Reading for Healthy Aging
Celebrating International Day of Older PersonsWritten by Laureen Guldbrandsen
Celebrating International Day of Older Persons
October 1 marks the International Day of Older Persons, a time to celebrate and honor older adults around the world. For those of us in Community Adult Learning Programs, it is a chance to ask ourselves how we can help create a world that values aging, wisdom, and lifelong learning. After all, aging can bring wisdom, resilience, and new chances to keep learning.
This year’s theme, “Older Persons Driving Local and Global Action: Our Aspirations, Our Well-Being and Our Rights,” reminds us that older adults are not passive recipients of care but drivers of progress. Through their knowledge and experience, they contribute to health, equity, and resilience in their communities. In CALPs, we see this every day when older learners bring their lived wisdom into literacy and learning spaces, strengthening not just their own well-being but the communities around them.
I used to teach sessions on dementia, where I emphasized exactly this: the importance of maintaining mental activity as we age. Staying mentally active can reduce cognitive decline and even lower dementia risk. That is why literacy feels like a natural fit. It is not just about learning; it is about keeping our minds healthy and resilient. In CALPs, when learners pick up a new book in a reading group, practice writing in English class, or explore digital tools for the first time, they are taking real steps to support their long-term brain health.
Why focus on literacy? Reading and writing are more than just skills or hobbies—they are tools for healthy aging. I recently read a study that surprised me: older adults who regularly read, write, and keep learning experience slower memory decline by 32 percent. That is just from reading and writing. It gives me hope for my own future brain health, and it reminds me of the small, everyday moments we see in CALPs: someone building confidence by writing a shopping list in English, a learner exploring journaling for the first time, or a participant tackling digital literacy assignments.
This makes sense! When we read, we strengthen our brain and keep our minds sharp. It is like exercising your mind’s muscles. Every word and page is a small workout. Reading can also help delay memory loss. Just as daily walks keep our bodies strong, regular reading and writing give our brains the exercise they need. It doesn't have to be hard! Writing a grocery list, journaling, or reading a book all help. The programs and supports CALPs offer help make these “brain workouts” accessible to learners of all ages and stages of life.
Reading can also lower stress and help us build resilience. Less stress leads to a healthier brain and body, and resilience helps us handle the changes that come with aging. (Next time I spend the weekend reading, I'm working on building my resilience.) In many CALPs, conversation groups and book clubs do this double work—offering learning while also building community connections that reduce isolation and stress.
In CALPs, we see these benefits every day. When older adults join literacy classes, conversation groups, or digital skills workshops, they are doing more than just learning. They are investing in their long-term brain health. Staff and volunteers make this possible, and that is something to celebrate.
International Day of Older Persons is about more than just marking a date. It is about connecting, sharing stories, and learning together—exactly what CALPs make possible in communities across Alberta every day.
Laureen Guldbrandsen,
East-Central Regional Support Staff