How Exercise Elevates Retirement Community Activities

Exercising helps you control your weight and is good for your heart health, but it also offers many other benefits. Yet, wanting to exercise and actually doing it are two different things.

Exercising requires motivation, and it's something many people don't enjoy. But people of all ages, including seniors, can greatly benefit from it. Fortunately, they can access exercise programs in senior assisted living.

Senior living communities stand out for their comprehensive exercise programs, designed with a deep understanding of their profound benefits for the body, mind, and well-being.

If you're considering moving to assisted living, find a community in Collinsville, IL, that offers exercise programs. Here are some of the ways it can help you.

Types of Exercise Programs in Retirement Communities

Seniors generally need low-impact exercise activities due to mobility and health issues. Exercise programs in senior assisted living are designed with this in mind. As a result, many communities offer the following programs:

Fitness Classes

Fitness classes require movement and include aerobic classes. Aerobics are great for heart health and help people stay fit. Dance classes also fall into this category and offer a fun way to get enough exercise.

Stretching

Stretching is one of the best ways to keep and improve your mobility and range of motion. When you stretch, you work your muscles, helping you move easily.

There are various types of stretching, including yoga. Yoga focuses on meditating during stretching activities. Tai Chi is also a great option for stretching your muscles while also offering mental benefits.

Walking Groups

Assisted living exercise activities may also include walking groups. These consist of people who meet at a certain time to take walks together. Some walks might be shorter, while others might join longer walking groups.

Swimming

Some assisted living communities have swimming pools. Swimming is a wonderful exercise for seniors because it's low-impact. It won't harm a senior's body, yet it offers mobility and pain reduction benefits.

Senior living communities carefully consider the best types of exercise activities for seniors. They choose safe options that offer physical and mental benefits for the participants.

When creating an exercise routine for a retirement community, the program director looks for exercise ideas for senior caregivers. Therefore, they're safe and beneficial.

Overcoming Barriers to Participation

While some people love exercising, others dread it. Starting an exercise regime might be even more challenging as a person ages, but moving around provides numerous benefits.

Assisted living communities understand the barriers to exercise and aim to increase resident engagement. They do this through educational resources, teaching the residents about the benefits of exercise.

They also encourage involvement by providing fun exercise options and various classes to meet everyone's desires and preferences. Assisted living provides classes at convenient times for the residents.

In addition to offering exercise classes, they also promote other healthy habits, such as healthy eating options and social events. The goal is to help the residents feel their best and stay as healthy as possible.

Social Benefits of Exercise Programs

Some residents love to exercise and might willingly attend the classes. Others might attend because another resident invited them. Attending for any reason is good, even if it's for social reasons.

Staying social is critical for a person's health, and assisted living promotes social events for this purpose.

For example, suppose you just moved to assisted living and want to meet people. You could attend an exercise program and instantly make some new friends.

This offers an ideal way to get to know other people and make the transition to assisted living smoother. As you get to know some residents, you can build bonds and develop deep friendships.

You'll have people around to talk to and friends to do things with, which provides a sense of belonging. When you experience this, you'll feel like you are part of the community and may enjoy it there even more.

Mental/Emotional Benefits

Exercising is also great for the mental and emotional benefits it provides. Studies show many emotional benefits from exercise, including improved moods and reduced depression.

When you exercise, it stimulates the production of "feel-good" hormones in your brain. These naturally help you feel happier and less depressed.

Regular exercise also reduces your risk of developing dementia by 28%. Spending time exercising a few times a week promotes brain health. A healthy brain is so important for older adults.

Unfortunately, dementia is a common condition seniors experience, but the right steps might help you prevent it. Alzheimer's is a similar condition that also affects many seniors.

In addition, exercising also helps people feel better about themselves. There is something valuable in exercise, and it often helps people improve their self-esteem and the way they see themselves.

Retirement Community Roles

An assisted living community generally has an activity coordinator. This person is responsible for determining age-appropriate activities for the residents. They create the schedule for the activities and promote them.

A coordinator aims to offer a variety of different programs to the residents, ensuring that there are activities for everyone. They also choose activities that are safe for the residents.

When creating exercise classes, they select different options to attract different people. Anyone who takes part in an exercise class might enjoy different things. Some might like stretching, while others prefer walking.

The community coordinator considers activities that benefit the residents physically, mentally, and socially.

Improve Your Quality of Life With Exercise Programs in Senior Assisted Living

Exercise programs in senior assisted living help you feel better mentally and physically. Attending these programs routinely will make a difference in how you feel and might help you stay healthier.

Are you looking for a senior community in Collinsville, IL, with exercise programs and other amenities? Look no further.

Addington Place of Collinsville is your answer. We are a retirement community offering several levels of assistance and many outstanding amenities.

Our calendar is full of activities for the residents, including exercise programs and outings. Reach out today to schedule a tour or learn more about our community.