Rainbow Theme Party

In our retirement community we have 5 different buildings and people get to know those who live in their building pretty well. I'm always trying to find an idea that gives the residents in one building a reason to talk with a resident from another building. In the past I have held pizza socials and invited different buildings to come together and they were successful, and I have created special events for the same purpose. The Rainbow Theme Party is a new special event that I introduced to the community this summer. Here are the details, so that you can plan it for yourself.

 

First, let me tell you that my inspiration came from Pinterest. Please take a minute to see my board for Rainbows.  You will find food and decoration ideas that are very cool. (I did not get my inspiration from searching adult rainbow party on the Internet and I suggest you save the time and the embarrassment and skip that step. And no, this is not a gay theme party - but could be if you wanted it to be, I guess.)

 

We held a reception at 4:30 p.m. in our Club House Lobby. We find this is the best place and time as residents are coming a distance to go to the nearby dining room which opens soon after the party ends. Each building was assigned a color of the rainbow and residents were asked to wear their specific color. Yes, there are more colors than I have buildings, so I selected what I thought they would have in their closet and would make a statement when mixed together. Those who wore their building's color received a raffle ticket for a prize drawing later that night. (I actually gave everyone a raffle ticket, hoping that it would draw them to the Auditorium after dinner to see the show. I suggest not saying that is what you will do ahead of time in order to get the most people dressing in their color.) Most of the people dressed in their colors and some got crazy with it. It was easy and fun for them to get into!

 

The Lobby was decorated with a rainbow balloon arch and it was the centerpiece of the evening! (I hired a professional for this.) This party was full of color. I made balloon bouquets that had one of each of the building’s colors in the bunch and placed them around the Lobby. The tables were covered with rainbow table covers, and the food was as close to picture perfect as the ones I have on Pinterest. (Suggestion: show your culinary department the ideas well in advance to determine what is do-able for them.) Make sure to look at the Activities Director's Store  to get a lot more supplies for your party (candy, clothing, decorations, etc.) I did buy rainbow bowties for the waiters/waitress to wear that evening.

 

For the entertainment, I found a performer who I've worked with in the past and told her the idea for the night. She sang songs with colors in their titles or lyrics as well as the most famous, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." She loved the concept of the party and shared that feeling during her show, which really helped to sell it. It was a hit.

 

This sounds very basic, but I honestly feel that sometimes you do not have to go all out, spend a ton of money, and bust your buns to make elaborate events to have the residents enjoy the special events that you create!

Source: Uploaded by user via Recharging Retirees on Pinterest

 

Summer Fitness for Seniors

Summer is almost here and that means it is time to bring back a summer class that our residents really enjoy. In my retirement community, I have a fitness instructor who creates the fitness elements of our monthly calendar. I am lucky in that respect, as the demands of the residents for fitness programs continues to increase all the time. It is a full time job to come up with programs that keep residents inspired and active.

The class that we revive each summer is water aerobics. The instructor teaches it from the pool deck, but it can also be taught from within the pool. Movements for students in this class are similar to those done on land, but provides a stress free environment, thanks to the water. If you don't have an instructor on staff, and are not budgeted to hire someone, you may consider teaching the class yourself. If you are like me, I love having a reason to get out of the office and interact with the residents.... and to think I would be working out also is an extra plus. Here is a video that I found on the web that explains how to teach water aerobics. I also found a DVD that is specific to senior adults.

Part of the pool class that is taught in my community includes the use of water weights. There are many benefits to strength training in the water. There is a cost involved in purchasing the weights and a consideration on where they will be stored when they are not in use, but it is well worth the investment.

Of course, when you think about the pool you probably think about swimming. Do you think that it is good for seniors, over the age of 60 or not? Well, studies show that it is! This is a hard "class" to lead, so I suggest that you and/or your fitness professional, remind the residents in your community of the benefits. You might add it to your calendar as a specific time to swim laps if your pool is designed to handle multiple swimmers. Our pool is not, and most of our lap swimmers have organized themselves to permit each other space to swim in the early morning hours.

Something new that we are considering is relaxation in the water. I know that it does not sound like anything, but as you would read in the previous link, relaxing is key in healing a person's body as well as their mind. Read all about and let me know if it sounds worthwhile to you or maybe your retirement community is already incorporating this into your existing fitness program.

And lastly, the newest craze, is performing yoga in the pool! Residents have been doing chair aerobics for awhile now, and the class is very well attended. I wonder if they would be willing to put their swim suits on and come to the pool to try yoga in the pool?  I did find an instructional video on water yoga that I found interesting on YouTube. If you want to own your own DVD, here is one that is available on Water Yoga. 

We also have a Tai Chi class that is held inside and done using chairs. Movements are done from a seated position as well as standing. This class can also be taken into the pool. Check this video out as another option for your calendar.

Remember that a good fitness and activities program includes something for everyone! What new summer exercise class will you try this summer?