Beyond knitting: hobbies and interests for the elderly

In retirement, you have all the time in the world. You want to fill it with good memories, with both experiences and rewarding endeavors. But, the next person to suggest you take up knitting or gardening may well end up head-first in the composter!

The good news is that, if you’re not feeling the classic elderly-yearning for growing your own turnips, there are plenty of other hobbies well-suited to those of us in our golden years. Stairlift supplier Acorn Stairlifts investigate.

Online gaming

Time to stop teasing your grandkids about ‘always being stuck to their screens’ because it turns out you’re the one who’s been missing out! Online gaming is a brilliant hobby, especially if your older years have left you with mobility issues. Escape to virtual worlds, as realistic or fantastical as you like, and socialize from the comfort of your own home.

And none of this ‘I’m too old for that new technology’. Because Shirley Curry wants a word with you. Known as the Gaming Grandma, she started gaming back in the 90s when she was already in her fifties. Now, the 79-year old has an avid following of 564,142 subscribers on YouTube!

Shirley found fame unexpectedly in 2017 after she uploaded a video of herself playing the fantasy RPG game Skyrim. The video went viral, something that initially scared the grandmother. But now, she says she loves reading all the beautiful comments and messages of support. She’s found a place within a community that many older people dismiss.

There’s a whole host of games to cater to all tastes, from high-fantasy games like Dragon Age that will let you pick up a sword and ride off into battle, to the gentle town life of Animal Crossing where you can design your own home and make friends with an array of neighbors.

Why not try it out? After all, if you have grandkids, you can even get a free trial before committing to purchasing a games console yourself — if you can pry the controller out of their hands!

Geocaching

For some, going for a gentle stroll is nice and all, but it can get a little boring. Wouldn’t it be nice if your walk out in nature had something a little more to it?

Geocaching could very well be the retirement hobby for you. Essentially, geocaching is like a little treasure hunt that can be engrained into your walking hobby. If you have a smartphone, you can use the Geocaching app to find these treasure maps and set off on your walk, seeking out geocaches. Once you find one, open it up and pop your codename inside and the date, then replace it for the next person to find. Sometimes, larger geocaches may contain trinkets to trade too!

The beauty of geocaching is you can go at your own pace, and you might even find somewhere new right on your doorstep. It’s great exercise, a literal breath of fresh air, and you can do it alone or bring a friend along too. If you wanted to make it a definitive part of your exercise regime as a senior citizen, why not pick up a pedometer to track the number of steps you’re taking? You might surprise yourself in what you’re really still capable of movement-wise!

Podcasts

Listening to podcasts has become a fond favorite for many senior citizens. But did you know that podcasts are a very accessible genre for everyone to try their hand at? All you need is a computer and a microphone, and you could record a weekly podcast either alone or with friends — spice up a coffee club with a podcast recording and get talking! Some of the best podcasts are born of natural conversation, and everyone knows senior citizens have the most wonderful of stories to tell! Sure, your grandkids might roll their eyes when you bring out the old favorite tale about that time in Vegas that still makes you laugh, but the rest of the world is waiting to hear it!

Trust us, that story is still gold. You just need a new, appreciative audience. Get your grandkids to help set the computer up for you, then off you go. Who knows? Perhaps you and your book club friends are the next viral sensation we’ve been waiting for.

LARPing

Did you ever play Dungeons and Dragons in your youth? You could certainly keep that (or take it up) in your retiring years, as it’s a sure-fire way to keep your creativity up, your mind sharp, and polish up those numeracy skills. But if you are worried or tired of spending so much time in the house and want to get outside some more, take a look at LARPing.

LARP stands for Live Action Role-Playing, and if you’ve found yourself hooked in the past on The Lord of the Rings or the recent smash-hit of Game of Thrones, this could be a hidden gem for you. Embrace dressing up and stepping into the shoes of your own character and experience a story first-hand. There are more than 30 LARPing organizations throughout America who would be more than happy to help you start off with this increasingly mainstream hobby.

For a weekend fee, LARPers get to dress up and meet like-minded folk to enjoy a new ‘chapter’, with fees often covering lodging and meals too. You have the freedom to do as you want — you can be a player encountering the story first-time, or part of the ‘cast’ of characters the players will interact with to push the story along. So, if you ever dreamed of running your own tavern and serving ale, this is your way in. Plus, it’s not all combat, so don’t worry about not being as flexible or energetic as your used to be — there are LARP groups out there that focus more on story and interaction than clashing swords!

What’s your hobby? Oh, I slay dragons on the last weekend of the month…

Keep yourself entertained in a new way with these suggested retirement hobbies. Knitting and gardening just isn’t for everyone — if you’ve always been a little bit quirky, there’s no reason to stop now that you’re older!

Sources:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzkY7wa8Ksxv4M5NyUYgTmA
https://www.gamebyte.com/gaming-grandma-is-the-sweetest-gamer-in-the-world-but-will-still-kick-your-ass/
https://www.kaplaninternational.com/blog/fun-facts-unusual-hobbies
https://allthatsinteresting.com/bizarre-hobbies
https://designyoutrust.com/2019/03/the-weird-world-of-competitive-dog-grooming/
https://www.businessinsider.com/we-went-larping-2015-11?r=US&IR=T