How does a family help facilitate senior wellness? Why is it important for caregivers not to isolate themselves with their loved one, but to engage with their friends and peers? Paula Sikes, Director of Resident Engagement at Cogir Senior Living, joins Suzanne to talk about social wellness, a focus in this summer’s Vitality Revolution podcast series.

Paula says, “We encourage our lifestyle directors to add an activity for family members one time per month. And I think the reason is because life does happen, and we are so busy. We get so involved in our daily lives. We’re still working as family members, we have our kids, and we’re involved with our children. And then next thing you know, 3 or 4 months have gone by and you never visited your relative that lives in a community. So when we have those specific family nights, or family activities, we find that family members actually are intentional and they block that time out of their calendar.”

“My parents are elderly, they’re in their mid-eighties. I have to be intentional to go make that visit to see my loved ones. Currently my parents are living with my sister. My sister is struggling with that social wellness. But I kind of give her my ideas, and my expertise, and my advice, of just taking mom and dad out, even if it’s just outside in the backyard to get some vitamin D and some sunlight 10 minutes out of the day. There’s so many things that we can do, even in our own homes, with our loved ones that can really encourage that, that wellness all around.”

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