LakeHouse Kalamazoo Blogs

Discover Guided Cultural Tours for Older Adults

Written by Discovery Senior Living | Jan 1, 2025 5:00:00 AM

Change. Growth. Joy.

These are all benefits that Piedmont found come with learning new things. Gaining new knowledge is motivating and invigorating, and seniors are more likely to feel energized and excited when they broaden their horizons.

Guided cultural tours are a great way to reap these benefits!

Read on to learn:

  • What guided cultural tours are
  • Why they're age-friendly travel options
  • The benefits of these cultural experiences for seniors

What Are Guided Cultural Tours?

Guided cultural tours are led by an expert guide. People meet up with this guide in an area of cultural or historical significance. The guide takes the group around the area and tells them about important objects and locations.

These structured tours make it easy to see new things and have new experiences. There's no need for travelers to plan everything out on their own. The tour will already have a pre-determined plan and path.

Not all guided cultural tours are walking tours. This is especially important for older adults with mobility issues.

Sometimes, a cultural tour just means visiting a historical site. Other times, it means sitting down to enjoy a cultural performance like a traditional East Asian dance or European play.

Cooking classes that teach seniors how to cook local dishes also count as guided cultural tours since they're culturally relevant and led by experts. The same goes for lectures and local workshops.

Basically, any expert-led cultural experiences for seniors count. Guided cultural tours come in hundreds of shapes and sizes!

What Makes Tours for Older Adults Accessible?

The diversity in guided tour options means that seniors can choose their own cultural tours. They can decide what to participate in based on:

  • Location
  • Activity
  • Amount of walking
  • Necessary mobility
  • Activity level
  • Tour length

A lot of options mean that there's something for everyone!

However, many guided tours are made specifically for older adults to enjoy. Even the more active ones come with elevator and wheelchair ramp access. People can enjoy areas to rest while tour guides offer fun cultural facts.

Availability in Kalamazoo

Senior cultural travel is also widely available. Older adults don't need to travel overseas to see interesting animals or learn about other cultures. They can have several experiences in Kalamazoo, including:

  • Visiting exotic animals at the zoo with expert guides
  • Learning about cultural exhibits with foreign artifacts at museums
  • Seeing live plays/dances/performances at the local live theater
  • Trying out new dishes with a tour guide at local ethnic restaurants

This makes it easy for Kalamazoo residents to enjoy a wide array of experiences. Those with mobility issues won't need to worry about driving long distances or cramming into trains or airplanes.

Senior Community Access

Those living at Lakehouse Kalamazoo enjoy a wide range of activities and events. Our activity calendar contains things like game nights and guest lectures. However, you'll also find immersive experiences and rich cultural events.

Festivals and gatherings in Kalamazoo are easy when seniors go with their community. Guided museum trips or excursions to historical landmarks can begin within community walls. Seniors meet up in the community and go to the event together.

Going with other community residents also makes seniors more likely to get out. Cultural experiences are more exciting with friends. Plus, taking guided tours may be less daunting when one knows the other people in the group.

The Benefits of Guided Tours for Seniors

Guided cultural tours can:

  • Help seniors better understand where they live
  • Teach participants about diversity
  • Help groups taking tours learn how to do new things
  • Expand the horizons of participants
  • Get older adults excited about trying new things

However, these are far from the only benefits of these tours. There are several ways to get this enrichment, but guided tours for older adults are unique in many ways, too.

Exclusive Access to Experiences

Guided tours often give people access to spaces that they otherwise wouldn't have. With a tour guide, experts can open up areas of historical and cultural sites that aren't available to the general public.

This could include:

  • Behind-the-scenes tours
  • Cultural immersion beyond tourist areas
  • Discussions with those who have diverse firsthand experiences
  • Meetings with academics and historians
  • Private wine tastings or food samples

Guided tours can also often give people access to good seats at cultural shows and festivals. This lets seniors enjoy their experience with a good view and an amazing ambiance.

Local Knowledge From Experts

When residents of senior living communities choose guided tours, they get firsthand knowledge from experts about the locations they visit.

They'll tell those on the tour about:

  • Information about the history of the site or practice
  • Interesting insight into cultural nuances
  • Reasons for cultural differences and why they're important
  • What hidden gems to look out for when visiting a new location

This in-depth information ensures that seniors can appreciate the experience they're having in more depth. They'll know the significance of everything that they see and do. This means a greater understanding of the cultural tradition and a better overall time.

A Safer Environment

Guided tours provide some extra safety and support for seniors while they try new things. Tour operators:

  • Know the ins and outs of local safety protocols
  • Have already seen the entire tour area and identified potential hazards
  • Are trained to neutralize safety risks
  • Stay vigilant about avoiding possible hazards
  • Always have a means of getting help if there's an accident

Since seniors are more prone to injury than younger people are, this is a critical reason that guided tours are a great choice for older people.

Invest in Cultural Experiences for Seniors

Guided cultural tours are a great way for seniors to expand their horizons. They offer up new and interesting information while getting older adults out into the world.

New experiences keep life fresh and interesting, and Lakehouse Kalamazoo is excited to offer them!

We don't just offer tons of great community events. We also schedule amazing off-campus excursions including guided tours for seniors. Contact us to learn more about our activity calendar and what we have to offer in Kalamazoo, MI!