When you move into a senior living community, they’ll ask you a lot of questions about your health and well-being. At Highgate Senior Living, the team members also want to know your “why.”
“We live our lives each day with purpose, and it should be no different for our seniors,” says Highgate at Flagstaff's Executive Director or 'ED'. “While our purpose may change as we get older, we continue to have interests, passions, people, and things that are important to us and keep us living life to the fullest extent. It is important to keep our seniors engaged in the pursuits that give them purpose so they continue to thrive and do not feel the pangs of loneliness or unhappiness.”
That’s what Highgate’s Purposeful Living philosophy is all about.
Your ‘Why’ Matters
For many years, your purpose in life might have been clear. Perhaps your purpose was looking after your family. Or maybe it was working to help others and improve the community.
As you age, however, you might have fewer career and family responsibilities. Some seniors wrongly believe that they’ve already experienced the prime of their lives and that the time after retirement is just one long, steady decline.
Fostering a sense of purpose or meaning can help drive older adults toward a more satisfying future. Of course, your “why” can change as you grow older, as you learn new things about the world and about yourself, and as you meet new people and experience new things. What is important is being able to identify the things that matter to you — and Highgate has more than 25 years of experience doing just that.
“When a resident moves into one of our communities, Life Story and Purposeful Living Interviews are completed,” says the Executive Director. “These tools allow us to get to know each resident as an individual — their likes, dislikes, and the specifics about things that are important to them, now as well as in the past. We also spend quality time with the residents, engaging them in conversations and participating with them at meals and events.”
The result? Highgate residents — no matter what age or what ailment — are supported in living meaningful and fulfilling lives.
Helping Seniors Enjoy Life More
Throughout the Executive Director's 18-year history with Highgate, she has helped many residents find their purpose and live life to the fullest. When she was Executive Director of Highgate at Great Falls, for example, she noticed that a new resident wasn’t coming down for activities or meals.
“Team members and family alike were trying to find a sense of purpose for Jeanette once again,” she recalls. After spending time with Jeanette, she finally mentioned that she used to have a dog, who she had loved very much. “Over the years, this dog had become her daily companion and source of unconditional love through all the trials that Jeanette faced,” the ED says.
So Highgate team members got to work. (Highgate communities not only offer pet-friendly environments but also have staff who help residents care for their pets to ensure the health and happiness of both the seniors and their pets.) They found a calm and loving black Labrador mix named Lilah at a nearby animal shelter and surprised Jeanette with the pup on Christmas Day. These days, Jeanette goes on outings with other residents, meets with a personal trainer twice a week, and spends a lot of time cuddling on the couch with Lilah.
“Lilah and Jeanette have become fast friends, spending their days together and filling the void each of them had in their hearts,” she says.
The Executive Director also remembers a couple who lived in the memory care side of a Highgate community who always “wanted to go home.” During their Life Story Interviews, she learned that he had been a pastor for many years and that she used to play the piano during the hymns.
“So I spoke with their daughter about having them lead our Sunday services each week,” the ED says. “With their daughter’s assistance, they put together the weekly service, which gave them purpose and created a genuine desire to be at Highgate.”
Finding Supportive Senior Living
At Highgate, team members focus on each resident’s whole self — mind, body, and spirit — to help them live a full life.
For example, residents engage in a variety of mentally stimulating activities, from trivia and crossword puzzles to brain games and continued learning lectures. Their bodies are nourished with nutritious and delicious made-from-scratch meals and strengthened through yoga, tai chi, and walking clubs. For their spirit, Highgate offers mindfulness and meditative exercises, faith services, socialization, music and dance, and more.
This holistic approach supports residents in obtaining and maintaining optimum health for body, mind, and spirit. At senior living communities that don’t have a Purposeful Living philosophy or holistic approach to care, you can see the difference.
“In a senior living community that does not prioritize purposeful living, you could see increased isolation and depression with the residents,” she says. “When researching senior living, you should look for a community that cares for a senior on every level.”
For example, look at the community's menu options. Are there choices your loved one would like? Is the menu created using healthy, fresh ingredients? Look at the programming calendar. Do they have options for exercise, creativity, spiritual fulfillment, and cognitive stimulation? Is the programming calendar based on entertainment or engagement? Is the care provided based on each individual’s needs, or is it a one-size-fits-all model?
“To me, ‘Each day to the fullest’ means living each day engaging in your interests and hobbies, spending time with those who are important to you, and doing things that give meaning to your life,” the ED says.
To learn more about how Highgate at Flagstaff helps seniors live life to the fullest, join the Flagstaff mailing list. Our emails highlight our most recent articles, checklists, and guides on everything from holistic health care information to promote wellness to dining and nutrition tips for aging adults.
