Celebrate National Wellness Month with Creativity, Innovation
We have seen a growing emphasis on wellness in senior living, and there are many exemplary efforts to meet the physical, mental, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual needs of resident.
August is National Wellness Month with a focus on self-care, managing stress, and promoting healthy routines. With a wave of baby boomers coming to senior living and the COVID pandemic heightening the importance of prioritizing engagement and wellbeing, we must ask: How can we take wellness to the next level moving forward?
Throughout the month, we will be sharing some exciting best practices, as well as exclusive expert insights on wellness and the impact of design and environment on wellbeing. To kick off National Wellness Month, we would like to highlight some innovative efforts that can help maximize wellness for seniors within the constraints imposed by the COVID pandemic:
The rise of digital therapeutics. Apps that monitor asthma and enable patients to record peak flow and other information, kidney disease apps that monitor data and send it to the physician and/or pharmacy, and an all-in-one digestive health solution that combines nutrition information, education/coaching, and symptom monitoring to reduce gastrointestinal flare-ups are among available digital innovations. There also are digital therapeutics for Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, hypertension, and behavioral health. All of these enable remote monitoring, interaction, and coaching that encourage and empower seniors to pursue healthy lifestyles.
Constant contact. “The Wellness Project” in California brings together teams that include registered nurses to conduct calls to seniors sheltering in place. This is designed to increase interaction and engagement and ensure that they have food, supplies, and other necessary supports to navigate a quarantine. To date, more than 600 seniors have been contacted, and the program plans to expand.
“The Great Outdoors.” Easily accessible, safe, and beautiful outdoor spaces in senior communities have never been more important. Physical exercise is key to staying healthy during the pandemic, and trails, paths, and walkways are key to enabling residents to move and get some fresh air. Communities across the country are prioritizing residents’ ability to safely use outdoor areas for gardening, socializing, exercising, and more.
Activity packs/kits. Keeping the mind alert and agile is essential to wellbeing during the pandemic. Some communities and nonprofit organizations have distributed activity packs/kits to residents. These might include puzzles, card games, word search or crossword puzzle books, adult coloring books, 3D games like Rubik Cubes, etc.
Storytelling. A lockdown is the perfect time to focus on sharing stories. Giving residents tape recorders or other devices to record their life stories or videotaping interviews from a safe distance keeps minds active, encourages engagement, and can result in a tape or transcript that senior can share with their families for posterity.
Armchair travel. Travel videos via Google Maps enable seniors to connect their computer to a TV and search for places around the globe, as well as local landmarks. They can visit their childhood neighborhood, the Taj Mahal, or the Grand Canyon.
In-home gardening. Communities and local gardening organizations are providing residents with the supplies they need to grow indoor plants, herbs, and terrariums.
Changing up dining options. Some communities have instituted mobile carts with ice cream novelties and other treats. Dining rooms and cafes are offering delivery of fun foods such as shakes, root beer floats, pizza, and burgers, sometimes with staff in whimsical costumes.
Through-the-window performances. Communities have arranged for concerts, plays, comedy shows, and other performances in open areas that residents can watch from their windows, patios, or balconies.
Spiritual connections. Many local churches have been livestreaming services. At the same time, some have worked with senior communities to record special events such as Palm Sunday and Easter services to broadcast on internal TV channels. For Passover, one community offered Seder via Zoom, and individual Seder plates were delivered to residents’ apartments. Residents in some communities can receive daily emails with reflections, spiritual practices, poems, and meditations on request.
Mentoring match-ups. With more free time on their hands, seniors have been sharing their business/professional expertise and advice with students and young career people via videoconferencing, phone, and email. The Foster Grandparents Program, Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), and SCORE are among the programs that enable these connections.
The best wellness efforts address the benefits seniors want:
Social connection
Meaning and purpose
Technology access
Multi-generational interactions
Various dining options
Choice and flexibility
Wellness doesn’t stop because there is a pandemic crisis. In fact, its significance is heightened. Communities that focus on integrating all the dimensions of wellness—emotional, social, physical, intellectual, spiritual, and occupational/vocational – can have a significant impact on the residents and families they serve. They also will attract prospective residents who prioritize wellness and engagement for themselves.
Click here for more information about National Wellness Month. Contact us at (512)231-1910 or here to help you make the most of your external and internal spaces and community design to maximize wellness.
