The Orchards
THE IMPORTANCE OF ACTIVITIES
Residents enjoy an outing to Wendys as
one of their many activities!
Activities and staying mentally engaged are
important at any age. The Orchards’ activity
directors are always hard at work introducing new
activities, combined with resident favorites, so all
can maintain an active and happy lifestyle.
According to new research, people who are busy end
up with more brain power, but the stress might be
detrimental to their health. That’s what researchers
Sara Festini, and her adviser, Denise Park at the
University of Texas found when they tested over 300
adults aged 50 to 89 on busyness and cognition.
In the study, recently published in Frontiers in
Aging Neuroscience, Festini and Park did an initial
test on participants, then waited four years to test
them again. Results showed that the busiest people
were also ones who scored highest on cognition
tests, showing better processing speed, working
memory, episodic long-term memory, reasoning, and
crystallized knowledge. For more info, visit https://
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4870334/
“The quality of life is determined by its activities. ”
-Aristotle
PET THERAPY
Residents enjoy visits with a therapy
dog and adorable kittens!
Pet therapy is a broad term that includes animal-
assisted therapy and other animal-assisted
activities. Animal-assisted therapy is a growing
field that uses dogs or other animals to help people
recover from or better cope with health problems,
such as heart disease, cancer and mental health
disorders.
Animal-assisted activities, on the other hand, have a
more general purpose, such as providing comfort and
enjoyment for nursing home residents.
After the visit, you realize you’re smiling. And you
feel a little less tired and a bit more optimistic. You
can’t wait to tell your family all about that charming
canine. In fact, you’re already looking forward to the
dog’s next visit.
Animal-assisted therapy can significantly reduce
pain, anxiety, depression and fatigue in people with
a range of health problems, says the mayo clinic.
And it’s not only people with health problems who
reap the benefits. Family members and friends
who sit in on animal visits say they feel better,
too. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/
consumer-health/in-depth/pet-therapy/art-20046342