Why CHEER Academy matters (and why your brain will thank you)

Here’s the headline: lifestyle choices, like movement, nutritious food, social connection, and mental challenge, can help protect thinking and memory. The Alzheimer’s Association’s U.S. POINTER study, a large U.S. clinical trial, recently reported that two structured “multidomain” lifestyle programs (physical activity, improved nutrition, cognitive and social challenge, and regular health monitoring) improved cognition in older adults at risk of cognitive decline over nearly two years. The more structured version did even better. That’s big news, and it matches exactly what CHEER Academy is built to deliver: a friendly, real-life routine of moving, learning, laughing, and staying connected.

What you’ll find at CHEER Academy

Our curriculum blends body, mind, and community, because healthy aging isn’t one-dimensional. You can expect:

• Physical fitness (e.g., Yoga Basics, Chair Aerobics, Tai Chi, Strength Training, Zumba for Beginners) to build balance, endurance, and confidence.
• Nutrition & cooking (Healthy Cooking, Healthy Heart Workshop, Diabetes Management) to make smart eating delicious and doable.
• Mental wellness & “brain fitness” (Mindfulness & Meditation, Brain Games) to reduce stress and sharpen thinking.
• Technology safety (Computer basics with a strong fraud-prevention focus) to help you stay connected, safely.
• Social engagement & creative outlets (Art for Wellbeing, Gardening for Health) because friendship and purpose are powerful medicine.

Registration begins in November

The first semester will be held January 5th thru March 31st, 2026. Classes run in rotating semesters across all eight CHEER centers, with two courses per site each semester and a blend of daytime, evening, and weekend sessions to fit your life. Some sessions may also be offered live online so you can participate from home and still feel part of the class.

Have a passion? Come teach it.

Do you love watercolor, line dancing, birding, Spanish, genealogy, competitive sock pairing, or budgeting on a fixed income? We’re recruiting instructors and course organizers who are excited to share what they know with neighbors 50+. Call Jacquie Reilley at 302-515-0001 x1167 or email jreilley@cheerde.com. Friendly class assistants and blended-learning tech support help keep teaching simple and fun. We are also recruiting classroom assistants.

(Inspired by CHEER’s mission to promote independence, community, and lifelong learning across all eight centers.)