Setting Sail with Hawthorne Court Senior Living

Jul 22, Alissa Sauer

Hawthorne Court residents will celebrate Cruise Week from July 25 to July 29, 2022. During the week, residents will experience the culture and cuisine of different cities around the globe – all from the comfort of their own community!

Hawthorne Court independent living and assisted living residents enjoy a full and vibrant activity calendar that encourages exploration, cultivates friendship, and produces joy. Like many seniors, our residents love to travel. Because that’s not always possible, we are bringing the world to Hawthorne Court! Next week, July 25 – 29, 2022, we will be ‘setting sail,’ and experiencing the culture and cuisine of exotic locales like Mexico, the Caribbean, Italy, Thailand, and England. At 11:00 am each day, we will be sampling cuisine from a selected location, and at 3 pm, we will be learning about their culture.

Benefits of Traveling for Seniors

Traveling is an important part of life for many seniors and can have extensive benefits. From lowering stress to increasing confidence, travel remains the one thing we can buy that makes us richer. Take a closer look at the benefits of travel for seniors.

Decreased risk of heart disease

A 9-year study from The University of Massachusetts concluded that more frequent vacations positively affected mortality and reduced the risk of heart disease in men by 32%.

Improved mental health

Taking a break from your everyday routine can improve your brain’s neuroplasticity as you explore new places and languages. Your brain will adapt to a new environment as you travel with all five senses activated, trying new foods, and experiencing new smells. You will learn to interact with people who are different from you, and your brain will thank you!

Increased feelings of joy

Researchers call travel a form of ‘behavioral activation.’ Depression is a vicious cycle where an affected person wants to isolate themselves and avoid things that bring pleasure, which only increases depression. Travel can stop that cycle as it requires total engagement in an activity and improves mood. Multiple research studies have found that happiness is increased by experiences, not things. A 2014 study in the journal of Psychological Science (should we link this?) concluded that “people derive more happiness from the anticipation of experiential purchases and that waiting for an experience tends to be more pleasurable and exciting than waiting to receive a material good.”

Increased confidence

There’s no question that travel throws you into the unknown. From airplane mixups to traveling delays, there’s inevitably something that you will need to conquer when you travel. And as you do so, your confidence will increase as you find that you can handle whatever life throws your way!

At Hawthorne Court, we always look for fun ways to engage with our residents. We are now accepting new residents. Contact us today to schedule your tour. Your next chapter starts at Hawthorne Court!