Learning New Skills at Any Age
You can learn new skills at any age, and research suggests that taking on challenging new activities, like photography or quilting, may sharpen memory in older adults.
Last reviewed: October 2026
"You can't teach an old dog new tricks" is wrong. The brain keeps the ability to change and form new connections throughout life. This is called Neuroplasticity. Learning may take a bit longer in later life, but people take up painting, languages, instruments and technology in their 70s, 80s and beyond.
And learning may do more than give you a new hobby. It may help keep your thinking sharp.
What the research shows
The Synapse Project. In a 2014 study led by Denise Park at the University of Texas at Dallas, about 200 older adults spent about 16 hours a week for three months on an assigned activity. Some learned digital photography, some learned quilting, and some learned both. Others did activities that were social or relaxing but not mentally demanding, like watching movies, listening to music or doing simple puzzles. The people who learned the demanding new skills improved more on memory tests than the comparison groups. Interestingly, social activities alone gave limited thinking benefits in that study.
The lesson: novel and challenging seems to matter. Doing something you already know well, like a type of puzzle you've done for years, exercises the brain less than truly learning something new.
Education and lifelong learning. The 2024 Lancet Commission on dementia lists less education as one of 14 risk factors that can be changed, and notes that mentally stimulating activity in mid and later life may help. The idea is that learning builds Cognitive Reserve, a kind of backup capacity that helps the brain cope with damage for longer.
What we don't know. No study has proven that learning a new skill prevents dementia. The National Institute on Aging says mentally stimulating activities are linked with better thinking, and that they're good for you in other ways too, but that more research is needed.
Why older adults learn a bit differently
- Speed slows. It may take more practice to master something. That's normal.
- Experience helps. You can connect new information to a lifetime of knowledge, which is a real advantage.
- Confidence matters. Many older learners underestimate themselves. People who expect to fail often quit early.
How to learn something new, well
Pick something you actually want to do. Interest keeps you going. Ideas: a language before a trip, an instrument you always wanted to play, woodworking, painting, gardening, genealogy, a computer class, birdwatching, dancing, cooking a new cuisine, or learning to use a smartphone well.
Make it a stretch. It should feel a bit hard. If it's easy, it's not new learning.
Practice often, in short sessions. Twenty minutes a day beats two hours once a week.
Space it out and quiz yourself. Reviewing at growing intervals and testing yourself are two of the best ways to make learning stick (see Spaced Repetition).
Learn with others. A class, club or online group adds structure, encouragement and social contact. Community colleges, libraries and senior centers often have free or low-cost classes, and many universities offer lifelong-learning programs for older adults.
Use more than one sense. Watch, listen, say it out loud and do it with your hands.
Be patient with mistakes. Errors are part of learning, not a sign you're too old.
Sleep on it. Sleep helps the brain store what you practiced (see Sleep and Memory).
Combine it with the other big habits
Learning is one part of a brain-healthy life. The strongest evidence for lowering dementia risk includes physical activity, controlling blood pressure, treating hearing loss, not smoking and staying socially connected. See Reducing Dementia Risk: The 14 Risk Factors. Activities that combine learning with movement and people, like dance classes or a walking club that explores new places, cover several bases at once.
The bottom line
Your brain can keep learning for life. Choose something new and a little hard, practice regularly, and enjoy it. It may help your memory, and it will certainly enrich your days.
This article is for general information and is not a substitute for advice from your own doctor.
Sources
- Park DC et al. The impact of sustained engagement on cognitive function in older adults: the Synapse Project. Psychological Science, 2014
- National Institute on Aging: Cognitive Health and Older Adults
- Livingston G et al. Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2024 report of the Lancet Standing Commission. Lancet, 2024
Not medical advice. This article is general information, not a diagnosis or treatment plan for any individual. Talk with a doctor about your situation.
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