“If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden.”
The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett
Why Resilience and Optimism Matter
Five key indicators working concurrently contribute to aging successfully:
Physical Fitness
Cognitive Health
Positive Outlook
Resilience
Social Connections
Recently, the importance of resilience and a more positive outlook to successful aging has gained more attention. Multiple studies have found psychological factors to be nearly as predictive of successful aging as fitness. Low rates of depression and high rates of resilience are now considered to be as important as physical health in determining who will age successfully.
Living Well at Vi Highlands Ranch positively reinforces resilience and optimism through its Mind • Body • Spirit Programming
Resilience and sustaining a positive outlook are learned behaviors. It takes both technique and practice. Learn relevant techniques (or positively reinforce your existing techniques) and hone the ability to overcome and bounce back from adversity with activities that nurture your Mind • Body • Spirit, like these:
Look at the Upside: Lectures, workshops, and small group discussions with an uplifting perspective for aging successfully.
Mindfulness Meditation: An informal group of residents use meditation to improve mood and outlook, self-discipline, healthy sleep patterns, and even pain tolerance.
Natural Movement Classes: Tai Chi, Qigong, and Yoga contribute to elevated mood.
Community App Resources: The Vi Community App links to relevant websites and instructional videos.
Nature Bathing: Discover how being in nature can enhance your awareness, health, and outlook.
Fitness Classes: Exercise is a proven method to improve mood.
Social/Community Connections: Opportunities for social connections, meaningful relationships, and support abound.
Cultivate Resilience & Optimism
Living Well: Mind, Body, and Spirit
By building resilience and optimism, you become more confident in your own ability to cope and persevere.
Among older adults, high resilience has been shown to be an important determinant of well-being, lower levels of perceived stress, greater happiness, better quality of life and higher life satisfaction.
Our Lifestyle programs contribute to life satisfaction by promoting a healthy lifestyle, life-long learning, and social engagement – all essential to Living Well.
Content originally created by Mellany Hanson, Lifestyle Director at Vi La Jolla
Mellany is at the center of everything social at Vi at La Jolla Village. She creates, finds and arranges outings and events for residents like educational lectures, travel clubs, fitness classes, day trips to unique places, and much more. She also helps manage the numerous resident-led clubs at Vi at La Jolla Village. Mellany has an undergraduate degree in Adult Fitness, a Master’s Degree in Gerontology, and certifications from Welcoa and ICAA, Leadership in Wellness Management Certificate Course. Mellany joined Vi in 2011.
