Can studying in retirement reduce my risk of dementia?
Last updated on 6 February 2024
[Source: Shuttershock]
Key points
- 16,500 study offers have been made to undergraduate students in 2024
- Studying can help you stay socially connected and reduce the risk of cognitive decline
- Untreated cognitive decline can lead to diseases such as dementia
The South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre has announced that over 16,500 offers have now been made to prospective university students who are preparing to commence their undergraduate degrees in 2024. While older Australians were included in this figure, most of the offers were made to school-leavers.
Only 31 percent of Australians over the age of 65 held a tertiary education certification in 2016. Younger Australians are more likely to hold a tertiary qualification, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics in 2016, however, this may be in part due to the different expectations of employers than previously existed in the workplace. Australians seem to be changing their jobs more often than in the past. In 2023, 9.5 percent of all employed Australians changed their jobs, according to data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Additionally, 20 percent of professionals in 2023 changed roles to a different field, which may require further study or training.
For this reason, it’s important to establish the reason you’d like to study.
Are you looking to re-enter the workforce, learn more about a topic of interest or use it to provide a sense of routine for your life?
This can help you to determine the type of study that is available to you:
- university education — undergraduate and postgraduate courses;
- Technical and Further Education;
- short courses for life skills.
If you are interested in a university degree, it’s possible to gain a bachelor’s degree even if you didn’t finish high school.
As each university or tertiary institution may have different requirements specific to their entry processes, it’s best to contact the specific university to which you are applying. However, Recognition of Prior Learning is common practice and students can apply for RPL when they have extensive prior learning or work experience relevant to their courses.
However, university is not the only option available for tertiary study, with many short courses being offered online and in person.
Short courses vary in terms of length and educational expectations, depending on the institution that provides the service. For example, adult education centres are used to build confidence and understanding in the topic of choice but are less likely to give students grades or tests to determine the level of their learning. For some people, this may cause less stress than more formal courses.
In some cases, a short course may only consist of one day of learning, but this can extend to weeks or even months.
Short courses at Australian adult learning centres cater to students from beginners to expert level and can include:
- languages;
- dance and fitness;
- painting;
- cooking.
Many of these classes are held in person, so the need for high computer literacy isn’t always required. However, technology can assist in learning for some short courses and is often now required in university-level courses.
For older Australians who struggle with technology, the government created BeConnected, a program to help older Australians become more confident in their abilities when it comes to technology. In addition to countless articles to teach you about technology and cybersafety, there are also interactive courses on this website to help you learn about the features of your own devices.
However, if you’re not quite feeling ready to commit to a course or formal education, there are other ways to keep your brain healthy.
Keeping your mind healthy is seen as one of the most important mitigating factors for dementia. Mental exercises ensure your brain continues to build new brain cells and strengthen those connections as you age.
Some of the best ways to lower your risk of dementia involve challenging mental tasks, such as:
- daily crosswords, games or puzzles;
- learning a new language;
- taking up a new hobby;
- staying socially active with friends and family;
- playing sports/remaining physically active.
By keeping your mind active, you can delay cognitive decline, which can lead to dementia if left untreated.
Currently, an estimated 400,000 Australians live with dementia, according to a report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare in 2023, with a higher prevalence evident in women. However, by 2058, this is expected to have doubled with almost 850,000 Australians living with dementia, as per an estimate from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare from 2023.
When studying either face-to-face or through remote learning, there are benefits to your physical health. In 2021, the World Health Organisation established the importance of staying socially connected when a person ages because ‘[…] the effect of social isolation on mortality has been compared to that of other well-established risk factors for mortality such as smoking, obesity and physical inactivity.’
Are you thinking about starting tertiary education in retirement? Let the team at Your Retirement Living know on social media!
To receive the most current news about relevant aged care topics, subscribe to the newsletter for more news, information and industry updates.
Related content