Elder Care Alliance communities are coming together to celebrate holistic wellness on National Senior Health & Fitness Day.
Elder Care Alliance residents never have a reason to be bored. Every community has a wide variety of activities and events designed to keep residents active and engaged. From walking clubs and gardening groups to guided meditation sessions, most residents find it easy to keep their calendars full.
And they’ll have plenty of reasons to be busy on May 27. For the first time, the California senior living communities are coming together to celebrate National Senior Health & Fitness Day. The focus of Elder Care Alliance’s festivities will be to celebrate holistic wellness and give residents opportunities to incorporate wellness into their everyday lives.
Creating a Day of Health and Wellness Events
“We are celebrating Senior Health and Fitness Day by offering opportunities that promote wellness of the body, mind, and spirit for our residents and anyone from the community who would like to join us,” says Lisa Wright, Sales and Marketing Director at AlmaVia of Camarillo. A fitness class will get residents moving in the morning. Participants will be seated the first half of the class and then standing to help improve balance. The community teamed up with Mission Oaks Counseling & Wellness Center, which will provide seated massages specifically designed for seniors. Soothing aromatherapy is incorporated into the massage. Healthy snacks from the LIFT-Levántate refreshment cart will be available throughout the day.
After lunch, a group from the local senior center will come to the community for an afternoon walk. Walkers will be split into groups based on their pace to accommodate people at various ability levels. The goal is to encourage each resident to enjoy some fresh air and the company of others. The day’s events also include afternoon bocce ball, a HealthRHYTHMS drum circle, an evening yoga stretch, healthy menu options at mealtimes and a loss support group. Residents and visitors will receive raffle tickets for each event they complete and can enter to win a 60-minute massage at Mission Oaks. “It’s going to get a little competitive around here,” Wright laughs.
Supporting Senior Health and Fitness
The day’s events, as well as events at the community year-round, are intended to be accessible to residents of all levels of health and mobility, Wright says. For example, aromatherapy and massage events gives residents with limited mobility a chance to participate, and opens new avenues of achieving wellness. “Maybe they can’t pick up the bocce ball and throw it, but if they’re interested in participating and just being a part of the energy, the friendly competition and the fun—it’s all beneficial,” Wright says.
AlmaVia of San Francisco is also in on the action and hosting events for residents of all ability levels. Activities like on-site massages and outdoor meditation allow every resident to participate in some way. A harpist will be playing during lunch, which will include a special, extra-healthy menu. “Our goal is to reach all the senses and to bring wellness to individuals in all stages of life,” says Tessa Gresko, Sales and Marketing Director at AlmaVia of San Francisco. “People can receive wellness in all different ways, despite their health and individual needs.”
Mercy Retirement & Care Center will also be holding wellness events, but they will be celebrating on May 28. The community will host a cooking demonstration, drum circle, stretching class and an informational health lecture. Friends and family of residents and members of the larger community are welcome to participate in the day of activities.
Wright says events like these exemplify Elder Care Alliance’s commitment to holistic wellness in all aspects of residents’ care. “Wellness is not just about taking medication,” she says. “It’s about knowing and honoring that there are different aspects to all of us as human beings. And the more aspects we can engage, the more senses we can engage, the better.”
For more details on National Senior Health & Fitness Day activities at our communities, visit our events page. And learn more about Elder Care Alliance’s commitment to holistic wellness.
