Enjoy new friendships in every season of life

It is no secret that as humans, we seek friendship and social connection. But evidence shows that these friendships are more important than just providing companionship. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, a close circle of friends can help the cognition of those struggling with dementia and memory loss. Here at Juniper Glen Memory Care, a Senior Care community in East Amherst, near Buffalo NY, we prioritize community events and provide opportunities to help our residents have meaningful social interactions.

To help our residents experience all our community has to offer, our expert team has compiled a list of ways that your loved one can meet new people in our community and take advantage of the health benefits of being social.

Join Our Walking Club

Combining both the physical benefits of regular exercise with the opportunity to interact with other residents is one of our top recommendations for our residents who seek new friendships in our community. Joining a group of individuals who are all “walking” towards the same goal gives your loved one something to bond over with the other residents. Walking Club meets every Thursday at 11:30 am, and we encourage any existing or new residents to join if you think this is something your loved one may be interested in. We offer many senior activities at Juniper Glen.

Invite Someone New To Sit With You at Lunch

Sometimes it can feel like meeting new people is hard, but that is why we encourage our residents to invite someone new to sit with them at lunch at least once a week. With top-tier chefs and our menu which incorporates components of the MIND Diet, lunch is the perfect time to spark up a new conversation. Whether it be discussing their interests and hobbies, or simply talking about the incredible meal in front of them, your loved one and their new companion will have plenty to chat about.

Invite People To Listen To Music

In a study conducted by The University of Buffalo, researchers discuss how artificial intelligence communication, like smart home devices, can help people later in life feel less isolated. While we look forward to seeing the long-term results of this study, we also encourage our residents to take advantage of technology to share music, movies, pictures, and any other meaningful electronic mementos with their fellow residents. Music is one of our favorite ways to encourage new friendships because sometimes there is nothing that brings us together more than the shared love of a favorite song. If your loved one has a smartphone, small speaker, or even a record player, we hope they will bond over favorite songs with other residents. Check out this fun senior’s favorite playlist.

Take Part in The Community Garden

Now that it is warm outside again, another great way for your loved one to meet new friends at Juniper Glen is by helping with our Community Gardening that takes place every Sunday at 3:00 pm. Gardening is great for supporting cognitive function and is also a relaxing way to meet new friends. Similar to all of our other recommendations, finding individuals with shared interests as your loved one is a great start to new friendships and can help maintain existing relationships.

With the Buffalo summer getting warmer, we strongly encourage your loved one to take part in all of our outdoor community activities. Here is a typical monthly calendar at our memory care facility in East Amherst, NY. While we want all of our residents to have fun outdoors, we want to remind everyone that it is imperative to use sunscreen, wear sunglasses, use other UV protection, stay hydrated with lots of water, and be aware of overheating. Our staff is always ready to support our residents in staying comfortable–and social–outdoors!

To learn more about our Buffalo area memory care residency or schedule a tour of Juniper Glen, contact our friendly team today.

The post Enjoy new friendships in every season of life appeared first on Assisted Living & Independent Living For Seniors.