Bonaventure Senior Living Residents Stay Connected With Blogs

Needlepoint, shuffleboard and bingo aren’t the only fun activities residents of Bonaventure Senior Living communities engage in. Several Bonaventure Senior Living residents consider blogs their new leisure-time option. At Bonaventure Senior Living communities, residents say their latest hobby gives them “a voice in a society often deaf to the wisdom of the elderly.” Olive Riley wouldn’t let a thing like age keep her away from blogging, commented several Bonaventure Senior Living residents. The Australian-born woman was believed to have been the world’s oldest blogger. Riley began her blog “The Life of Riley” in 2007 at the age of 107. She made her final post at age 108, about two weeks before she passed away. She had posted more than 70 entries and several video posts on YouTube.

Blogs are online journals where people write about anything and everything that interests them. Blogs tend to be topical, and typically offer photos and opportunities for readers to comment. According to Bonaventure Senior Living residents, it’s too easy to sit around and let the world go by. Staff members at Bonaventure Senior Living also find that blogs provide a mentally stimulating activity and alternative to watching too much TV.

The talented staff at Bonaventure Senior Living offers plenty of activities and amenities for residents, but Bonaventure Senior Living bloggers say their hobby keeps them up on current events and lets them meet people around the globe.

For 84-year-old blogger Millie Garfield, who writes My Mom’s Blog, life would be dull without her blog, she says. Her blog has also brought her a bit of fame. Garfield was invited to speak at a Boston seminar for marketers on how to use the Web more effectively.

According to a 2012 marketing report, 60 percent of seniors are online daily and 49 percent use Facebook. Social networking sites are important to Bonaventure Senior Living communities since they allow residents to maintain daily contact with family and friends. Joe Jenett, a Detroit-area Web designer who has been tracking the age of bloggers for a personal venture, said he is noticing more and more older bloggers sharing their wisdom.

Sites such as Blogger.com or WordPress.com give step-by-step instructions and free hosting, making it simpler to self-publish on the Web. If you can read, you can do it, say the residents at Bonaventure Senior Living. According to Kelley Hamilton, CEO of Bonaventure Senior Living, baby boomers have long been known for their desire to take on new challenges and their respect for education. Everyone at Bonaventure Senior Living knows the importance of staying physically fit while growing older, but keeping one’s mind sharp is just as important. Many of today’s retirement communities provide access to the Internet, and Bonaventure Senior Living is no exception. The Bonaventure Senior Living website also features a blog with interesting stories and advice and new content posted daily.

Response from blog readers does keep older bloggers at Bonaventure Senior Living returning to their keyboards day after day. If they skip a day, Bonaventure Senior Living residents say, readers email them to check in and make sure all is well.

Bonaventure Senior Living communities offer chef-prepared meals, housekeeping, daily activities and events, scheduled transportation, and so much more. Bonaventure Senior Living gives independence back to boomers while enhancing their quality of life. To schedule a visit at one of the Bonaventure Senior Living communities or for more information about Bonaventure Senior Living, visit RetirementPerfected.com.