Keep Your Heart Healthy
Our hearts are what keep us strong and healthy. Good heart health is important at every age, but especially for seniors looking to live a long and bountiful life. In recognition of World Heart Day on September 29th, here are some helpful tips to keep your heart healthy and strong.
• Stay active
Physical activity is excellent for getting the heart pumping and is a proven way to help prevent heart disease. Our Optima Living residences have some wonderful ways they like to stay active. Take a walk at Country Cottage, dance at Cottonwood Village, bike at Wisteria Place, swim at Aster Gardens, or learn some chair yoga at Wild Rose.
• Manage stress
No one likes feeling stressed, and it can even be a huge contributor to many health issues, including heart disease. Meditation, Tai Chi, coffee with a great group of friends, and other activities are great ways to reduce stress. At Optima Living, our all-inclusive, carefree lifestyle allows you to enjoy your days worry-free.
• Eat healthy foods
Foods low in saturated fat, added sugars, and sodium are great for keeping the heart healthy. Salmon, spinach, garlic, olive oil, and dark chocolate are all foods that promote optimal heart health. Our chefs at Optima Living communities love to include these healthy foods into the delicious meals they craft each day. Just last month, Wild Rose residents enjoyed a salmon main course and a spinach side salad with an herby olive oil dressing.
• Stay hydrated
When it comes to keeping your heart healthy, staying hydrated is key, especially on these warm summer days. Being hydrated helps your body maintain a healthy blood pressure while avoiding the symptoms of a rapid heartbeat and rapid breathing that can come with dehydration.
• Find heart-healthy community
A great way to improve your heart health is to find others around you who are also striving for a healthier heart. Finding a community where you can enjoy time together and strive toward your health goals can help keep you accountable to your goals, all while in the company of friends!
Join us for National Food Bank Day
Bring your non-perishable food items to your local Optima Living residence on September 2nd! All items will be delivered to local food banks. We had a lot of fun and received a lot of donations last year, but we expect this year to be even better!
Wild Rose will have a luau theme with Hawaiian dancers, and Country Cottage will be giving out treats and refreshments, so come and join the fun!
Aster Gardens
Aster Gardens has been full of activity. From crafting macrame leaves to soapstone carving, and summer nights in the garden, residents have been busy enjoying the summer months in Alberta.
Country Cottage
Summertime is in full swing at Country Cottage. Our residents have been enjoying our outdoor patio, the fresh air and seeing the beautiful flowers all around our property. Our community has even been nominated for the "Best Outdoor Spaces" award by Strathcona in Bloom!
Golden Sands
You can count on Golden Sands for delicious meals every day of the week. We had Greek chicken with seasonal vegetables and meatloaf with corn, potatoes, and brussel sprouts on the menu!
Wisteria Place
Residents have enjoyed going to the farmer's market throughout the summer. Come visit Wisteria Place at the Steveston Farmer's Market on September 18th. We look forward to seeing you there!
The Edward
Retirement living in style! The Edward served a delicious high tea to residents.
Wild Rose
The second week of August saw residents and staff at Wild Rose do some emergency preparedness skills and training, including water fights and a fun day of Wizard of Oz themed activities. Residents were whisked away to the Land of Oz but in the end, we all discovered that there’s no place like Wild Rose.
Royal Crescent Gardens
Residents at Royal Crescent Gardens went on a walk to Dairy Queen and ordered ice cream, milkshakes, and sundaes. Residents also had a great time painting together. Below is a picture of one of the sessions where each resident painted a meadow step by step. We have some truly talented artists in our midst!
Wellness Moment of the Month
Quote of the Day
“Living life is like looking for your phone. Most of the time it's in your hand.” ― Anonymous
Mark Your Calendars
On October 1st, all Optima Living communities will be having an open house. We look forward to seeing you!
Optima Living supports seniors to embrace an active and healthy lifestyle. To that end, we are launching Optima Living TV: regular monthly episodes of easily digestible content full of useful and interesting information for seniors and the people who love them. Look out for the first episode, launching on our YouTube channel, October 7th at 2:30 PM MTN.
