Oct. 17--OTTUMWA -- A combination of diet, exercise, mental and physical activity can keep senior citizens living independently longer.
Pennsylvania Place President Brenda Hostetler said she has heard from several medical professionals that they have seen an improvement in their seniors' abilities since they moved into the retirement community in Ottumwa.
"I do believe it is because we have so many activities they are able to participate in," she said. "It is proven that residents who stay physically, mentally and socially active live 7-10 years longer independently. It helps them live a better life, too ... it improves their quality of life."
Hostetler said their site is one place where they have the Nintendo Wii video game system and she said her residents love playing it.
"Every night when I go home the game room is packed ... there are people playing Wii, people are playing cards or domino games ... just about everything," she said. "Both our assisted living residents and our independent residents play the Wii, too."
Some of the residents also have their own hobbies that keep them active, including the creation of doll clothing, sculpting, etc.
"We have times where residents will come down and put their hobbies on display and have an interaction time where they show others how to do it and they socialize," Hostetler said.
She said they also have rooms with pool tables, exercise rooms and TV lounge areas, which residents take advantage of a lot.
One of the growing trends at Pennsylvania Place and Sylvan Woods is the Internet. Hostetler said more and more residents have begun to use the technology.
"If they want to learn how, our activities counselor will work with them and show them how they can use it and they are able to e-mail their grandkids or whoever," she said. "That is also a good source of mental stimulation for them."
Seneca Information and Assistance and Family Caregiver Specialist Noelle Bales said their senior meal sites across southern Iowa offer a socially and mentally stimulating atmosphere as well.
"The senior meals sites offer a nutrition program, a meal and then activities afterwards for the people to come and socialize and have a good time," Bales said.
She said the meal sites offer Bingo, card games, puzzles and other activities that senior citizens can partake in. They also include puzzles in their monthly newsletters.
She said some of their sites have the Nintendo Wii game system and the seniors love it.
"It lets them do the activities like bowling without having the strenuous movements and lifting anything heavy," she added.
Bales said the Davis County meal site also offers a day where the senior citizens are able to exercise with preschoolers.
"Then they are getting the social and physical activity," Bales said. "Plus it shows the little ones that seniors can be pretty cool."
Bales said all three facets -- physical activity, mental stimulation and social interaction -- are important.
"It is a combination of all of them that keeps them healthy and alert," she said.
Bales said reading can count as a form of mental stimulation for the elderly and needlepoint or knitting can be considered physical.
"It doesn't always have to be going out and walking a mile with other people," she said. "There are little things they can do."
Bales also said that she can see today's group of seniors gearing more toward the electronics and fewer Bingo players.
"We still have plenty of people who like to play Bingo and card games, but I just think we will see in the future a bend toward the video interaction with seniors," she said, adding that it is a good way for them to get up and move around, even just a little.
Bales said she had been reading information on the Alzheimer's Web site and it said that many times the illness is associated with lack of brain stimulation and it can often times, but not always, be prolonged or avoided with continuous mental, social and physical activity.
"It all works together .. ," she said.
Scott Niles can be reached at (641) 683-5360 or via e-mail at sjniles@mchsi.com.
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