Kari Richie, Springmoor Health and Fitness Director
Active Aging Week at Springmoor Life Care Retirement Community this week was filled with plenty of activities for residents—from exercise classes, learning opportunities, games and the annual Springmoor Health & Wellness Fair.
Active Aging Week, which was created by the International Council on Active Aging® (ICAA), is an annual, weeklong health observance every September designed to celebrate people ages 50 and older who are active members of society, as well as to encourage the senior population to focus on wellness.
Springmoor residents embraced Active Aging Week with gusto, as they always do! The community hosted plenty of activities at The Pathways Wellness Center that kept everyone busy and focused on their wellbeing. The Health and Fitness staff hosted several “Brain, Body, Balance” sessions, which were my favorite events of the week because residents had so much fun! Every instructor and every class at Springmoor provides a fun, supportive environment for all fitness levels.
The great thing about the “Brain, Body, Balance” session was that it challenged everyone to think and work together in a different setting. Some of the activities included bouncing or throwing a ball to a partner, bowling, math problems and ball games, balloon volleyball, golf putting, and a tennis ball toss. The room was full of people and full of laughs! I have never heard so much laughter in an exercise class! We were able to exercise through play, and—without fully realizing it—residents worked to improve their balance, coordination, reaction time and endurance.
Another highlight of the week was our Annual Health & Wellness Fair; this year, we focused on brain health, and invited vendors who could speak with residents about various areas of cognitive concern. Representatives from the Wake Med Stroke Program, Institute for Personal Excellence, Springmoor Physical Therapy, Legacy Healthcare Services, North Carolina Audiology, Alzheimer’s North Carolina and Kroger Pharmacy spent the day answering various questions. Springmoor residents and staff got their blood pressure and blood glucose checked, relaxed their minds and bodies with mini massages, tested their balance and performed leg strength tests.
Active Aging Week is always a busy week at Springmoor, but it doesn’t stop today: Our community is vibrant and full of activity all year long!
To find out more about Springmoor Life Care Retirement Community, contact us here.
