Vitalia Active Adult Community – North Royalton Understands the Importance of Socialization and Building & Maintaining Relationships

No matter our age, building relationships with others is fundamental in enriching our lives. Research has shown that people who enjoy healthy relationships, live longer and happier lives. Maintaining relationships as we age has numerous health benefits such as increasing our physical and mental health, increasing mental acuity, promoting laughter and more!

At Vitalia Active Adult Community – North Royalton, I, as the Resident Services Director, play a pivotal role in helping to create opportunities for our residents to build relationships with their peers as well as helping to maintain these relationships through daily events. Oftentimes, aging adults are afraid of senior living settings. They see it as an end to their independence. Most fear being isolated from family and friends. One of the stigmas associated with senior living is, “I’m too young and active to be in senior living.” Therefore, many avoid it as an option all together. Unfortunately, this means they also lose out on the abundant opportunities to create new friendships and memories that this setting provides.

In our community, we have a group of residents who are professionals at welcoming new residents and helping them to feel at home as they settle in. We also ensure that new residents are invited to join all events, based on their preferences. Once our residents take advantage of these events, they often find themselves meeting new people or even connecting with old friends or neighbors. Through our daily events and programs, we often see close friendships form that continue. Residents begin having meals together or even take trips out of the community for shopping and family get-togethers.

It is my goal to help build and foster these relationships and break the stigmas associated with senior living communities. As the Resident Services Director I’m always looking for opportunities to link new friendships and relationships amongst our residents. We’re hosting events that are tailored to the resident interests, needs, and desires. Events encourage residents to make new friendships and strengthen old ones. It’s truly a blessing getting to help connect people. That’s one of the main reasons I love my job.

Senior Living is exactly the right place for young and active people to come to live. There is a lot of evidence-based practice that shows that engaging in regular exercise, trying new events, talking to new people, eating different foods, having social groups and clubs to participate in, among other senior living events and culture has decreased the link between the body and brain contracting illnesses. Aside from the physical side of senior living, each day welcomes a new opportunity for fun and fulfillment which makes for a more well-rounded individual. I think our company is doing an amazing job of trying to knock down the stigmas that go into senior living. Seniors aren’t just sitting around playing bingo all day every day like the media often depicts. I believe we need to continue to show our surrounding communities how engaging, dignified, and fun it is to make it to our golden years.

Sources: https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1000316

https://www.friendsview.org/the-stigma-of-senior-living/https://www.eddyseniorliving.com/latest-news/the-importance-of-senior-friendships-for-healthy-aging/