Active Aging Week is October 4-10, the week each year that communities celebrate the importance of staying fit and active into the senior years. Created by the International Council of Active Aging, the week is meant to celebrate aging and the benefits of active living at any age.
Active aging has become a part of the global conversation, as the United Nations has declared 2021-2030 the UN Decade of Healthy Aging. It will be a global collaboration, bringing together governments, international organizations, the media, and ordinary citizens to improve the lives of older people.
The UN’s recommendations for physical activity for older adults includes balance and strength training at least three days per week, as well as 150 to 300 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity and muscle-strengthening exercises at least twice a week.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, older adults receive significant health benefits from daily exercise. Physical activity reduces the risk of coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, colon cancer, and diabetes.
The CDC also says that regular, moderate exercise can help with joint swelling and pain caused by arthritis and reduce anxiety and depression. In addition, strengthening and toning muscles will reduce the risk of falling and breaking bones, which allows seniors a greater degree of independence as they age.
The Arbor Company believes in helping residents stay engaged in body and mind throughout their lives.
“Physical activity is an important part of the engagement philosophy at The Arbor Company,” said Kris Frankel, regional vice president of Engagement and Dementia Training. “We like to offer a variety of options to give residents choices and the chance to work out their minds as well as their muscles. We’ve found that they enjoy changing up their exercise routines.”
Daily exercise classes are the norm in most Arbor communities. At the height of last year’s COVID-19 pandemic, Arbor Terrace Peachtree City instituted pop-up exercise classes. Because they needed to find socially distanced spots for residents to work out, the engagement team began choosing new locations, including the parking lot and the community garden, and announcing them each morning. The pop-up classes were a hit with residents, who enjoyed the variety.
At Arbor Terrace at Crabapple, the engagement team got residents working out in the hallways during the pandemic, which gave them a chance for exercise as well as socially distant interaction.
Yoga and strength-and-stretch classes are popular at Arbor Terrace Hamilton Mill, which also has a resident choral group that allows singers to exercise their voices and entertain others in the community.
The Lakeside at Amelia likes to switch things up so that residents don’t get bored with the same exercise each week. The community offers circuit training, Aqua Fit classes in the pool, seated yoga, and more, while Arbor Terrace at Kingwood Town Center has Pilates classes, water aerobics, and outdoor games, and some residents are so committed to their fitness routines that they’ll skip social activities rather than miss out on exercise.
Some Arbor communities also participate in The Lotus Program, a holistic wellness and purposeful living program. Among the activities included in the program are reiki, a Japanese disciple that promotes healing through touch; meditation; biofeedback; aromatherapy with essential oils; and senior tai chi.
Beginning with a strong foundation of emotional and physical health, The Arbor Lifestyle was designed to keep our residents healthy, happy, and engaged. Learn more!
