Iowa is considered an "aging state," currently home to more than one million senior Iowans. As many of us age, we concern ourselves with community living and staying active. If you're looking for a senior living community for yourself or a loved one, how can you find the right activities?
Activities in senior living help to encourage healthy physicality and socialization. Having a list of engaging senior activities will help you engage with your neighbors while also keeping you entertained.
If you're curious about the benefits of senior living activities, we're here to help. Read on for a brief guide on activities for seniors and their many benefits. Afterward, we'll look into some of the activities we offer.
To start, what sort of events count as senior community events? Looking into the amenities that a community offers can sometimes get confusing. With so many things listed as amenities, how do you know what counts as a senior community event?
As the term suggests, community events are ones that bring you and your neighbors together. Here are some examples of senior community events.
Physical community events are often health-focused events. These may include things like an aerobics or yoga class.
These events bring the community together to work toward wellness together. Another example may include something like a wholesome group dinner, wherein socialization is the goal, but healthy food is the focus.
Many physical community events are meant to encourage exercise and health. These have the double effect of looking after your mental and emotional well-being while also encouraging socialization.
Social events often aren't health-focused and are instead meant to encourage socialization. A good example is something like a movie night or an event where musicians come to play for your entertainment.
These senior entertainment options help to bring you closer to your neighbors. In many cases, they'll marry physical benefits with social benefits.
A great example of this is a group nature walk. Nature walks and outdoor activities are medically proven to help improve your mental well-being and provide physical exercise. However, a nature walk in a group is more focused on enjoying the company of your peers.
Now that we know more about senior living activities, what's the purpose? Are these solely to battle boredom and keep seniors entertained?
In a sense, that's a primary goal - boredom has more negative effects than you may think. Boredom can lead to a worse attention span, cognitive decline, and a sense of apathy. On top of nervousness, you may also feel fatigued or jittery.
Senior living activities aren't just a way to stay busy, but a genuine health benefit. Here are some of the most important benefits of senior living activities.
Socialization is proven to have multiple health benefits for people of all ages. One of the greatest benefits for seniors is that it helps to encourage brain activity.
As we age, our cognitive abilities slowly decline. That leads to issues like forgetfulness and leaves us open to conditions like Dementia.
On the other hand, loneliness is shown to have matching cons. Loneliness can lead to depression, a lack of motivation, and cognitive decline. Physical symptoms like obesity, a worse immune system, high blood pressure, and heart disease often appear.
By ensuring socialization, senior living activities help to keep us healthy physically and mentally. It's more than just a mood boost and something to do - it's nearly a vaccine against cognitive issues.
You don't only need to look out for your mind as a senior citizen. As we age, our bodies begin to need different things for physical care. A change in diet or vitamin supplements often becomes necessary.
Unfortunately, this also means that we must become more proactive in exercise and caring for ourselves. A great way to do so is to build up an exercise routine and regimen.
However, staying motivated to do such a thing alone is often difficult. If you work out as a community, this often helps you keep your mind focused on your goals.
Activities that help you exercise are great ways to stay physically healthy. That makes community living for seniors not only healthier but more entertaining and better for your physique.
With all that said, how does Addington Place of Carroll help you make the most of your activities? Here's a small sampling of some of the activities we're excited to include you in.
You're never done learning, and there are few things better for your mind than to keep feeding it knowledge. At Addington Place of Carroll, we're happy to help you do so.
We offer educational classes that can help you learn new subjects and tasks. These are a great way to meet your fellow students of life and tackle a new subject at the same time.
Nobody wants to spend their golden years locked up inside. Here in Iowa, we're flush with natural beauty and gorgeous landmarks to visit.
Our residents enjoy occasional outings to local landmarks to see the world around us. Many of these outings also bring us to some of our favorite restaurants. You can meet new people, become closer to your residents, and enjoy a lovely meal.
What if you want something with a bit more competition to it? We have plenty of gaming events for you to reign supreme in.
We offer regular games of mahjong and bingo, as well as the opportunity for more games. Get some practice in, meet your competition, and socialize!
Activities in senior living are crucial for mental and physical health. Socializing with your fellow residents will also help you make new friends in this exciting chapter of your life.
At Addington Place of Carroll, we're thrilled to help you navigate this new change. Whether you're joining us for the mahjong practice, our exciting classes, or trips to see Iowa's landmarks, there's something for everyone. Contact us today to see how we can help you make the most of your golden years.