As we age, managing our health and wellness can be a mounting challenge, just as it becomes more important than ever to do so. When we live alone, the dangers and difficulties rise even further. Unfortunately, if left unaddressed, our physical and mental agility can deteriorate quickly, snowballing into problems from which it may be impossible to recover.

But when you move into a senior living community, you can benefit from numerous health and wellness programs designed especially for older adults. Read on below as we explain how you can expect to gain an advantage.

Connect with a vibrant and vital social network.

In a senior living community, the built-in possibilities for bonding face-to-face are unrivaled. Every day, you’ll get better acquainted with your neighbors, their visitors, and maybe even their pets, as well as with friendly staff members. By doing so, according to the National Institute on Aging (NIA), you can gain a considerable advantage in conquering many physical and mental health conditions, including high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, a weakened immune system, anxiety, depression, cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s disease, and early death.

In particular, you’ll want a community that adopts a science-backed, relationship-centered approach and programs that encourage social engagement while emphasizing meaningful connection with others.

Eat nutritiously, deliciously, and effortlessly.

Proper nutrition is a crucial part of staying healthy. And when chronic conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease also come into play, the food choices we make, three or more times a day, are critical. All the stress of planning, shopping, preparing, and cleaning up healthy meals can overwhelm even the finest gourmands.

In a senior living community, sit down with friends (another mental health benefit!) and indulge in dining services that do the work for you. The staff should partner with you to create a variety of nurturing, balanced, and delicious meals, customized to your health needs, dietary restrictions, and preferences. With a professional chef preparing your dishes and a friendly server doing the footwork, mealtime becomes enjoyable once again.

Stay active with a focus on fitness.

You’ll be motivated to keep moving – and have fun with it, too – with access to regular, monitored fitness opportunities. Alongside fellow residents, you can participate in scheduled classes, programs, and fitness-based clubs. You’ll also benefit from the senior living lifestyle simply by walking around the halls, common areas, outdoor grounds, and to the dining room, while engaging in an abundance of other activities, events, and outings.

Look for a community with amenities such as a fully equipped fitness center and classes designed specifically for seniors – yoga, Pilates, tai chi, Sit & Fit Aerobics, dance, and more. Maintaining your physical fitness becomes even more crucial as you age, so you’ll be well-equipped for ongoing success in developing your strength, mobility, balance, body awareness, mental health, and sociability. Staying active and strong will also help reduce the risk of falls and injuries, which are common challenges experienced by older adults at home in any setting.

Explore senior-friendly, wellness-boosting offerings.

All-around wellness receives a significant boost when you share hobbies, talents, skills, and passions – and embark on amazing new adventures – with your peers. Senior communities offer a variety of possibilities geared toward older adults. They can encompass:

• Lifelong learning – arts and crafts, gardening and cooking classes, computer lessons, and other opportunities of interest.
• A calendar full of events – community dances, live entertainment, movie and casino nights, ice cream socials, parties, and more.
• Organized outings with chauffeured transportation to favorite local places, attractions, landmarks, and events.
• Scheduled and impromptu activities – interest-based social clubs (books, crocheting and knitting, etc.), hands-on, memory-keeping projects, games, cards and puzzles, and more.
• Volunteer endeavors that offer a sense of meaning, purpose, and fulfillment.
• Spiritual pursuits– worship services, Bible studies, religious literature readings, faith-based activities, and transportation to houses of worship.
• Cozy private and public spaces where you can relax, entertain, and enjoy pastimes.
• Convenient proximity and access to healthcare facilities – doctors’ offices, specialists, rehabilitation facilities, hospitals, and pharmacies, plus transportation to medical appointments as needed.

Ideally, the community should also empower residents to recommend, initiate, and lead opportunities that they believe are valuable to themselves and their neighbors.

Participate in senior-focused health and wellness programs.

Among the community services should be a range of health and wellness education, prevention, and sessions, guided by community staff in partnership with local health and wellness professionals. With the wisdom they endow, you’ll grow older more gracefully – and armed with great strength. They may include sessions in physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and pet therapy, as well as those presented by nurses, social workers, and other trained experts.

For example, you could:

• Learn how to maintain well-rounded, healthy habits as an older adult.
• Participate in health clinics, such as blood pressure clinics, balance clinics, foot clinics, and hearing clinics, among others.
• Discover tips on significant subjects, like managing pain, dealing with depression, getting good sleep, staying hydrated, and choosing proper footwear.
• Engage in stress management techniques during meditation sessions, relaxation workshops, and more.
• Practice self-care and feel-good grooming – ideally through amenities like an on-site salon and/or barbershop, as well as spa services.

Staff members should not only provide these programs but also encourage residents to attend them and remind them to continue healthy practices.

Drop your guard, thanks to 24/7 safety and security.

With safety and security measures in place, you can calm those numerous fears that come with residing alone. Senior living communities should feature a purpose-built, hazard-free setting that supports your mobility and ongoing accessibility, helping to prevent falls and other accidents. Expect features such as stairless living, wide, clear pathways, great lighting, slip-resistant flooring, safer bathrooms, and more.

Suppose a personal emergency or urgent situation does arise. In that case, you should be able to call for fast assistance with a wireless pendant button, a wall-mounted button, and/or a pull cord. Look for gated entrances and key-controlled entry systems to restrict access to buildings, private spaces, and risky, designated areas. Trained security personnel and surveillance cameras should monitor the grounds and buildings, enabling a quick response to any potential threats. Fire safety and emergency preparedness plans should address fires, natural disasters, severe weather, power outages, medical outbreaks and crises, and provide tailored assistance to residents with mobility issues, hearing and vision impairments, and other disabilities.

Benefit from an attentive alliance of professionals who have your precise interests in mind.

One of the best aspects of senior living communities is that residents receive care tailored to their specific needs. This care is designed to support your independence while providing respite from the constant threats, pain, and discomfort that come along with challenging tasks. It is delivered by trained, caring professionals who are always standing by to step in when required.

Staff members may tend to housekeeping chores and property and landscaping maintenance. Often, a community will employ a wellness director or registered nurse on staff, a 24-hour nurse on call, multiple resident care assistants, and afford access to onsite or offsite physicians and medical professionals. While services vary according to the community and level of care, assisted living and memory care staff can often provide supervision, support with daily living activities, assistance navigating the community, medication management, specialized care, and safety checks. Community staff can also provide escort service for residents when assistance is requested for medical appointments.

Find a senior living community dedicated to your overall well-being.

Enjoy the many benefits of moving to a community where a skilled team continuously attends to your needs – body, mind, and spirit. Cardinal Bay’s independent living, assisted living, and memory care communities in Texas and Oklahoma provide senior-focused health and wellness programs in a secure, active, relationship-centered environment. Schedule a visit at one of our Cardinal Bay locations to see firsthand why our residents chose to move.

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