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Is Wellness a Fad?

3/30/2021

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For more than a year, preventing Covid has been the focus of health care. But ​what does the future look like?
For most seniors, living well means much more than not being sick. ​
Older adults are living longer and are demanding to live better. Senior communities are evolving to meet these demands by moving away from a care first mindset, and moving towards a culture of wellness.

And there is a good reason to focus on a wellness lifestyle...

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Exercise can prevent or delay many chronic diseases, including heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

​Additionally, exercise can stop or even reverse cognitive decline, prevent depression and social isolation, and encourage independence.
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However, there is much more to wellness than physical health.

Total wellness looks at the whole person in seven areas: social, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, vocational, environmental, and physical. 
*1
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 ​We break it down into three categories below. 
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Physical Wellness

Seeing the value of addressing all of these facets of health, senior communities are reimagining their facilities, programming, and activities. Robust physical fitness programs with age-specific machines and classes are being combined with massage, meditation, and mindfulness practices.

​Therapy pools allow exercise in a pain-free and therapeutic environment. Outdoors, extensive walking paths and gardens give residents fresh air and interaction with nature.

​Nutritional Wellness

Dining in senior living is no longer just about eating. 
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Today’s older adults want the option of high-end restaurant-style dining, casual bistro seating, or healthy grab and go options. Whatever the venue, the emphasis is on high quality, nutritious, and clean food, with more variety and more plant-based options.

In the post-Covid world, flexible dining spaces with movable partitions, enhanced in-unit dining options, and ample outdoor seating will become the norm.
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In addition to better dining, many senior communities are offering wellness education seminars, ranging from nutritional education and disease management to cooking classes.
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Seniors take control of their own wellness while engaging in socially and intellectually stimulating activities.
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Social Wellness and Beyond

Programming activities and outings are key to meeting other aspects of wellness.
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Planned social gatherings, volunteer opportunities, educational workshops, and worship spaces are all vital for maintaining a high quality of life. Expanding one’s knowledge and skills through stimulating mental activities improves memory function and slows cognitive decline.

​“An active social life is associated with better cardiovascular outcomes, greater immunity to infectious disease, less risk of depression, and a longer life." 
*2
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Religious and spiritual involvement, as well as meditation, also promote a greater sense of both physical and mental well being.

​Who Benefits?

Everyone. Wellness programs are working. 
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​Benefits include reduced falls, social isolation, and cognitive decline, and greater independence, emotional health and quality of life.

​An ICAA study found that 86% of wellness program participants report they were “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the quality of life. At independent living communities, that percentage jumped to 96”! 
*3 A Yale University study on aging found that seniors with a positive view of their lives lived an average of 7.5 years longer than those with more negative views.” *2
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While wellness programs greatly improve the quality of life for residents, they also lead to long-term financial benefits for the institutions. Seniors taking part in wellness programs stay healthy longer, live longer, and remain in the community longer. Other financial benefits include lower health care operations costs, lower use of health care centers and medications, and reduced emergency room visits, hospital readmissions, and falls. *4 ​​

​The Wellness Culture is Here to Stay

​Older adults are taking charge of their health and expect to live in environments that promote good health and happiness, provide social engagement, and offer activities that enhance their cognitive, spiritual, and physical well being.
Sources:
1  ICAA (International Council on Active Aging)
2  SeniorLifestyle;  “7 ways Senior Communities Promote health & Wellness “
3  ICAA Wellness Benchmark report
4  Health Sense: “6 ways one provider is redefining wellness in senior living”
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Jill Does All Her Own Stunts

1/26/2021

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InSite is always striving to design from the perspective of all residents- Jill may have taken it a bit too far.
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Happy 2021... See How InSite Celebrated the Holidays!

1/22/2021

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Well, 2021 is off to an interesting start...
See how InSite Architects celebrated the holidays!

#insitearchitects
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Happy Holidays!

12/23/2020

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Happy Holidays from InSite Architects!
#insitearchitects
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Happy Thanksgiving!

11/25/2020

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This Thanksgiving we are thankful for YOU. Our clients, our consultants, our partners, our colleagues, our loved ones, and our friends.
InSite Architects thanks every one of you and your families for your business, partnership, friendship, and camaraderie. Wishing you a safe and healthy Thanksgiving.
#insitearchitects
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​It's Take Your Dog to Work Day!!

6/26/2020

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​It's Take Your Dog to Work Day!!
Though working from home, that's most days now, isn't it?
We are equal opportunity employers - and pet lovers - so we're including our "real" dogs, as well as our "dogs for a day."
Are your pets as "helpful" as ours??
Pet pairings are named in the captions!
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Jill and Gus
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Sally and Spot
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Dawn and Dasher
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Katie and Piper
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Emmy and Sammy
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Jason and Charlie
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Holiday Fun at InSite!

12/30/2019

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InSite Architects had a ton of fun with the holidays this year! 

We added a few new traditions, celebrating #ChocolateCoveredAnythingDay    #NationalUglyChristmasSweaterDay. 
We had fun and celebrated in style!

We shared our holiday spirit with others in a few ways. We created puzzles saying, "Beautiful things are created when the pieces fit" with photos of our senior living facilities and distributed them to our clients for the residents of those facilities to enjoy. 

We also participated in the “Be a Santa to a Senior” program, which provides gifts to seniors in need. You can learn more about it here! 

Happy Holidays from all of us at InSite Architects! 🎅🏻🎁🎄

​Linking Disclaimer: By providing links to other sites, InSite Architects does not guarantee, approve, or endorse the information or products available on these sites.
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InSite Architects Joins “Be a Santa to a Senior” Program

12/23/2019

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InSite Architects took an extra opportunity to embrace the holiday spirit this year – by participating in the Be A Santa to a Senior program.
“'Be a Santa to a Senior' provides gifts to seniors in need. Home Instead Senior Care partners with local non-profit and community organizations to identify seniors who might not otherwise receive gifts this holiday season. The company then works with local businesses and retail stores to help facilitate the purchase and distribution of gifts by placing trees and ornaments within their various locations. Each senior's gift requests are written on a 'Be a Santa to a Senior' bulb.”
 
More than 750,000 seniors in need have received gifts since the program began in 2003.

As a firm committed to improving the lives of seniors, InSite Architects is delighted to have the opportunity to participate in this program.
 
Learn more at Be A Santa to a Senior.
 
Photo credit: Home Instead Senior Care
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Meet our Summer Intern!

6/11/2019

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We are happy to have Soren Arnevik joining us at InSite Architects as an architectural intern this summer!  Soren is studying at the University of Minnesota and will complete his Masters next year.  Soren also studied abroad for a year at Aalto University in Finland and is an accomplished carpenter.  The photo above is from a school project.  Stop by and say hello to Soren when you are in the office.
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