Socialization is an integral part of people’s lives that can naturally decrease with age. This is especially true as people reach retirement age and beyond.
The workplace, school, and family all facilitate socialization. When these factors are absent, isolation starts to set in.
That’s why activities for seniors are so crucial.
Isolation is damaging across the age spectrum. It particularly impacts cognitive skills.
A child who’s not adequately socialized by a certain age will struggle to adopt the mental skills they need for academic and career success. Likewise, seniors in isolation can start to lose the cognitive skills they acquired through life.
Learn more about the future of senior living through activities in assisted living.
Integrating Technology Into Senior Living Activities
Seniors shouldn’t live in a bubble.
Exposure to the outside world, art, and ever-changing cultural landscapes is vital for social skills. This philosophy also applies to technology.
Keeping seniors isolated from technological innovations limits solutions for growth.
The following skills are vital in assisted living design:
- Basic computer skills
- Gadgetry
- Communication apps
- Social media
The first benefit of technological ability is communication.
Seniors should still be encouraged to write traditional letters to friends and family.
They’re still encouraged to use the phone. Mobile texting makes it even easier for seniors to communicate quick messages. They can text to coordinate time with friends, family, and fellow residents in assisted living.
A Pew Research study found that 75% of senior-aged adults use the internet.
Email is the most popular among this set. Platforms are continuing to integrate more features. Upgrades include calendars and video conferencing.
Seniors can use the following apps for face-to-face communication:
- Skype
- VoIP
- FaceTime
- Google Meet
This is great for seniors whose families live in other states or countries.
Residents may receive assistance with these technologies at TerraBella Thorneblade. A manager can help set up free accounts with communication apps, including email.
Social Media for Seniors
Social media is another effective (and user-friendly) digital communication for seniors. It allows seniors to express their creativity, share their experiences, and join online social groups.
Facebook is the most popular social media site among senior demographics. It helps seniors find in-person events and activities in their area. Book clubs, volunteering opportunities, and senior potlucks are a few ideas.
Social Opportunities for Seniors in the Community
Social media supplements the socialization programs offered through assisted living.
It can put seniors in touch with more volunteering opportunities beyond their community.
Seniors can join the following:
- Facebook pages for volunteering
- Youth mentorship programs
- Library volunteering
- Museum docent programs
- Red Cross
- Tree planting
- Beach cleanup
Seniors within their TerraBella community can create Facebook groups for on-site events. A coordinator can create an event page and send invitations through the app.
TerraBella has a scheduled transportation system that allows seniors to schedule transportation to programs outside the community. They can also receive assistance with scheduling.
Community managers also schedule frequent outings into the community for volunteering purposes, including other forms of cultural enrichment.
Fostering More Engagement in Senior Care
Terrabella Thornblade posts a packed activities calendar for residents. This ensures consistent socialization that doesn’t skip a beat.
Residents may schedule their weekly calendar, however they’re not required. A care manager will create an activities plan with weekly events and activities. It may focus on interests, areas of improvement, creativity, and physical activity.
For example, a manager may curate a week of arts and crafts classes, morning walks, family visits, book clubs, and movie nights with residents.
Activities run the gamut at Terrabella.
You can expect the following to be on the calendar:
- Light yoga sessions
- Painting classes
- Trivia nights
- Karaoke
- Bingo nights
- Shopping days (outings)
- Knitting and crochet
- Black Jack and card games
Calendar events change by the month. Residents also enjoy weekly live music from local talent. Pet therapy also helps residents find healing through animals.
These activities supplement robust memory care plans for residents. TerraBella Thorneblade even has a memory care room for seniors. Healthy socialization is important for successful memory care, including visits with family.
Enabling Socialization Through Outdoor Design
TerraBella Thorneblade’s assisted living community is structured like a neighborhood, complete with individual apartments for residents.
Residents may access outdoor areas with gardens, seating areas, and walking paths perfect for light exercise, relaxation, personal activities, and socialization.
Residents can meet in these areas for light exercise classes like aerobics, morning walks, tabletop games, lunch, and ice cream socials. Fresh air is critical for both physical and mental health. Community staff and visiting instructors may also host classes outside, including meditation.
These areas are perfect for family visits, which enriches memory care for residents with dementia, Alzheimer’s, or those showing signs of memory conditions. Families can work with assisted living managers to plan birthday parties, picnics, and holiday gatherings with family.
Families are encouraged to tour the grounds of TerraBella Thorneblade to better imagine their loved ones living in the space. Community managers will also describe activities in the community and let family members sit in on various activities and events.
Outdoor design, activities, communication tools, memory care, and apartment living work together to facilitate more independence in seniors while prioritizing their health and safety.
Enjoy the Benefits of Activities for Seniors
TerraBella Thorneblade is designed to foster healthy mental and physical engagement in seniors. This commitment includes facilitating socialization designed to retain cognitive skills, critical thinking, social skills, and creativity.
Our dining program includes daily meals and tableside service, which fosters healthy socialization. Our housekeeping services also create a happy and healthy social environment.
Do you or your loved one want to learn more about activities for seniors and TerraBella’s future endeavors?
Book an appointment with one of our community managers to learn more about the possibilities of assisted living design.
We also offer a robust memory care program.
Our community is committed to fostering a healthy aging process for seniors in our South Carolina community. Tour our community to get a sneak peek of our quality living spaces, memory care outlook, and more community amenities.
