A big part of aging is experiencing the freedom to do what you want. Traveling, trying new hobbies or just relaxing are things people look forward to after retirement. Staying active allows you the strength and energy to get the most out of your retirement. Just 30 minutes south of St. Louis, in Herculaneum, MO, Autumn Ridge Residences is where staying active is a part of the lifestyle.
Our seniors are enjoying their stays at our independent living and residential care community because they’re free to participate as much or as little as they want. We provide and promote active lifestyles for everyone.
How much activity do seniors need?
150 minutes of activity a week
is typically recommended to keep people living longer and stronger. The seniors at Autumn Ridge Residences are participating in daily wellness programs, social events and group activities.
Exercising the mind
through activities and socialization is also a huge factor in maintaining cognitive function. We utilize games and crafts that play a vital role in memory retention as well as boosting one’s self esteem and mood.
How can I benefit from an active lifestyle?
Finding the right activities for you is vital to enjoying an independent lifestyle for as long as possible.
Benefits | Reasons |
| Live longer | Having something to look forward to gives you incentive to stay healthy enough to continue participating. |
| Be happier | Staying engaged in a community staves off depression and senior isolation as well as reduces stress and builds coping skills. |
| Maintain and strengthen critical thinking skills | Continuing to learn helps keep the mind sharp. Introducing seniors to technology and new hobbies provides great mental exercise. |
What special activities for active seniors are available at Autumn Ridge Residences?
Our Activities Director Carla Schlueter has filled our calendar with stimulating pursuits for over a decade. She especially likes activities that spark the residents’ memories through trivia and spelling bees. She’s always open to suggestions; if you have anything you think might be a good activity, let her know!
Check out some of the special activities we’ve done in the last month:
- We hosted a Health Fair featuring live music and a variety of local resources for elder law, senior mental health, medical equipment, insurance information and more.
- Many seniors wore fancy hats to an elegant Mother’s Day tea. Dietary Manager Ashley Brissette and the culinary team whipped up a variety of elegant goodies to go along a vast array of cute teapots of all shapes and sizes to celebrate all of the moms in our community.
- We love being an active part of the greater Herculaneum community and were so surprised when the Twin Rivers Church blessed us with gift baskets of treats, presents and encouraging words.
- We had a special week of bingo prizes from local financial advisor, Christine C Hill. She donated birdhouses in honor of her late mother.
- It’s baseball season so we’re rooting for our Cardinals every chance we get.
What are everyday activities for Missouri seniors at Autumn Ridge Residences?
The National Institute on Aging suggests that staying active in your community, learning new things and enjoying the company of others leads to a happier and healthier life. Our seniors are doing those things every day through the following activities:
- Crafts, games and technology programming to spark creativity
- Educational programs and events to continue learning
- Socials and regularly scheduled community-wide events
- Fitness and wellness activities to stay strong
- A beautiful garden and over 7 acres of community grounds to dig and relax
- Scheduled transportation to medical appointments, outings and shopping
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the seniors of Autumn Ridge Residences have continued an active lifestyle thanks in part to our caring team and the encouragement from friends and family during socially-distanced car parades.
Is eating an activity?
Staying social is a tasty experience at Autumn Ridge Residences. In addition to enjoying company over three mindful and delicious meals a day in the dining room, we host a variety of parties and events involving food. Our Dietary Manager hosts a seasonal Residential Menu Meeting to make sure everyone is a satisfied customer.
With the amount of birthdays and celebrations, cake is never far away and ice cream socials or chocolate fountains will surely satisfy your sweet tooth. During Cardinal games, we enjoy ballpark treats like popcorn.
Why do seniors like bingo so much?
You will find bingo is one of our most popular activities—and for good reason. Bingo is incredibly stimulating to the auditory, tactile and visual senses. It’s not only a good game to play in groups of any size; it’s just plain fun to yell, “Bingo!” Believe it or not, there is extensive scientific research exploring the positive effects bingo has on seniors. We play for prizes and serious bragging rights.