More Mountains to Climb
Older adults view aging not as an obstacle, but as an opportunity to pursue new adventures.
by Bill Donahue

I first encountered Karen and Tom over a communal breakfast at a hotel in the alpine village of Mürren, Switzerland. Karen told the server, “We’re doing that crazy hike today.”
 
“That’s not a crazy hike,” the server replied. “That’s a crazy climb.”
 
The exchange caught my ear because I knew exactly what they were referring to, because my wife and I were scheduled to participate in the same “crazy” activity later that morning. It’s called a via ferrata, Italian for “iron path,” a mentally and physically challenging mountain-climbing route consisting of rugged footpaths, ladders, rungs, bridges, and ziplines. At some points along the route, participants literally dangle more than 1,300 feet above the Lauterbrunnen Valley, anchored to the cliff face only by a pair of carabiners and their own hand strength. I found the couple’s participation in the activity particularly interesting considering Tom’s revelation: a fear of heights.
 
While suiting up for the climb, Karen and Tom, who are in their 70s and, coincidentally, from Bucks County, shared memories from another outdoor activity they had done a few days earlier, paragliding, as well as from a not-long-ago trip to Tanzania, Africa, to summit Mount Kilimanjaro. On most adventures, they told us, they’re usually the oldest participants. During the Kilimanjaro summit, for example, they earned the nicknames bibi and babu, Swahili for grandmother and grandfather, respectively.
 
“We send pictures of the things we’re doing to our kids back home, and they think we’re crazy,” Karen told me. “They joke around and ask us, ‘Did you update your will before you left?’”
 
Older adults who believe their aging bodies prevent them from chasing such exhilarations may view Karen and Tom’s exploits with a tinge of jealousy or even regret. That said, age should not prevent anyone from pursuing activities that stimulate the mind, if not stoke the adrenaline, according to Kathleen A. Cameron, senior director of the National Council on Aging’s Center for Healthy Aging. 
 
“Trying new things, whether they are considered ‘adventurous’ or not, is good for the aging brain because it stimulates the creation of new neural connections, by ‘exercising’ the brain, activating underutilized areas, and promoting neuroplasticity,” she says. “This helps maintain cognitive function and potentially slows down age-related decline in memory and thinking abilities. Trying new things is like building a ‘cognitive reserve’ [to compensate for natural age-related brain changes] by challenging the brain with new tasks and learning experiences.” 
 
Examples: taking up a musical instrument or exploring a new genre of music; starting a new hobby like painting, pottery, or dancing; reading books about unfamiliar topics; engaging in brain-training games; and participating in classes or workshops about new subjects. All can encourage neuroplasticity, which is defined as the brain’s ability to adapt and form new connections throughout life, improve memory and learning, and trigger the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that can boost mood and motivation. 
 
When older adults retire, they suddenly find themselves with more freedom than ever. Some struggle to fill the time, while others become even more active than they were prior to retirement. Cameron cites a study from the December 2020 issue of Preventive Medicine, which suggests that cognitive decline is almost twice as common among adults who are inactive compared to those who are active. Furthermore, remaining active later in life facilitates learning and problem-solving skills, and can even help lengthen one’s life by improving sleep, moderating stress, and reducing the risk of potentially lethal diseases, including some forms of cancer. 
 
Some older adults may refrain from doing new things either out of fear, boredom, or not knowing where to begin—or, merely because they see themselves as “too old” to go on new adventures. Consider Lorraine Gerson, an 80-year-old Maryland resident who, despite needing a walker to get around, recently went skydiving for the first time. Or 93-year-old Joy Ryan, who has visited all 63 U.S. national parks with her grandson—including the National Park of American Samoa in the South Pacific—with more jet-setting adventures to come. 
 
Ryan’s globetrotting travels underscore an important point: Going on adventures is often less intimidating, and more fun, when done in the company of others. Organizations such as the National Council on Aging (www.ncoa.org) offer guidance designed to spur social connections with everyone from grandchildren to fellow older adults; for the latter, online platforms such as Meetup can help foster new friendships. Taking such initiative can kickstart a new adventure, whether it involves a physical activity such as hiking, kayaking, or biking, or pursuing a less vigorous interest, such as dining, culture, or travel.
 
“Having fun should never end,” Cameron says. “Just because we are getting older does not mean that we have to stop enjoying pleasurable activities. Define your own fun based on your interests and abilities and go for it.”
 
Karen and Tom of Bucks County, the friends I made while dangling off the side of a ragged cliff face in the Swiss Alps, would likely agree. 
 
A Launchpad for New Adventures
While some older adults prefer to “age in place,” others choose the comfort and camaraderie of living in a continuing care retirement community (CCRC). Such communities certainly offer security, opportunities to make new friends, and other ways to improve their overall health and well-being. They also serve as launchpads of sorts, places from which they can embark on new adventures and indulge aspects of themselves they have either forgotten or never fully explored. 
 
Southeastern Pennsylvania boasts an abundance of CCRCs and independent-living facilities devoted to helping older adults thrive, whether they live independently, require personal care, or need memory care or other specialized support. These communities are considered some of the best places to retire in southeastern Pennsylvania, or anywhere for that matter. We acknowledge that the communities listed here represent only a segment of the area’s many exceptional places to retire.
 
Acts Retirement Life Communities
Brittany Pointe Estates in Lansdale, Fort Washington Estates, Granite Farm Estates and Lima Estates in Media, Gwynedd Estates in Ambler, Normandy Farms Estates in Blue Bell, Southampton Estates, and Spring House Estates in Lower Gwynedd
actsretirement.org
 
Arbour Square of Harleysville
Harleysville
trueconnectioncommunities.com
 
Artis Senior Living
Huntingdon Valley, Yardley, and Princeton, New Jersey
artisseniorliving.com
 
Atria Senior Living
Atria Bethlehem, Atria Center City in Philadelphia, and Atria Lafayette Hill
atriaseniorliving.com
 
Brandywine Senior Living
Haverford Estates, Longwood in Kennett Square, and Upper Providence in Phoenixville
brandycare.com
 
Chandler Hall
Newtown
chandlerhallhealthservices.org
 
Cornwall Manor
Cornwall (Lebanon County)
cornwallmanor.org
 
Dunwoody Village
Newtown Square
dunwoody.org
 
Elm Terrace Gardens
Lansdale
elmterracegardens.org
 
Five Star Senior Living
The Devon Senior Living, NewSeasons at New Britain in Chalfont, and Forwood Manor in Wilmington, Delaware
fivestarseniorliving.com
 
Freedom Village at Brandywine
Coatesville
fvbrandywine.com
 
Friends Home & Village
Newtown
fhvpa.org
 
Garden Spot Village
New Holland
gardenspotvillage.org
 
HarborChase of Wilmington
Wilmington, Delaware
harborchase.com/harborchase-wilmington
 
The Hearth at Drexel
Bala Cynwyd
thehearthatdrexel.org
 
Hershey’s Mill Villages & Golf Club
West Chester
hersheysmill55plus.com
 
The Hickman
West Chester
thehickman.org
 
HumanGood
The Mansion at Rosemont, Rydal Park & Waters in Jenkintown, and Spring Mill Pointe in Lafayette Hill
humangood.org
 
Independence Court of Quakertown
Quakertown
prioritylc.com
 
IntegraCare
Glen Mills Senior Living, Exton Senior Living, Magnolias of Lancaster
integracare.com
 
Kendal-Crosslands Communities
Kennett Square
kendal-crosslands.org
 
The Manor at York Town
Jamison
themanoratyorktown.org
 
Maplewood at Princeton
Plainsboro, New Jersey
maplewoodseniorliving.com
 
Masonic Villages
Lafayette Hill and Warminster
masonicvillages.org
 
Meadowood
Lansdale
meadowood.net
 
Merrill Gardens
Eagleview Landing in Exton, Merrill Gardens at Glen Mills and West Chester, Truewood by Merrill in Glen Riddle
merrillgardens.com
 
Oxford Enhanced Senior Living
Langhorne
oxfordenhancedseniorliving.com
 
Pennswood Village
Newtown
pennswood.org
 
Phoebe Ministries
Allentown and Wyncote
phoebe.org
 
Pickering Manor
Newtown
pickeringmanor.org
 
Pine Run Village
Doylestown
pinerun.org
 
Pleasant View Communities
Manheim
pleasantviewcommunities.org
 
Riddle Village Retirement Community
Media
riddlevillage.com
 
SageLife
The 501 at Mattison Estate in Ambler, Plush Mills in Wallingford, Daylesford Crossing in Paoli, and Echo Lake in Malvern
sagelife.com
 
The Solana Doylestown
Warrington
thesolanadoylestown.com
 
Springton Lake Village
Media
springtonlakevillage.com
 
Sunrise Senior Living
Abington, Dresher, Haverford, Lafayette Hill, Media, Newtown Square, and North Wales
sunriseseniorliving.com
 
Symphony Square
Bala Cynwyd
symphonysq.com
 
Bellingham at West Chester
West Chester
seniorlivingbellingham.com
 
Waverly Heights
Gladwyne
waverlyheightsltd.org
 
White Horse Village
Newtown Square
whitehorsevillage.org
 
Photo by rkl_foto/Shutterstock.com
 
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life magazine, October 2024