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Question: All the advertisements and brochures for senior communities show people dancing, golfing, swimming, playing cards, etc. Why all the emphasis on activities?
Answer: Human beings seem to have a need to regularly interact with one another. Study after study shows that retaining meaningful emotional connections, socializing and staying active can add years to one’s life. But many seniors’ worlds have gotten smaller and smaller without their being particularly aware of it.
They may go out less often because illness robs them of their energy and desire. Perhaps they no longer drive so transportation becomes an issue. They may have fewer friends as companions have moved away or died. And, they probably receive visitors less frequently. The resulting social isolation and loneliness can be detrimental to their physical, emotional and spiritual health.
Research by Harvard University (among many others) has found that older people who participate in social activities, such as eating with others, chatting or exercising, live an average of 2.5 years longer than those who are more reclusive. Socializing seems to boost the immune system and activate chemicals in the brain that create a calming effect and sense of well-being.
Living in a retirement community offers much more and more convenient access to peers than living in a single-family home. Neighbors are likely to have shared similar life experiences. They survived the Great Depression and Second World War; moved from the farms to cities; married and watched their children grow up and start families of their own.
Sharing time with people who have meaning in our lives gives us an opportunity to express ourselves and connect with others. It also allows us to convey our compassion towards others through loving support. This can have a healing effect for everyone involved, resulting in improved health and greater generalized happiness. Senior living is based on this social, rather than medical, model of care.
Additionally, the best retirement communities offer a full-scale program of planned activities. Singers, musicians and entertainers of all sorts are brought into the community. Residents will find bridge, canasta or other games on-going. Visiting church leaders of a variety of denominations conduct services on site. Health awareness, financial and other educational programs are planned. And outings to local attractions or over-night excursions are arranged.
Opportunities for social interaction abound that are designed with residents’ interests, capabilities and special needs in mind. The goal is to engage residents, stimulate their physical and mental capacities, and promote a sense of joy, satisfaction, and belonging.