If you want to have fun and stay busy in your 80s, 90s and 100s, Joe and Teresa are some great examples to follow. These two Amica Little Lake residents understand that the recipe for happiness includes the right mix of friends and fellowship, interests, exercise and good food. Rather than become isolated and inactive at home — a known risk for Canadian seniors —people in retirement living are enjoying this good life formula at 96, 100 and beyond. Now you can discover the secrets of these super seniors.
“I think the correlation between Joe, Teresa and other positive seniors whom I’ve worked with is that they’re always finding something to do,” says Jeanny Trevorrow, a Life Enrichment Coordinator at Amica Little Lake. “They have strong interests and good relationships with family and friends.”
Secret #1: Keep dancing to your own drum
When Teresa was a girl, she loved playing Bocce and all kinds of sports. At age 100, not much has changed. She does the fitness activities at Amica Little Lake every single day, for instance, including DrumFIT, seated yoga and Pilates. (Discover other new fitness ideas for seniors.)
Her advice for seniors who want to live a joyful life in their 80s, 90s and 100s? “Keep busy and keep smiling,” she says.
Secret #2: Enjoy old and new hobbies
96-year-old Joe is always in the Amica Little Lake workshop, fixing other residents’ furniture and making wooden charcuterie boards, statues and more. It’s creatively satisfying and beneficial: Research shows that having hobbies reduces the risk of cognitive decline in adults over 70. (Read 8 mentally stimulating activities to stay sharp as you age to discover other brain boosting pursuits.)
“Never give up, stay busy and keep improving,” advises Joe.
Life Enrichment Coordinators at Amica agree. They consult with senior residents to organize optional activities that liven up each day and offer opportunities for lifelong learning, from craft and cooking workshops to cultural discussions, winery and beach excursions, dinner dances and more.
Secret #3: Savour the crème brûlée
Joe can vouch that an appetite for life includes a taste for exceptional food. He appreciates that each month, Amica menus offer 112 different, nutritionally balanced entrees, 56 soups and 56 different desserts prepared by Red Seal chefs. (Get inspired by their insights and senior nutrition tips in our Dietary Guide.)
“It’s important to have a wide variety of food choices,” says Joe.
Teresa appreciates the meals as well, noting that she had started to forget what to include in her usual recipes at home. Other residents agree that Amica’s cooking is great, she says. (Especially her husband Frank, who is always hungry.)
Secret #4: Keep your friends close and your cards closer
As one of Amica Little Lake’s card game aficionados, Teresa has met plenty of new pals through Euchre.
“It took a few months to find new friends with the same interests, but it’s good now,” she says, noting that Amica team members always go the extra mile to help and connect residents. (They know that friendships are a key component of mental and physical wellbeing for seniors.)
It’s no secret, therefore, that senior living at Amica offers a winning strategy for happiness and fulfillment in your 80s, 90s and 100s. With fun activities, excellent meals, friendly, like-minded peers, the freedom to pursue your own passions and helpful team members and services to support you, you really can live your best life at Amica.
Book a virtual or in-person tour to find out what it’s like to enjoy living on your own terms in an elegant Amica residence with outstanding dining, amenities, activities, senior care and safety measures.