Health & Wellness Article - January 2012Experience wellness in Touchmark’s Full Life™ program
“In the present, there is no pending moment, no past moment, only this one.”
In our culture, January is a time for new beginnings. The holiday season is over, and reflections on the year(s) gone by have renewed relationships, awakened memories, and reconnected many with a giving spirit. In the present, there is no pending moment, no past moment, only this one. The question of the moment is, “What can I do today to experience wellness?” The answer is to make individual choices and commit to practicing the six components of whole-person wellness.
Physical activity: Guidelines vary depending on your current level of fitness and what makes sense for your functional fitness goals. Exercise that improves mobility, flexibility, strength, and balance will enhance independence and good health at any age. Improved sleep, mood, and self-esteem are additional benefits.
Social engagement: Being with people and doing things for and with others are critical to wellness. Decreasing depression and enhancing well-being are the natural outcomes of positive social activity.
Vocational: Retirement can provide more opportunities to engage in a “job of choice.” Volunteerism and civic engagement rank highest on the list of meaningful time spent using the talents and life experience gathered over the years.
Intellectual: Lifelong learning is the key contributor to maintaining brain health over the lifespan. New learning—especially of novel and complex information—is the most valuable
Emotional: Emotional well-being is the ability to understand the value of one’s emotions and use them to move your life forward in positive directions. The ability to adjust to both positive and negative changes is the key to emotional well-being.
Spiritual: This practice is merely one’s own journey to discover things of importance in life as well as one’s place among them. It can be practiced in numerous ways, with the primary goal being to find purpose and meaning in life.
Touchmark’s Full Life™ program provides programs, events, and classes in all areas of whole-person wellness. The program focuses on residents’ preferences, strengths, and skills—and there is always room for new ideas, volunteer leaders, and active participants. To find out more, contact a member of the Full Life team.
© 2012 Touchmark