You can’t teach an old dog new tricks. You have to learn a language when you’re young to really be able to speak it. These are outdated adages that have lost their place in our modern world. Don’t let yourself be limited by this kind of thinking. By keeping your mind active through learning, you improve your brain’s health. An independent living community in FL is a great place to find others who want to experience more of the world and keep their minds sharp.

Studies suggest that bilingualism improves cognition and can even delay dementia. Best of all, you don’t have to be fluent. The simple effort of learning another language can improve cognition. Practicing for five hours a week can have significant, lasting, positive effects. Just one hour a day, practicing verb conjugations, doing short writing exercises, or even reading a foreign newspaper gets your brain power pumping.

Learning a language later in life is more difficult than it is for those 18 and under. Yet plenty of people manage to do it around the world, and their minds are reaping the benefits. Every time you think or speak in a second language, you really have to focus on what you’re saying, otherwise it can become complete gibberish or at least an entertaining mix of multiple languages!

Yet with each focused effort, your brain becomes more finely tuned. Think of it like exercise. You may start off out of shape, but with each lesson, with each verb tense, each new word, each new successful conversation, your mind is getting stronger and more agile.

An independent living community in FL is a great place to meet others who may want to learn another language or who can even help you with your own language studies. Soon, you’ll be planning trips to places where you can put your language studies to good use. In the process, you’ll be expanding your mental horizons as well as your physical horizons, all of which helps give a better understanding of the world and keeps the brain nimble.