Love Life – Live Better

This year, our Activities Team is trying something new. For Christmas every resident received a wall calendar on which the Activities Team had already noted several special events, holidays, and parties. This is because their goal, every day, is to come up with something fun, interesting, or thought provoking for Residents to do. Though they do this because they enjoy spending time with the Residents, going on outings, attending parties, and doing projects or activities, there appears to be additional benefits for the health of those who participate.

A study recently conducted in England has shown that those who love life, who spend time with people they like and doing things they enjoy, are healthier longer. “The study shows that older people who are happier and enjoy life more show slower declines in physical function as they age,” states Dr. Andrew Steptoe, University College London (co-author of the study). “They are less likely to develop impairments in activities of daily living such as dressing or getting in or out of bed, and their walking speed declines at a slower rate than those who enjoy life less.”

The study even addresses the idea that some people are more naturally inclined toward levity; true, some people start off happier, but “what they are doing, who they are with…both are important.”

The most important thing for us all to remember is spending time with friends, or doing things we enjoy, is good for us. Not only does it make us happier, it appears it may make us healthier.

To read the full article from the Huffington Post click here.

For the USA Today article click here.