We all want to live active, engaged lives, no matter our age. For older adults in senior living communities, life enrichment programs provide a wide variety of opportunities for recreation, exercise, social engagement, learning and of course, fun.
Here’s part two of our conversation with Kathy Klein, Life Enrichment Manager at Bethany Village, about the many ways that activities and programs improve quality of life for older adults.
What are some of the most popular activities and programs at Bethany Village?
Kathy says that music-related activities are by far the most popular and well-attended activities at Bethany Village.
“Music is so wonderful in all areas of life. We provide music therapy for every level of care here at Bethany Village,” said Kathy. “For our memory care units, music therapy is offered four days a week. Music is like a beacon of light that draws out memories that might be hidden way back. When we play music that’s familiar to our residents, they can remember every word, every song.”
Along with music therapy programs, Kathy says Bethany Village hosts a range of entertaining live music performances. “We have performers visit ranging from a steel drum player to a saxophone player to a professional bell choir from Germany,” she said.
“We also started offering line dancing twice a week, which has been hugely popular. A lot of residents really enjoy the combination of music and dancing. It keeps them moving and it’s a lot of fun,” said Kathy.
“Another fun music-related activity we offer is called ‘Fit Beat’ which is a cardio class where you use exercise balls and drumsticks to create rhythms,” said Kathy. “It’s very well attended – our residents love it. It’s so much fun that you don’t realize how much of a workout it is until it’s over!”
What makes life enrichment unique at Bethany Village?
An engaging, relevant and meaningful life enrichment program is a good indicator of both quality of care and quality of life in a senior living community. Bethany Village takes a holistic approach to all aspects of senior care, including life enrichment, contributing to personal wholeness, a sense of purpose and the quality of retirement life for residents.
“Of course, providing the best care for our residents will always be number one. At the end of the day, we’re all taking care of our residents, and life enrichment is a big part of it,” said Kathy.
“Bethany is truly a team-oriented facility, and I don’t think you find that many places,” she said. “The folks here are really passionate about what they do, and I think that makes a huge difference as well. This isn’t just a job; everybody wants to be here and do the best for the residents. I think if you walk in the doors here, you feel that.”
Kathy added, “They say it takes a village, well, we are a village that helps everybody! I think that makes us really stand out.”
If you are ready to experience the Bethany Village lifestyle, please contact us today to learn more and arrange a tour of our campus. We would be delighted to speak with you!
