Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines because All Seniors Care is revving up community spirit!
We all know that January can be an isolating time of year when many tend to slow down and contemplate going into hibernation. Never deterred by a challenge, the All Seniors Care team is getting seniors passionate about active living this winter!
During the week of January 18-22, we’ll be banishing the winter gloom-and blues-by bringing the sunshine and laughter indoors with a Spirited Week of FUN. Seniors in our residences across Canada will participate in activities and programs designed to stimulate the mind, body, and soul. Get inspired!
Motivating Seniors To Get Active
Being active is one of the most important things that people can do each day to maintain and improve health. Physical activity is one of the best ways for older adults to gain substantial health benefits and maintain independence.
But how to motivate yourself to be active when all you want to do is curl up under a blanket? The experts all agree on these 4 strategies:
- Find simple ways to make exercise fun and enjoyable
- Find ways to fit exercise into your day
- Make exercise a social activity
- Keep track of your exercise progress
With these strategies in mind, All Seniors Care has planned a week that is bound to get seniors off their couches! Each day has a packed schedule that includes physical activity and games set to a special theme. Read on to see some highlights of what we have planned.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
To kickoff the festivities on Monday, January 18th, ASC celebrates the life and achievements of Martin Luther King Jr., an influential American civil rights leader.
From artwork honouring Dr King Jr. to Wii Bowling and ‘Sit and Stretch’ the day has something for everyone. And, since Dr. King was rumored to love all southern food, especially a classic Southern Pecan Pie, residents will enjoy a delicious slice of pie while learning about the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches initiated by James Bevel and led by Martin Luther King Jr., Hosea Williams, and John Lewis.
Laughter Is the Best Medicine
One of the biggest pleasures in life is laughter. No matter your age or lifestyle, things always feel sunnier when laughter is frequent. If you have your doubts about this statement, follow in our footsteps on Wednesday, January 20th as All Seniors Care explores all things funny!
Throughout the day, residents in our communities will be treated to jokes over the intercom and posted on walls. Between invigorating Zumba groups and games of Bocce and Billiards or Bean Bag Toss, they will listen to excerpts from Jerry Seinfeld’s audio book, “Is This Anything”.
To read more about how to bring laughter into your life, read our Mindful Monday Facebook post here. To see more uplifted and mental health tips every Monday, why not follow us on Facebook? There is a page for every residence.
Finding Something To Be Passionate About
We all find it much more enjoyable to spend time doing things we care about. Not everyone is naturally inclined towards typical exercise like aerobics or weightlifting. Some seniors may prefer golf, or even dancing. There are plenty of ways to exercise, so don’t feel as though your options are limited. The most important part is getting seniors to do something they enjoy that involves movement!
Saturday Night Fever
The easiest way to accomplish that is to figure out what you enjoy doing or used to enjoy doing. To accomplish this goal, on Thursday, January 21, we will be celebrating love and taking a stroll down memory lane!!
The theme of the day will be Saturday Night Fever, so dust off your dancing shoes for a day of music and dancing in the hallways!
Other fun activities to get seniors passionate about being active and social will include:
- Seated Yoga
- Letter Writing
- Pétanque-atout
- Artwork for Love Lane
- Bee Gees Documentary
Encourage Manageable Goals
Positive reinforcement helps create motivation and confidence. Group settings are a great way to nudge seniors to participate in more physical activities.
Being goal-oriented can instill motivation, a sense of purpose, and pride in accomplishment. By creating few and manageable goals daily-be it doing ten stretches, completing a small craft project, or something as simple as writing a letter -you can make a big difference in your experience of the day.
While groups look different today than they did a year ago, many ASC senior retirement residences are still able to host modified and distanced social activities.
To help seniors set goals and feel connected to the community, we have some exciting plans in the works. Keep an eye on our News and Events Page for a special announcement coming soon!
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All Seniors Care
Our senior living communities create lots of opportunities to exercise outside of the annual competition. Residents can join in classes for yoga, Zumba, Tai Chi, dance and much more. Our common areas also have games that will get anyone’s heart rate up, like golf, shuffleboard, and Ping Pong.
Studies prove that exercise boosts happiness and improves your mood for days. So, there is no way for seniors to feel bogged down by the winter blues after adding a few workouts to their schedule, especially when they follow healthy eating habits and get enough sleep too.
Do you know a senior that’s lacking in motivation? Maybe All Seniors Care can be a better environment for them. Click the links to see our options for retirement homes in Hamilton, assisted living in Ottawa and other senior residences across the country. You can click here to contact us for more details.
It’s easy to lose all motivation to exercise, socialize, and get into a healthy routine during the winter. But All Seniors Care is not afraid to rise to a challenge! With the right incentives, seniors can be motivated to stay active and healthy.
