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Get outta town
I traveled twice this summer, both times with good friends. One was the annual Russellville girls' trip to the Lake of the Ozarks that I have talked about before and the other was a quick weekend trip with art lovers to Philadelphia specifically to see the Mary Cassatt exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, (think “Rocky’s Steps”). I felt so refreshed after both of those trips I began a little research on the benefits of travel for seniors and really for everyone.
The Global Coalition on Aging completed a meta analysis, “Destination: Healthy Aging: The Physical, Cognitive and Social Benefits of Travel,” and the key takeaways prove positive for those of us at a certain age.
• Women who traveled twice a year had less risk of heart attack or coronary death.
• According to Dr. Paul Nussbaum, Ph.D., founder of the Brain Health Center Inc., “Because it challenges the brain with new and different experiences and environments, travel is an important behavior that promotes brain health and builds brain resilience across the lifespans.”
• The physical and mental activities commonly associated with travel also have health benefits: being physically active, visiting museums and initiating and participating in social activities.
From the Harvard Business Review, Todd B. Kashdan, Ph.D., professor of psychology at George Mason University reported on his extended trip to Sri Lanka and the emotional benefits he experienced: “emotional agility - being tolerant and even accepting of your own discomfort, empathy — having a greater ability to suspend judgment and creativity — leading to unconventional problem solving... Holidays are terrific self-development activities”
I decided to conduct my own informal survey of local seniors I know who travel regularly. Here are their comments as they reflect on the benefits of travel. Look how closely their responses correspond to the research.
“Travel gives us the opportunity to engage and experience different people and observe how they address the tasks and challenges of living, especially those that are not unlike our own. It also allows some chance for us to discover a core within them that overlaps with and is much like what we know exists within ourselves.”
“The challenges of travel -- especially the unexpected ones -- give the opportunity to test and further develop our abilities to adapt, to be resilient and to be more comfortable with and tolerant of ambiguity and uncertainty and sometimes even real adversity.
“When travel removes us from our familiar and entirely comfortable friendships and home, community and country, it fosters a restorative process and attitude that brings a freshness and renewed appreciation of all of them, upon our return.”
“...well the one obvious benefit is to see and feel places you’ve never been, to see beauty that is different from the beauty of home ... . It also broadens our experience of being alive and connected to all of this. Being lost in wonder is my favorite.”
“...I think most importantly, travel CAN open one’s heart and understanding to the fact that people are pretty much the same everywhere and almost everyone, no matter where they live, wants the same things for themselves and their families.”
You don’t have to travel the world to experience any of these benefits. There are wonders to explore in our county, our state and the states surrounding us. Leaving the comfort of home and habits is good for all aspects of our health. Fall is a beautiful time to “get outta town!”