Today’s Retirement Communities are more like cruise ships than nursing homes! Retirement lifestyle is full of fun, food, adventure, and entertainment day after day. The funny thing is that it also reflects what doctors’ advise- socializing, good food, rest, exercise, and reducing your stress.
Today’s Retirement Communities are more like cruise ships than nursing homes! Retirement lifestyle is full of fun, food, adventure, and entertainment day after day. The funny thing is that it also reflects what doctors’ advise- socializing, good food, rest, exercise, and reducing your stress. Hmmm!
Who would have guessed! Many residents’ health indexes improve.
Retirement Communities offer a new lifestyle by breaking free from the clinical institutional structure of a nursing home and moving toward life on a cruise ship! The retirement lifestyle includes Activity Programs which are a key part of the recipe of “living it up.” So how do you evaluate an Activity Program for quality?
What to look for:
- Number of people-The size of the community can impact the quality of the Activity Program. You need enough people to have a robust schedule of events.
- Number of events– How many events are available every day? Are there Blank Days? For example, many communities don’t have anything happening on the weekends.
- Are there activities inside the community as well as outside the community? Are there day trips with destinations like public gardens, museums, theatres, baseball stadiums, casinos?
- Are there options for people with less physicality or very physically fit? Are there options for people with no cognitive loss or some cognitive changes in their brains?
- Is there diversity in the type of activities? Are there activities for Heart (Socials and Support groups), Mind (Adult Learning Opportunities), Body (Exercise Programs), Spirit (Religious and Spiritual gatherings)?
- Is there recognition of cultural and ethnic differences?
- Are there activities that your family or friend can share in?
- Do the Residents inform the plan? Or is this the same program that was developed five years ago?
- Is there evaluation? Do Residents get a chance to evaluate the quality of the Activity Program?
As the industry advances, so do the expectations. In addition to entertainment events and parties, self-development has become an added component: exercise programs, classes, etc… This is a thrust of moving participants from observation (on the sidelines) to involvement (on the court). Today, an even higher standard of participation is sought after by seniors. Leaders in the industry talk about engagement. Engagement is being involved and sharing your passion. Aliveness is a measure of joy, contentment, and participation in day to day life with others. It’s all about living life your way.
Article Provided by:
Garden Court Retirement Community
425-438-9080
www.GardenCourtRetirement.com
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