have a brown thumb, here are some reasons to give green-thumb life a try. 

Summer is a great chance to spend some time soaking up vitamin D from the sun. Warmer weather also means a chance to get moving outside, whether you’re going for a quick jaunt around the block, or renting a boat for the weekend. Staying active can help you maintain a healthy weight, improve your mental health, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and maybe even help you live longer. But seniors also face a higher risk of heatstroke and other heat-related illnesses, so it’s important to balance healthy activity with staying cool. These senior living activities help you do both.

Sixty-eight percent of American households include pets. Although seniors might worry about the responsibility of caring for another being, pet ownership is more than just a chance to bond with a beloved animal. Pets offer real health benefits, and there are many ways for seniors to own pets.

Seniors are trading in their rocking chairs for bicycles and golf carts. No longer content to just live peacefully, today’s seniors demand more from retirement—more fun, more adventure, more meaning, and more chances to thrive and grow. The average retirement lasts 18 years. That’s plenty of time to accomplish a wide range of goals. You’re going to be retired for a long time, so you might as well pick up some new hobbies.

In 2018, 84,600 retirees moved to Florida. Seniors love the favorable tax climate, year-round warmth, and inviting culture of the sunshine state. There’s more to do than most seniors can manage in a lifetime, which means you'll never be bored. If you’re contemplating a move to Florida, myriad options await you. That means more to do with kids and grandkids, more options for physical activity, and a better shot at the retirement of your dreams. You’ve worked hard. You deserve to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Here are the best options for seniors of every interest, ability level, and budget.