Senior living communities are ideal for leading an active and healthy lifestyle during your golden years. They are amazing for feeling safe and secure while living a carefree life, and create the perfect environment for new connections and relationships with fellow residents that can develop into lifelong friends. While social isolation is an epidemic that occurs primarily to aging adults living alone, it can happen in living communities too. Experts have discovered links that associate loneliness with increased risk of illnesses advancement and depression. The good news is, as an active resident, you can contribute to forging a warm and vibrant living community simply by being a good neighbor! Here are some tips to be a great fellow resident and positive member of the living community so that you can maximize your enjoyment during your golden years.
Knowing Boundaries and Shared Spaces
Living communities consist of shared and communal spaces that will require social consciousness and awareness. A considerate gesture would be to prime your neighbors in advance that you are expecting visitors to avoid unexpected and unannounced surprises. It is important to be well-acquainted with your community’s rules and regulations, as they offer you a great starting point on how you can be a conscientious and excellent neighbor. Understanding your living community’s guidelines such as visiting hours, restrictions on the number of visitors, and whether you are required to reserve a shared room for your visiting family will facilitate your plans as well as prevent any inconveniences to your neighbors.
Respecting Your Neighbors
Reach out to your next-door neighbors and interact about your likes and dislikes. Communicate with them to understand the types of boundaries they have and take this opportunity to convey yours to foster a healthy and positive relationship built off mutual respect. When using your own space, be mindful that some activities you may be doing can also be disruptive. For example, playing the radio at a loud volume at night can be irresponsible.
Showing Kindness
Once you have been well-acquainted with the community, be sure to return the kindness that your fellow circle of residents-turned-friends has shown you to the newcomers or the more socially withdrawn neighbors. Send them a dinner invite, or provide them with your contact details to help them get more involved and engaged with the community to avoid becoming socially isolated. Lastly, you should always support your new neighbors, such as assisting them in moving in, holding the door open, or helping them collect their parcels and mails. Remember, a little kindness always goes a long way.
Be Friendly and Stay Open-Minded
Making friends during your golden years can be challenging, especially when you have become so familiar with trying to maintain long-term relationships with your old friends. However, we encourage you to make the first move and interact with your fellow residents, as they could be the start of an enriching and lifelong friendship. Of course, it will be nerve-wracking at first, but if you have newly joined the living community, a great way to start would be to participate in the activities and introduce yourself to create opportunities for interaction with your fellow residents.
Befriending Your Service Professionals
Your community service members are some of the people you interact with daily beyond your neighbors. They are there to support, help and care for you whenever you require it. Take the opportunity to connect with them and get to know them and their personal lives. While they may be of different ages and generations, they can share with you fresh and valuable perspectives and potentially be your lifelong friend. Having these positive and interesting interactions will help to motivate them to be more passionate and motivated in their work. Furthermore, it doesn’t hurt to say thank you and ask about their day.
Carefree Moments with The Welstone at Mission Crossing
Our independent living option in The Welstone at Mission Crossing is perfect for those looking to experience a positive, enriching, and carefree life. Our spacious living quarters are specially designed to maximize your comfort and safety and are equipped with laundry units and kitchens to offer the independence you desire. Furthermore, we believe in taking a holistic approach to keeping our residents physically, mentally, and spiritually active. Therefore, our fitness and wellness programs are curated by highly-qualified fitness and health coordinator to rejuvenate your mind and body.
If you require more information on the type of services we offer, please do not hesitate to contact us or schedule a tour with us to experience our amazing living community for yourself!
