Building Senior Connections in Retirement
A senior’s golden years represent a chapter where wisdom is earned and experiences are treasured. The importance of socialization for senior citizens becomes paramount. For a senior living in Chicago, there are a lot of options for retirement living, access to amenities and exciting sights to see, and senior connections to be made.
As seniors age, maintaining an active and engaged social life becomes a cornerstone for overall well-being, influencing not just mental health but also physical vitality. In this blog, we will discuss how health is related to social connections and how social isolation can affect older adults.
If you are looking for assisted living in Illinois, look no further than Mount Prospect Senior Living, an award-winning community that takes pride in the fulfillment and engagement of its residents, fostering and nurturing social relationships with friends, family members, neighbors and our care teams.
Why Is Socialization Important for Seniors?
Social relationships are intrinsically related to our mental and physical health. Research shows that the power of these senior connections can boost mood and overall well-being for senior citizens, and that friendship and social connections are important at all ages, but especially for relationships later in life.
In their younger years, people are more mobile and keep connected through work, school and community groups. As they grow older and enter assisted living or memory care communities, seniors begin to forge new friendships with neighbors and care teams, while also maintaining relationships with family – some who are close and some far away. For seniors who have relatives who live far away, self-isolation can be a real concern.
That’s where Mount Prospect Senior Living comes in, creating meaningful social connections for seniors and their neighbors.
Engaging Activities for Seniors
In the Mount Prospect Senior Living community, residents have several opportunities to foster senior connections in many ways throughout the day through the signature Vibrant Life® program. Specially curated assisted living and memory care calendars include daily exercise classes, weekly happy hours, movies in the on-site movie theater and daily games. Through Vibrant Life®, activities for seniors are available all day within the community, offering a variety of options for residents to choose what they’d like to do that day.
The Vibrant Life® program offers seven pillars that aim to cover every facet of a resident’s wellness:
- Be Inspired – gain a deeper understanding of yourself
- Be Well – follow curiosity, stay active, seek out mental and physical stimulation
- Be Challenged – learn, grow and be motivated to live your best life
- Be Adventurous – try something new every day, explore and experience life
- Be Family – cherish family connections and continue family traditions
- Be Social – embrace new and old friendships, celebrate daily moments of fun
- Be Connected – engage in community involvement, share experience and expertise
In addition to assisted living activities, a special calendar is created for the Generations memory care residents. These activities are curated to cater to the individual needs of those with cognitive decline through arts therapy, nostalgic events and more. By creating both calendars, the activities team can offer a variety of activities, events and outings to please all residents’ hobby and activity levels.
The community’s memory care residents who are experiencing cognitive decline can keep connected and stay social through specialized programs that are meant just for them, highlighting skill sets and encouraging social relationships in a quiet and calming environment. Those who have memory impairment can engage in various therapeutic activities for seniors, such as art, music and pet therapy.
Another way that residents create senior connections is through the Elevate® dining program at the community. Dining options such as a communal, family-style dining table and a small bistro allow residents to join others, getting to know the residents who take advantage of senior living in Chicago.
Sharing a meal is one of the best ways to get to know someone else, so these social relationships can start at the dining table and extend into other activities for seniors in the community. Fostering these connections leads to close-knit neighborhoods and an overall improved quality of life for those who live at Mount Prospect Senior Living.
Another way to stay connected with others in a senior living community is to engage in nostalgic or cherished past hobbies, such as knitting, gardening or baking. These activities can create neural connections that are familiar and enjoyable for seniors.
How Is Social Interaction a Benefit of Assisted Living?
At Mount Prospect Senior Living, the activities team works tirelessly to curate activities for seniors that they enjoy and participate in with others. The importance of socialization for seniors has been long studied – and the health benefits of engaging in meaningful events with others is remarkable.
We recognize the importance of the social connections between our team and our residents. With that in mind, our team cares for your family the same way we care for others, with the utmost respect and tenderness. One of the benefits of assisted living is the specialized training that our entire team completes as part of their onboarding process and continued employment.
The brain thrives on stimulation and neurotransmitters that bring us joy and contentment. Our caregiving and nursing team values this importance when creating senior connections with residents in our community. By taking a genuine interest in our residents’ lives, we stay social and keep connected with each other as we interact day to day.
“Great community! Staff are warm and welcoming. Residents are always smiling. You can really tell the residents are truly cared for at this community. What a great place!!” – Kay
Peace of Mind for Seniors at Mount Prospect
As a family member, you can be especially confident that the safety and security measures at Mount Prospect Senior Living help residents stay connected but also safe in our community. To hear more about the safety features at Mount Prospect, click here (BLOG LINK).
If a family lives far away from a senior resident, loneliness might creep in from time to time. That’s why the activities for seniors planned by the team are especially beneficial for those who are building new relationships in the community as their main source of companionship and support.
Take a Tour and Enjoy Mount Prospect Senior Living
If you are looking for a community for senior living in Chicago, we invite you to come visit Mount Prospect Senior Living and see the difference that senior connections can make in your loved one’s life.
There are a few ways you can get an idea of what it’s like to live at Mount Prospect Senior Living. Stay social with current residents by joining them for a meal in our spacious dining room, or check out the curated calendars of activities for seniors and join an activity that interests you or your loved one.
Either way, we’d love to meet with you soon and discuss the benefits of our community with you and your family. Contact us now for more information.