3 Benefits of Joining a Book Club for Seniors in Assisted Living

Moving to an Assisted Living community can present new socialization opportunities you may not have had access to previously. One of those opportunities is joining a book club. While reading is typically an individual activity, it can lead to stimulating discussions with peers who read the same book, helping you make new friends and bond over a mutual interest. 

At Fleet Landing, we understand the importance of Residents in Assisted and Independent Living connecting over favorite hobbies or activities to maintain their overall wellbeing. Check out these top three benefits of joining a community book club. 

Mental Stimulation

Reading is a great way to stimulate the brain and help you stay mentally and emotionally engaged. Immersing yourself in a good book can improve your verbal and visual comprehension and ability to process and retain information. 

Research suggests reading for pleasure can help improve memory skills as individuals grow older. For example, reading taps into your episodic memory, allowing you to remember what happened in previous chapters of a book, so you can make sense of the ongoing story. Meanwhile, your working memory helps you retain information from recent paragraphs and follow the story's progress. 

Reading regularly can also sharpen decision-making skills and reduce stress and anxiety, helping you unwind and relax. Since book clubs meet routinely, they encourage regular reading, providing you with consistent mental workouts that can make you more receptive to learning and memory retention. 

Social Wellness

Physical wellness isn't the only important aspect of healthy living. Your social, emotional, and intellectual well-being are also crucial, which is why Fleet Landing promotes holistic wellness through WELLInspired Living. Community living helps seniors expand their social circles and meet peers sharing similar interests. Joining a book club at our Assisted Living community can introduce you to new friends who share an appreciation for reading, which may even lead to blooming friendships beyond book club meetings.

Being in a book club also adds a new activity to your social agenda, giving you an event to look forward to. While free time in retirement can lead to new hobbies or interests, it’s important to establish a routine with concrete plans to maintain social wellbeing. With book club meetings marked on the calendar, you'll always have a planned social activity on the horizon, which can boost your overall mood and well-being. 

New Perspectives

Different people can read the same book and walk away with different opinions based on their personal views and life experiences. Discussing these differences can open your mind and help you gain new perspectives you may not have previously considered. It can even clarify book details you interpreted differently during your own reading. 

Joining a book club can also introduce you to genres or topics you may not typically read. Although all book clubs operate differently, some allow one member to choose a book each month, while others decide as a collective group. Each person brings different interests and recommendations to the table, encouraging you to read books you may have never chosen otherwise. This can help you step outside your comfort zone, and you may even end up with a new favorite book or genre. 

Schedule a Tour

Whether you're looking to expand your social network, gain new perspectives, or discuss shared interests, joining a book club is a great way to improve your overall well-being and find fulfillment in life. At Fleet Landing, we provide various special interest clubs and groups, including book clubs, to help Residents meet peers with shared passions or find new hobbies. 

If you're interested in learning more about our Assisted Living community, an in-person visit is the best way to get a feel of our environment. Contact us at 904.748.2252 to schedule a tour and explore our socialization options.