It's estimated that one out of fifteen older adults are clinically depressed. And unfortunately, that doesn't even count seniors who deal with loneliness, anxiety, and apathy.
The secret to combating these things is to prioritize wellness in senior living. Not only can this prolong an individual's lifespan, but more importantly, it can improve the quality of life. Unfortunately, there's a lot of confusion surrounding the term.
So, what exactly is wellness? And why are wellness programs in retirement communities so important? In this guide, we'll go over some senior living tips so you or your loved one can begin prioritizing wellness today.
Before we learn more about the importance of wellness in senior living, it's important to understand exactly what the concept is. Wellness is the practice of incorporating healthy habits into our daily routine.
This is done with the end goal of improving both our physical and mental, as well as social health. Wellness must encompass all three of these areas of holistic senior health.
After all, a healthy person isn't just free of disease or weakness. They're thriving in their daily life. Wellness is important for senior living because of the way it's linked to these three health areas.
Small changes brought on by senior living communities that prioritize wellness can improve the length and quality of an individual's life. Let's explore some of the specific ways that wellness programs can contribute to a senior's life.
When it comes to cognition and aging, it's often use it or lose it situation. Unfortunately, outside of puzzles and games many seniors don't have access to mental stimulation when they live on their own.
Many good wellness programs will provide opportunities for this type of stimulation.
These might include things like language classes, book clubs, chess teams, seminars, and more. All of these things can help exercise one of the most important muscles in the body: the brain.
As this guide mentions, physical activity has both immediate and long-term benefits for senior health. Whether that's improved sleep and lower anxiety or better brain and heart health, there is no shortage of reasons why seniors should prioritize it.
Unfortunately, many seniors lack transportation options to gyms and athletic facilities. Luckily, wellness programs make it easy for individuals to get their physical activity in for the day.
That might involve fitness classes, or nearby access to tennis courts, golf courses, and more. For people who struggle to workout, there's an opportunity to meet a gym buddy.
People are much more likely to stick to an exercise routine if they have someone else there to encourage them.
One of the problems with growing old is that people often lose their friends. That might pass away, move, or, in the case of family, grow up. Meeting people on your own can often feel like a challenge when you're older.
However, senior living communities provide a great environment in which to form meaningful connections. For starters, seniors are around people who are their age. Wellness programs often provide activities or events for socializing, including:
Making new friends and connections can provide seniors with an emotional support network that they might otherwise lack.
It also enriches their lives and allows them to feel like they're part of something greater than themselves.
There's a common misconception that senior living communities with wellness programs restrict a person's freedom. In actuality, one of the benefits of senior wellness programs is that they greatly encourage individuals to be independent.
Many will allow the seniors to explore the surrounding town or city. All the activities encourage seniors to make their own schedules. More importantly, they allow seniors to retain their independence while keeping them safe.
As people get older, it's common for their nutrition to go out the door. Some people might turn to eating junk food to cope with feelings of loneliness or depression.
Or, they might rely on processed foods since they can't go to the grocery store as often. Sadly, this can often cause their physical and mental health to worsen.
A senior community wellness program will prioritize proper nutrition for staying healthy and encouraging weight loss. What's more, they'll do so in a way that tastes delicious. That way, seniors look forward to every meal time.
As we mentioned at the start of the article, many seniors suffer from depression. Unfortunately, depression doesn't just decrease a person's quality of life.
Studies show that it can even be linked to memory disorders and heart health.
Having access to community and friends is a great way to ease the effects of depression and improve mental health. Of course, if the individual still needs help, programs can also provide them with therapy and medication.
When evaluating assisted senior living communities, one of the first things to consider is things like location and cost. However, next, you should see what they're doing to encourage wellness.
You can start by exploring their amenities. Do they offer a lot of activities and events for the residents? Do the residents look like they're enjoying themselves? Pay close attention to the food too.
A good wellness program will offer well-balanced, nutritious meals that look and taste delicious. Lastly, ask about the level of care they can provide.
Will they be able to support both current and future needs? When you factor all of these things together it can tell you a lot about the state of their wellness program.
We hope this guide helped you learn more about wellness programs in retirement communities and the importance of elder care. Here at Addington Place of Des Moines, we prioritize our community members' wellness in everything we do.
Whether that's curated meals with fresh ingredients or daily activities and events, we're all about improving every aspect of our residents' lives. So, if you want to learn more about our community, get in touch with us today.