Maintaining a household, paying bills, and taking care of health-related needs can be tiring and stressful tasks for a senior living in a single-family home. It is understandable why keeping up with these everyday responsibilities, while also staying physically fit and mentally challenged, is often unmanageable. Studies have made it clear just how important exercise for the body and mind is, and as we age it becomes even more critical to our health and well-being. The obstacles that seniors face when living at home and trying to maintain overall fitness are numerous. Whether it’s not being able to regularly get to a fitness center, the absence of nearby walking paths, or even just a lack of daily support, these hindrances often prevent seniors from being as healthy as they can be.
One of the many benefits of senior living communities is that they not only make it possible to uphold a regular exercise routine, but they make it easy (and fun!). Through offering a wide variety of programs and events that appeal to their residents interests, they’re able to provide mental/intellectual stimulation, entertain their residents, and keep them active and social!
Whether it’s a yoga class, piano lesson, or trivia night, activities are offered often, on-site, and are included in every resident’s rental package; except for physical limitations, there’s no reason a resident can’t join in on the fun. Besides the accessibility and prevalence of the activities, it’s also easier for seniors to partake in these exercises because there’s a lot of support and encouragement to do so from staff and fellow residents. It becomes much more of a social experience.
Staying fit both physically and cognitively is critical to a senior’s well being and happiness. The physical aspect of it is important because as we age, our immune systems weaken making it more difficult to fend off sickness. One of the most effective ways to keep this from happening is to keep your body strong and healthy. This lends to warding off contagious viruses and infections. In addition to the physical benefits of staying active, doing so also helps seniors manage their weight, combat signs and symptoms of depression, and sustain elevated energy levels.
Staying cognitively stimulated is essential because it enables seniors to stay sharp, fend off the memory lapses we all experience as we age, and, as a result, helps them maintain their independence. Whether its brain teasers, word games, or puzzles, they all challenge and engage residents and have wonderfully positive effects. Beyond this, many geriatric professionals believe that mental health games delay and/or help prevent dementia and other memory loss diseases.
To learn more about our engagement calendar, please feel free to find a community near you and check out our website. And remember, a body in motion, stays in motion!