Read any good books lately? Ask any avid reader and they will gladly tell of the many gifts they receive from reading, especially when sharing the experience with others. Residents of St. Mark Village would love to give you their top book club picks—and invite you to become a resident too so you can join them!
How can knowing the top book club picks help you on the path to healthy aging?
Reading can be a joy. So many people over the age of 55 have fond memories of books that meant a great deal to them as they grew up. Classic tales of animals, exotic adventures, magical kingdoms, and more—your favorite books were your ticket to anywhere you wanted to travel in your mind.
Age doesn’t have to mean giving that pleasure up. In fact, as a person ages, the benefits of reading—especially when you join a book club and are reading 5-star books—increase tremendously!
For example, here’s a few ways that reading book club picks benefits residents in continuing care retirement communities in Florida:
- Increased mental engagement. Discussing book club picks in a group setting lets you share your thoughts about the subject you’ve read. It also encourages you to listen with intention, giving your brain new material to “chew on” while you discover new areas of interest.
- Enhanced physical activity. Reading a book may mean sitting, but it doesn’t have to. You can read while working out on a stationary bike or take a book with you on a leisurely walk in the park. Pick a shady spot, relax, and read for a few minutes. Then keep walking!
- New and stronger relationships. When you join a book club, you immediately make several new friends. Individuals who bring a unique perspective to the discussion. It’s an easy and excellent way to build community, so vital for healthy aging. (Reading alone is fine, but having new friends and acquaintances for lively book discussions and socializing offers an array of positive health benefits for your body and brain.)
Related: The Importance of Socialization for Seniors and How Senior Living Can Help
- More opportunities for lifelong learning. Maybe the book club chooses a book about a topic you’ve always wanted to learn more about but just have never taken the time. Now you can, without having to do it all by yourself. Plus, you’re learning new things, which boosts your mood, builds self-esteem, and enhances your overall quality of life.
Who knows, after reading about the Renaissance, you might be motivated to finally take that European tour!
- Dissolves stress. Book club picks can be a welcome refuge when a new challenge in life comes along. It’s not just a temporary escape from a nagging concern; it can provide an outlet for relieving the negative effects of stress through the support of those around you.
So how do you get started? Join a book club—or create a new one!
Whether you’ve been thinking about joining an existing group, or you are ready to gather some friends to start a new book club, you’ll want to be up to date on which 5-star books readers are waiting for. (Residents of continuing care retirement communities in Florida like St. Mark Village can give you even more!)
Here’s a few suggestions and a synopsis of some of the most-anticipated book club picks for 2025 from Shereads.com and Goodreads.
- The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus by Emma Knight. Perfect for book clubs, this rich novel explores female friendship, the impact of our past, and how our choices shape us, sparking thoughtful discussions on self-discovery and the many paths to womanhood.
- I Leave it Up to You by Jinwoo Chong. After waking up from a two-year coma, Jack finds his life in ruins. He must reconnect with family and rediscover the life he left behind. A heartfelt exploration of love, self-discovery, and the courage to start over.
- Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney. Grady encounters the best and worst day of his life when he calls his wife to give her good news, then hears her slam on the brakes and leave the car. She has vanished. A year later, he travels to a small Scottish island and finds a woman who looks just like his late wife.
- Brooke Shields is Not Allowed to Get Old. Thoughts on Aging as a Woman by Brooke Shields. With remarkable candor, Brooke Shields shares her personal journey, challenging societal expectations of aging. She inspires women to embrace their age, pursue their passions, and defy stereotypes.
- Cold Storage by Michael C. Grumley Army Veteran John Reiff is on the run from a clandestine organization. He knows secrets that make him both a liability and an asset. This story captures you from the first words and doesn’t let go until the very end.
- This Book will Bury Me by Ashley Winstead. Just reading the description is exciting! “From the bestselling author of In My Dreams I Hold a Knife and Midnight is the Darkest Hour comes a chilling, compulsive story of five amateur sleuths, whose hunt for an elusive killer catapults them into danger as the world watches.”
Reading is just one of the many components of healthy aging, and in the right senior living community, you will find so many more. Who knows, you might even be inspired to write your own story!
We’d love to talk to you about how choosing St. Mark Village in Palm Harbor as your retirement address could inspire you to embrace your independence as never before, offering a myriad of opportunities for healthy aging and happiness. As well as seamless access to future care options.
Take our Lifestyle Quiz to help discover what matters most to you in senior living, or contact us. We’d love to hear from you.
