Reading is a fun and inexpensive activity that lets you see the world from another person’s perspective. It provides stress relief to everyone and can even aid in better sleep. Reading is also great to stimulate the brain and keep the loneliness away. However, it can get difficult to read as we age due to the physical and mental changes that happen. The good news is that there are still many ways to make reading easier. Here are some of the changes that affect reading for the elderly, and how to adapt so that you can live out your retirement lifestyle as an avid bookworm.
Eyesight Changes
Our vision is bound to deteriorate over time, and this makes it harder to read for longer periods. To counter this, you can consider purchasing an electronic reading device instead, such as Kindles and iPads. The screens on these devices are well lit and the font size can be changed to suit your needs as well. If you or your loved ones love physical books more, try to find the one that has larger prints in stores in any bookstore. A book light is also recommended for physical book readings. There are many types of booklights designed for reading, so you can choose one that better suits you or your loved ones. Magnifying glass or other magnifiers can be an option as well. They help to enlarge small prints and can be held or placed directly on the page.
Physical Changes
Physical changes can also affect the reading experience for you or your loved ones. It can get harder to even hold a book with conditions such as arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, or neuropathy. For this, you can invest in a book rest to place the book on. Some models stand on the floor while others can be placed on your lap. It is designed for a better book hold without any physical strain. A cost-effective way is to use a pillow as the book rest. Electronic reading devices can also be considered as they can turn pages with just a tap and reduce the difficulty of turning pages for you or your loved ones.
Mental and Cognitive Wellbeing
While reading is good for stimulating the brain and keeping it sharp, it can make casual engagement difficult. Some may find it difficult to focus on the story, causing them to read the same passage a few times. You can try to read in a quiet space away from distractions and can use simple ways to help yourself focus, such as using a piece of paper to reveal one line of text at a time. An audiobook is also a good substitute for physical reading, and starting a reading club for you or your loved ones will help you to socialize more.
