Assisted Living Social Activities: What to Expect

According to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, social isolation affects about one in four adults over 65. The organization further points out how this problem can impact the health and well-being of older Americans.

Social activities, which involve interacting and communicating with others, are therefore paramount to healthy aging.

The good news is that assisted living communities offer numerous opportunities and engaging activities for seniors to stay social.

In this guide to community activities created by the team at The Watermark at Brooklyn Heights, you'll learn more about these events. Read on to discover what sort of events they are and the roles they play in senior health.

Arts and Crafts Programs

Arts and crafts are popular resident activities in senior living communities for many good reasons, including their power to stimulate the brain. According to a post by The Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley, the book "Your Brain on Arts" explains the science behind how art affects the brain.

The authors said that the process of art making, or even just appreciation, triggers many parts of the brain, including those involved in:

  • Emotion
  • Memory
  • Cognition
  • Sensory processes

According to the authors, art-related activities light up the brain's "pleasure centers." Whenever this happens, the brain produces positive emotions that make people want more of the same thing. The authors even likened this phenomenon to how the brain reacts to fulfilling basic needs like eating.

In the same post, UC mentioned how art can improve general well-being and may even heal or prevent physical and mental illnesses. Moreover, arts and crafts can be social, encouraging participants to connect with others.

Art-Related Activities in Our Community

At the Watermark at Brooklyn Heights, we provide our residents with many arts and crafts opportunities, such as:

  • Resident writing groups and poetry
  • Painting, drawing, and sketching
  • Needlework and knitting
  • Jewelry making
  • Floral design
  • Cake decorating
  • Photography lessons and programs

So, whether you or your loved one is into written art or food art, our community has plenty of creative activities you'll surely enjoy doing.

Music-Related Programs

Bob Marley once said, "Once music hits you, you feel no pain." According to a recent poll by the University of Michigan, many older adults between 50 and 80 years old attest to this.

In the poll, three in four participants said music helps them relax or feel less stressed. Nearly two in three also mentioned how it helps their mood or mental health. Another 60% noted how it motivates or energizes them.

So, it's no wonder music-related activities are among the most popular social events in assisted living communities. For example, The Watermark at Brooklyn Heights offers a music therapy program to all our residents. Whether they're part of our assisted living community, independent living community, or memory care community, they can access these music-related programs with the potential to soothe and heal.

Nature-Based Activities

Studies have found that spending time outdoors, particularly in nature, delivers many psychological, emotional, and physical benefits. According to Earth.com, recent research suggests that social connections made and fostered around nature-based activities may improve older people's health and quality of life. In this study, the researchers found that elderly adults who discussed nature experiences with others had a stronger sense of purpose in life.

As Earth.com further mentioned, previous studies associated having a sense of purpose with better physical and mental health. In turn, the better a person's physical and psychological health, the higher their quality of life.

For those reasons, nature-based activities should play a massive role in community engagement in assisted living, independent living, and memory care.

At The Watermark at Brooklyn Heights, we understand how green spaces can boost quality of life. Our community has invested in a rooftop garden to bring residents closer to nature. Here, residents can enjoy relaxing and socializing while taking in the beauty of our urban green space or participate in horticultural therapy.

Fitness and Wellness Programs

As people age, the body undergoes many changes that can lead to a decline in health.

One example is how the cardiovascular system's blood vessels and arteries stiffen. When this happens, the heart has to work harder to pump blood. Over time, this can put older people at risk of hypertension or high blood pressure and other heart health woes.

Another significant age-related change is the shrinking of bone size and density. When bones become smaller and less dense, their susceptibility to fractures increases.

Muscle endurance, flexibility, and strength also tend to drop as people age. Such changes can impact a person's balance, coordination, and stability.

Because of those changes, older people may be at a higher risk of illnesses and injuries. The good news is that fitness and wellness programs, particularly physical activities, can help mitigate the risks.

According to the U.S. CDC, moderate to vigorous physical activities can provide the following immediate and long-term benefits:

  • Better sleep
  • Less anxiety
  • Lower blood pressure
  • Improved bone, brain, heart, and muscle health
  • Better balance and coordination

With those benefits, older adults can stay strong and healthy and have lower risks of getting into fall accidents.

Physical and Social Programs in Our Community

The Watermark at Brooklyn Heights encourages our residents to exercise (and socialize!) with our carefully planned fitness and wellness programs. There's a scheduled physical activity every day, such as:

  • Tai-chi
  • Water aerobics
  • Strength and balance exercises
  • Zumba dance exercises
  • Walking clubs
  • Yoga and meditation
  • Cardio and weights
  • Pilates classes

So, there's always something for everyone, including our less mobile residents. We also have a fitness center with state-of-the-art exercise equipment. Our residents can use stationary bikes and treadmills and take solo or group training classes here.

Let Our Community Activities Engage and Stimulate You

From arts and crafts to music, horticultural therapy, and fitness programs, these are just some examples of community activities you can expect at The Watermark at Brooklyn Heights. Not a day goes by in our active senior living community without our residents doing something fun, engaging, and stimulating.

So, if you or your loved one is considering senior community living, The Watermark at Brooklyn Heights will happily welcome you! Speak with us today to schedule your tour of our beautiful community and exceptional amenities.

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