February 24, 2023
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 The Westbury Senior Living, 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 a Resident Services Director one of the biggest roles of my job is making sure our residents feel at home and are engaged in different events. To do this, I create a calendar that speaks to several different interests that encourage social, emotional, and physical development. I also have a resident welcome committee who invite new residents to events. Besides the welcome committee, I get to know each of the resident’s background and interests and use that information to make future calendars. I want events where our residents will love to interact and build new relationships.
One of the most important things for people of any age is interaction with others and staying active. That is what you get when you move into our community. Residents meet others with similar interests to discuss, laugh, and have fun while playing games or at happy hour. They can also keep their bodies active with several of our fitness classes, all while creating relationships with others in the comfort of their own home! These opportunities might be limited if they didn’t live in a senior living community.
Sources: https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1000316
The Westbury Senior Living in Columbia, MO offers independent senior apartments, assisted living, and memory care with a variety of services and a range of floor plan options. Amenities include restaurant dining, 24-hour bistro, concierge service, housekeeping, events and entertainment, personal care, transportation services, and more. Centrally located near University Hospital and Boone Hospital with convenient access to major shopping centers and attractions, including Mizzou Tigers, Columbia Mall, The Broadway Shops, MKT Nature and Fitness Trail, Finger Lake State Park, and LA Nickell Golf Course.
