What it means to be a senior citizen is changing. No longer is retirement by a particular age inevitable. For financial reasons--or because they choose to--many seniors are working into their seventies and beyond. Due to advances in medicine and health care, many who have retired remain active and healthy--mentally and physically. Dallas, Texas is a vibrant city with many things to do for people of all ages.
Home Exercise
Exercise at home without time-consuming travel. Stretch upon getting out of bed, and follow it with yoga or in-place jogging. Move Baby Move, a Dallas-based program, helps seniors stay in shape without even getting up. Founded by a former kick boxer--diagnosed with fibromyalgia--this program focuses on cardio, stretching, breathing and range of motion. All exercises can be done sitting down. Improve coordination, work up a sweat and get in better shape, all in one stay-at-home workout.
Volunteering
Use your life experience to help others. Many opportunities for volunteering exist throughout the city of Dallas. Try your hand at reading programs, hospital work, fund-raising or tutoring. Experienced accountants can help students with math, while retired secretaries might try their hand at helping people prepare for the job market--in terms of resume-building and appropriate office attire. Volunteers are often needed at homeless shelters and food pantries. Contact the Volunteer Center of North Texas for information.
Art Projects
Getting involved in art projects is a perfect way to exercise the mind and keep the emotions high. Art classes--as well as art and craft supplies--can be found at Dallas community centers, where caregivers may accompany Alzheimer's patients. Talk to art gallery owners in and around the Dallas area for ways to exhibit artwork. Show off art and craft work on related Internet sites, and turn a hobby into a new career.
Brain Exercise
Learning new things helps brain activity. That is what has been discovered by a group of paid Dallas senior citizen volunteers while participating in a five-year University of Texas at Dallas study. Authored by brain scientist Denise C. Park and initiated in 2009, this experiment--"Synapse: Actively Engaging the Aging Mind"--has shown seniors that they can do things they have never done. Examples of brain-stimulating activities are quilting, photography and attending social gatherings.
Employment
Seniors engaged in meaningful work may want to continue with their jobs. Others may seek new careers, late in life, where they can work part-time--or full-time from home. Still others choose to go back to school and get a degree in a new field. Healthy seniors lead productive, valuable lives in all areas of society. The Senior Source in Dallas--operating since 1961--offers many services for senior citizens, including help with job searches.
