When considering options for yourself or your loved one, an environment that will stimulate the mind, body and spirit should be near the top of your list. As you age, one of the major causes of decline is social isolation. A stimulating environment helps combat that isolation by offering activities and programs that will keep seniors engaged both mentally and physically in the environment around them.
Improves Sleep Habits
Just like at any age, the more active a senior can be during the day will impact their sleep schedule and habits. According to Senior Care Corner, “Engaging in an activity throughout the day has also been shown to help your senior sleep better.” Providing a schedule full of programs that encourages cognitive and physical activities which keep seniors engaged is paramount in helping regulate sleep schedules.
Sparks Old Memories
Alzheimers.net notes that, “Keeping aging loved ones active in hobbies and interests that gave them pleasure in the past is important after a disease diagnosis.” There is a certain feeling of euphoria that is achieved through bringing up old memories of the seniors. It also allows and encourages self-expression that helps alleviate feelings of anxiety and irritability by reminding them of the good times in their life. By providing a stimulating environment full of programs that spark old memories, seniors are able to thrive in their new homes.
Provides Health Benefits
It is no secret that mental and physical stimulation provides health benefits to seniors battling diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. In fact, a prominent resource for caregivers found that, “Cognitive stimulation can help slow the decline of dementia in its early stages.” Some of the benefits of an active lifestyle provided by a stimulating environment include: better communication skills, positive interactions with others and overall improved quality of life.
Keeps Their Mind, Body, and Spirit Strong
Finally, a stimulating environment is important to offer in senior care because it provides invaluable benefits for the mind, body and spirit of the seniors. Our Director of Program Development and Training, Rachel Helfand, discussed the importance of a stimulating environment in senior care by saying, “It is vital to ensure that seniors are still being stimulated both mentally and physically no matter their age. By providing a stimulating environment for our seniors, we are able to help intrigue the mind, move the body and inspire the spirit. Our goal is to provide them with the same sensory stimulation they received before coming into our care through various programs, therapies and other Signature Touch Programs that we offer.”
At Spring Hills Senior Communities, we take the necessary steps to offer an environment that will stimulate the mind, body and spirit of our seniors. To learn more about our Signature Programs, click here.
