Water Exercise for Seniors

The pool is not just a cool refuge from the summer heat wave. At Woodland Terrace we utilize our pool for fun, water-based exercises that get our residents energized and in shape!

Water exercise differs from traditional exercise in that it softens physical impact on the joints and body structure. Wear-and-tear is greatly reduced when substituting traditional exercise with water exercise. Risk of injury is greatly reduced due to the buoyancy and cushioning of the water. Water also gives seniors a therapeutic form of exercise by massaging and supporting the body.

In addition, pool exercise offers many creative options. Accessories like noodles, balls, and even light weights can sufficiently stretch and tone the body. Group pool exercises give residents a chance to socialize while learning to strengthen the body. Woodland Terrace features the following aquatic exercise classes at our community pool:

Water Walking: Monday and Fridays at 10:00 AM

This low-impact exercise combines the benefits of walking with the added buoyancy of water. Water walking provides a greater level of resistance than walking on land; hence it works to reduce stress on joints while strengthening and building muscle tissue. The “push-pull” of water also works to improve overall flexibility and aids in balance.

Aqua Arthritis: Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2:00 PM

These gentle, joint-friendly exercises maintain and improve flexibility and range of motion, while reducing the pain of arthritis.

Aquatic Circuit Training (A.C.T): Wednesdays at 10:00 AM

This exciting class combines resistance and cardiovascular conditioning in an alternating (circuit) format.

We invite you to be our guest for any of our aquatic classes so call today to reserve a spot. Contact us at (919) 465-0356

Pool Class with our lovely residents

Maxine swimming in style

Kit

Joyce

Betty enjoying her time in the pool

All ages welcome!

Our Associates like to join in on the fun too!

Wii-Habilitation: How Technology Ties in with Wellness

The rise of the Wii as an all-in-one entertainment console is not unprecedented. With its simple design and easy user interface, it’s no surprise that an estimated 30% of US households will own a Wii by 2011. What is surprising however, is the trend in the growing popularity of the Wii amongst seniors. In senior communities across the country, Wii game tournaments are becoming very popular with the bowling and boxing games ranking as crowd favorites.

Wii’s easy to use design combined with its low impact activity has made it an ideal form of exercise and a great source of wellness for seniors. Wii bowling, tennis, and boxing are great ways for seniors to work on dexterity and agility in their hands and upper body. The Wii translates exercise into a fun and social activity that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities.

The Wii is a great compliment to Kisco Senior Living’s award winning wellness program called The Art of Living Wellsm because of its physical benefits and its ability to help seniors socialize and stimulate their brains. Many senior communities have started Wii bowling teams to compete in nation-wide tournaments. One of the biggest competitions is held annually by the National Senior League (NSL). Seniors form teams of 6 to 8 players and play one match a week against other senior communities across the country with the goal of reaching the playoffs in October and being crowned the Senior Wii Bowling Champions! The matches generate a sense of excitement and community amongst all participants and the social benefits have even been known to combat senior depression.

If you are interested in forming a team or just want to learn more, you can view NSL’s website at: http://www.nslgames.com/

Home Care versus Senior Communities: Which one fits best?

When looking into assistance for a loved one there are plenty of options to choose from – but which is the best fit? One of the biggest decisions is moving to a senior living community instead of having a caretaking agency visit your loved one. Both home care and senior living have their positives but there are many differences when choosing between the two. Keep in mind that unless you are considering a 24-hr caregiver, home care does not provide assistance more than an allotted amount of time each day. Senior living communities have around-the-clock personnel to help residents in case of a health emergency or urgent need. In most senior communities, the apartment has an emergency response system that can easily be reached when residents are in need of aid. Some home care services have an alert system as well, but these alert systems are linked to an outside call center. Response time is generally quicker in a senior living community.

Senior living communities are not only meant to provide the basic means of care for the residents but are also geared to provide residents with a positive, social atmosphere to thrive in. While home care gives loved ones the ability to stay in the comfort of their own home, socialization is left up to the individual. Also, a majority of senior living facilities have wellness programs that incorporate fitness, nutrition, and spiritual well-being into their community activity. Caregivers are able to provide seniors with individualized attention, but the overall benefits of a senior living community far outweigh those of home care. If your loved one is open to making the move, a senior community has more people, services and amenities to provide a full spectrum of resources and opportunities essential to whole person wellness.

For more information, take a look at http://www.gilbertguide.com/ and http://www.kiscoseniorliving.com/.

The Internet is Not Just for Teenagers

In an age where Facebook's population outnumbers the US population - it is apparent that the Internet is growing rapidly to include the 50+ user. It's important to understand that the Internet is not only community-specific for the younger generation, but also provides wonderful resources for the "mature" population as well. Sites that give tips on how to retire to tips on dating after divorce are all available at the click of a mouse. But to make it even easier for you to access the best of these sites, we've compiled a group of links for you to get started.


http://www.fifty-plus.net/ : This website is a great resource for lifestyle, money, and travel tips - 50+ also has a great Facebook page you can become a fan of to get the website's latest updates.


http://www.aarp.org/ : A great site with in-depth articles about caregiving, Social Security, and life after retirement. AARP also has an extensive "Relationship" section as well.

http://seniors-site.com/ : A blog site with interesting articles on how to take care of oneself after surgery and dietary tips.


http://www.eons.com/ : Eons is similar to Facebook but offers activities specifically for the "boomer" age set with discussion groups and games such as Sudoku.

Video channels are also a great way to learn new lifestyle tips. Here is a playlist of at-home exercises you can do to keep healthy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8aTEjHB1GI&feature=PlayList&p=F77712337A2453DB&playnext=1&index=16

There are plenty more websites that can cater to your interests - just use a search engine to specify exactly what you need.