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February 24, 2023

The Parkway Senior Living Understands the Importance of Socialization and Building & Maintaining Relationships

Category: Health & Wellness

Author: Heather Maxon, Resident Services Director

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 Parkway 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 the Resident Services Director, it is my job to bring people together and bring joy! I always encourage residents to participate in all activities throughout the day. I always tell them, “The more the merrier,” and to invite their friends and loved ones. Our residents are very friendly, welcoming, and go out of their way to include new residents, inviting them to activities. This is wonderful! I also encourage residents to sit with new people in the dining room during mealtimes, to get to know one another and share their own stories and experiences.

I think we can break the stigma of, “I’m too young and active to live at a senior living community,” by getting individuals into the community and showing off what senior living is all about. I love when we are on outings and run into people who have toured our community and they are happy to see the residents still go out for lunch, go on tours around the city, go shopping, and out to church. We have a very active population at The Parkway, so the residents break the stigma themselves, we just must show off to the world!

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

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

The Parkway Senior Living in Blue Springs, MO offers senior villas, 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 St. Mary’s Medical Center and St. Luke’s Eastwith convenient access to major shopping centers and attractions, including Adams Point Golf Course, KC Royals Stadum, KC Chiefs Stadium, Sporting KC, KC Comets, KC Mavericks, Adams Dairy Landing, and Blue Springs Parks, Trails, and Lakes .

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