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Health and Wellness Programs at a Senior Living Community

senior women participating in physical activity for wellness, yoga

Why Is Health and Wellness Important for Older Adults?

Research shows that older adults who embrace wellness as part of their daily lives see significant benefits in their quality of life. Comprehensive health and wellness programs, like the ones at Atlantic Shores, promote overall well-being and offer a plethora of social opportunities.

So what exactly is “wellness” and what are the benefits? We have the answers to your questions and more in this quick guide on wellness programs in retirement communities.

Is Wellness the Same as Health?

While health and wellness go hand in hand, they’re not the same. Health is a physical state of being, whereas wellness is the state of living a healthy lifestyle.

Today, wellness still uses a whole-person approach and is considered a self-directed process of reaching your full potential. Especially during retirement, wellness focuses on improving your emotional, environmental, intellectual, social, physical, and spiritual well-being.

At Atlantic Shores, we believe optimal health comes from wellness. The HealthyLife® Services program will help you assess your strength and agility and customize a wellness program that connects every dimension of your well-being, in order to meet your goals.

What Do Senior Wellness Programs Include?

Senior wellness programs are adapted to help ensure your retirement brings purpose, contentment and physical health. That’s why many communities are moving away from the care-first model, and moving toward a lifestyle focused on wellness with different levels of care available, such as assisted living, when you need them.

There are 5 types of wellness programs you’ll likely find at most retirement communities:

  • Education and lifelong learning
  • Fitness
  • Health education and disease management
  • Food preparation and nutrition education
  • Intergenerational programs connecting youth and older adults

We take wellness to a new level at Atlantic Shores by combining traditional techniques and innovative services. For instance, our on-site Technology Support staff will help you set up and operate your computer, smartphone, tablet and media devices, and teach you how to use popular apps to track your wellness, keep track of your schedule, share pictures with your family and more!

What Are the Benefits of Wellness Programs?

Spending a few hours on your wellness during the week can reveal a variety of benefits. These benefits are extended even further by retirement communities, because they’re constantly growing and adapting wellness programs to meet the evolving needs and interests of residents.

Here is a list of just a few benefits you can discover when you invest in your wellness routine at Atlantic Shores:

  • Intellectual stimulation. Picking up a new skill, unleashing your creativity, or diving into a new subject can slow cognitive decline and stimulate the growth of new brain cells. For instance, you can try your hand at needlework in the arts & craft studio, or learn how to cook a new dish for a community potluck dinner.
  • Physical activity. Increase your physical well-being, and improve your balance, gait, core strength, and range of motion with a fitness routine designed just for you. At Atlantic Shores, personal trainers help you learn the right form and how to use fitness equipment safely, so you can work out independently and on your own time.
  • Social opportunities. Wellness programs for older adults decrease symptoms of depression, reduce isolation and bring people together. At Atlantic Shores, all you have to do is find an activity or event that sparks your interest, then arrive ready to meet new people and make more friends.
  • Preventive care. Health and wellness programs provide preventive care and health maintenance. This can include everything from giving you your yearly flu shot to updating your medical history, prescribing medications and ordering lab work.
  • Independent lifestyle. The goal of a health and wellness program is to teach you how to become proactive in your health and well-being. The regular mental, physical, and social stimulation in these programs can make a dramatic difference as you age, making it much more likely that you’ll always be able to perform basic activities of daily living with no assistance from anyone.

The Wellness Center at Atlantic Shores is conveniently located inside the main clubhouse area, with licensed health care professionals who can serve as your primary care providers. They’re your first resource for nonemergency care, and are experts in diagnosing, treating and monitoring health conditions like diabetes and hypertension.

What Is the History of Wellness?

Wellness in America was made popular by Dr. Halbert L. Dunn, who also helped establish the national vital statistics system, in the 1960s with his book “High-Level Wellness,” where he stated wellness is the climb “toward a higher potential of functioning.”

His book inspired John Travis, who had been lecturing widely about wellness since the 1950s, to open America’s first wellness center in 1975. Travis believed in a continuum of care that not only addressed physical pain and disabilities, but also worked toward emotional and mental well-being through a 12-dimension “Wellness Energy System.”

Live Well and Enjoy Retirement in Virginia Beach at Atlantic Shores

Whether you want to set a few fitness goals or ignite a new passion for multidimensional health and wellness, join our senior living community at Atlantic Shores. Our wellness team will teach you how to approach retirement from a holistic perspective and design a program just for you!

To learn more about our health and wellness programs or schedule a tour of our continuing care retirement community in Virignia Beach, contact our team online or call us at 757-716-3000. Don’t forget to ask how you can visit our campus for an in-person lunch!