What activities can you do in senior living?

One of the benefits of moving into a senior living community is the opportunity to stay active and engaged. Communities use an assortment of names to describe these opportunities – “senior activities,” “elderly enrichment” or Atria’s Engage Life® programs – but they generally refer to a customized calendar of events where residents can connect with each other, pursue their passions and express themselves creatively. Let’s delve into the types of activities you can do in most senior living communities and why they’re vital to the well-being of the residents.

Why activities are important

Recent studies have provided an insight about human behavior that cultures have known (or sensed) for countless generations: People who stay physically active and maintain strong social connections are healthier than people who are isolated or inactive. The more opportunities we have to connect and get to know the people around us, the better our health, outlook, memory, brain function and capacity to continue to learn will all be.

Common activities available in senior living

The activities offered in a senior living community can differ substantially, but here are a few of the mainstays that are typically offered.

• Exercise Classes and Games
  • Bowling, yoga, golf, lifting weights, playing bocce, ballroom dancing, taking boxing lessons – a vibrant senior living community should foster opportunities for residents to engage in a range of physical activities.

• Workshops and Classes
  • Start an embroidery class or a discussion group on current events. Residents who love learning, discussing complex subjects and broadening their skills can enjoy the insight and intellect of their peers with these self-hosted courses.
• Creative Talents
  • Some of us are driven to create, whether we’re painting a summer garden on the patio or filling page after page with a story that keeps running through our minds. A quality senior living community will provide residents with the space and schedule to tap into their creative energy and connect with likeminded artists.
• Interaction and Engagement
  • A senior living community should also support an environment where residents play cards or Mahjong tournaments deep into the night, enjoy some “grape therapy” – that is, a wine and cheese social – or run into each other at a happy hour in the patio or around the garden.
• Group Outings
  • Another advantage of being a resident at a senior living community is the opportunity to go on trips to different cities or places of interest – a museum in Manhattan, for instance, or a scenic route through a canyon in California, as well as sporting events, lunches in the park, and shopping trips.

How activities foster community and friendship

Meeting new people, lifting weights or playing a late-night bridge session can help people feel like they belong. That, in turn, can lead to many other positive outcomes – improved self-esteem, peace of mind and an investment of time into deepening the network of support that improves everyone’s quality of life.

Engage Life at Atria

At Atria, we consider activities to be among the most important features of a senior living community, but we don’t call them “activities.” Our Engage Life events program is designed to foster interactions and bring new opportunities for residents to achieve their goals. Each Atria community has an Engage Life Director, who creates a calendar of events and outings tailored to residents’ interests. Learn more about Engage Life events program, and reach out to the community nearest you today to discover all that Atria offers.