Seniors find wellness and fitness solutions at retirement communities

Exercising and managing weight are common concerns following the holidays and at the start of a new year. More and more of us are focusing on the merits of living a healthy lifestyle, and that includes retired persons, as well.

The American Council on Exercise (ACE) says, “Physical activity protects against declining health and fitness and adds years to your life.” Speaking directly to seniors, the ACE says that physical activity can help prevent osteoporosis and arthritis; reduce the risk of stroke, heart disease and injuries, often from falling; and manage arthritis, blood pressure, body weight and cholesterol.

Regular physical activity also aids in promoting physical independence and keeping the body energized and strong during senior living.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that healthy people age 65 or over perform cardiovascular exercise several times per week for a total of 150 minutes. Suggested exercises are walking, bicycling, and swimming or water aerobics.

The CDC also suggests healthy retirees exercise at least twice weekly to strengthen muscles and bones. Exercises could include chest presses, biceps curls, overhead presses, lateral raises, and knee or wall pushups. Many of these could be done while sitting and using dumbbells or a resistance band, with little weight needed to be effective.

Wellness and fitness opportunities at Brethren Village

At Brethren Village Retirement Community, we have developed an environment centered on fitness and wellness for seniors to meet our residents’ physical needs. Along with our comprehensive wellness initiatives, our skilled staff helps Village residents improve their balance, strength, flexibility and cardiovascular abilities.

For physical conditioning, we provide two fitness centers, exercise classes and aquatics programs to help residents stay in shape. Both fitness rooms feature cardiovascular and strength-training equipment, as well as free weights. Residents meet with a Wellness Department Team Member for an orientation to the fitness center and a free fitness assessment to determine baseline fitness level, and receive a personalized cardio and strength training program. They can then use the fitness centers and exercise independently or participate in supervised sessions.

The Wellness Department offers a number of health-focused, social activities during the year, among them a Wellness Fair, quarterly Wellness Symposiums discussing various health topics, poolside parties and participation in the Lancaster Senior Games.

Once spring arrives and the weather warms up, many of our senior independent living residents like to head outside for exercise—walking or biking around our lovely, spacious campus.

If you’re considering a move to a senior living community, we hope that you will visit Brethren Village to learn all you can about our many services and features. Our full range of retirement living options is available to all of our Residents, including those receiving supportive care services—personal care in their apartment or room, skilled care in our long-term care facility or dementia care in our memory support neighborhood.

Here are a few answers to frequent questions we receive from retirees and their families who are interested in senior living in Lancaster PA and considering life at Brethren Village. We hope you will contact us to request more information or schedule a tour.