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Finding activities to keep seniors busy can be difficult. Luckily, we know an activity that has been around and will stay around forever – book clubs! Seniors love book clubs.
It’s a space where every senior has a voice and a purpose. Learn about how you can start your own senior book club, and the benefits it provides.
What Is A Book Club?
Book clubs are exactly what they sound like, a place for people to gather to discuss their favorite books and stories. Book clubs are much more than an English class, and they are way more fun.
Book clubs give people the opportunity to read and do an activity together. Reading has been shown to reduce stress and muscle tension, according to a study done by the University of Sussex. Books and certain stories also strike a deep emotional core.
Discussing books can help seniors express their emotions and make friends. Book clubs usually meet once a month to give seniors time to read their book, and are held at a favorite meeting spot such as a library or cafe.
How To Start A Senior Book Club
You should first reach out to a group of friends or even community members you notice reading all the time! Exchange contact information and begin planning for a book club.
Decide on a meeting spot, time of the week or month to meet, and give yourselves a name! You should also discuss the following.
Rules To Establish
In a book club, everyone should have a voice. It’s important to set rules for the club first and foremost. These include whether or not foul language can be used, if you’d like to include trigger warnings before speaking, and giving everyone a turn to speak.
You can also establish rules such as not reading ahead or looking for spoilers online. This can ruin any surprises in a book and ruin the experience of the entire book club altogether!
Deciding On The Book Genres or Categories
Just like movies, there are tons of genres and categories for books. When you’re making a book club, get together with some of your friends and decide what genre suits you best.
Do you like crime novels? Romance? Science-fiction? Or perhaps you want to dedicate certain months to different categories? The choices are endless!
You can even opt to read popular new books, such as Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour, The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner, and Of Women and Salt by Gabriela Garcia. These are just a few of the many books being read in 2021!
Giving Each Senior A Role and Purpose
A book club can’t function without proper roles. Book clubs can help senior citizens feel included and give them purpose, but only if you give them a role to play.
Select someone to lead book clubs every month. Have a treasurer to take care of funds and buy the group’s coffee and snacks.
You can even assign a scribe to take notes on the group and share those notes later on through e-mail.
The Benefits of Senior Book Club
Book clubs are a healthy way to communicate and have many benefits for seniors and adults alike. Below are just a few.
Socializing and Creating A Sense of Community
Having a sense of community, whether that’s being involved in your neighborhood or book club, fosters a sense of security and care.
Socializing in a book club is a great way to make friends, while also helping loved ones feel as if they are a part of something greater.
This is especially important as senior citizens retire from their careers, where they might have felt a strong sense of community before.
Socialization and Its Effects on Dementia
A study done by the American Public Health Association shows that women who were involved in social activities, such as book clubs, reduced their risk of dementia.
Dementia is a serious neurodegenerative disease that leads to memory loss. Book clubs are just one of the many ways your elderly loved one can engage socially.
Find the Best Community For Your Loved One
It’s never too early to start looking for a community for your senior, and our senior advisors are eagerly waiting for you to call.
We’ll find the perfect community for your senior and even help them get started finding the perfect community with a book club!
Share this article on social media!
Finding activities to keep seniors busy can be difficult. Luckily, we know an activity that has been around and will stay around forever – book clubs! Seniors love book clubs.
It’s a space where every senior has a voice and a purpose. Learn about how you can start your own senior book club, and the benefits it provides.
What Is A Book Club?
Book clubs are exactly what they sound like, a place for people to gather to discuss their favorite books and stories. Book clubs are much more than an English class, and they are way more fun.
Book clubs give people the opportunity to read and do an activity together. Reading has been shown to reduce stress and muscle tension, according to a study done by the University of Sussex. Books and certain stories also strike a deep emotional core.
Discussing books can help seniors express their emotions and make friends. Book clubs usually meet once a month to give seniors time to read their book, and are held at a favorite meeting spot such as a library or cafe.
How To Start A Senior Book Club
You should first reach out to a group of friends or even community members you notice reading all the time! Exchange contact information and begin planning for a book club.
Decide on a meeting spot, time of the week or month to meet, and give yourselves a name! You should also discuss the following.
Rules To Establish
In a book club, everyone should have a voice. It’s important to set rules for the club first and foremost. These include whether or not foul language can be used, if you’d like to include trigger warnings before speaking, and giving everyone a turn to speak.
You can also establish rules such as not reading ahead or looking for spoilers online. This can ruin any surprises in a book and ruin the experience of the entire book club altogether!
Deciding On The Book Genres or Categories
Just like movies, there are tons of genres and categories for books. When you’re making a book club, get together with some of your friends and decide what genre suits you best.
Do you like crime novels? Romance? Science-fiction? Or perhaps you want to dedicate certain months to different categories? The choices are endless!
You can even opt to read popular new books, such as Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour, The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner, and Of Women and Salt by Gabriela Garcia. These are just a few of the many books being read in 2021!
Giving Each Senior A Role and Purpose
A book club can’t function without proper roles. Book clubs can help senior citizens feel included and give them purpose, but only if you give them a role to play.
Select someone to lead book clubs every month. Have a treasurer to take care of funds and buy the group’s coffee and snacks.
You can even assign a scribe to take notes on the group and share those notes later on through e-mail.
The Benefits of Senior Book Club
Book clubs are a healthy way to communicate and have many benefits for seniors and adults alike. Below are just a few.
Socializing and Creating A Sense of Community
Having a sense of community, whether that’s being involved in your neighborhood or book club, fosters a sense of security and care.
Socializing in a book club is a great way to make friends, while also helping loved ones feel as if they are a part of something greater.
This is especially important as senior citizens retire from their careers, where they might have felt a strong sense of community before.
Socialization and Its Effects on Dementia
A study done by the American Public Health Association shows that women who were involved in social activities, such as book clubs, reduced their risk of dementia.
Dementia is a serious neurodegenerative disease that leads to memory loss. Book clubs are just one of the many ways your elderly loved one can engage socially.
Find the Best Community For Your Loved One
It’s never too early to start looking for a community for your senior, and our senior advisors are eagerly waiting for you to call.
We’ll find the perfect community for your senior and even help them get started finding the perfect community with a book club!
