Staying Active in Your Golden Years

Being active is crucial when you are young and still growing. But sustaining a lifelong dedication to an active lifestyle should be your goal well into your 70s and beyond. Rob Breidenbach, regional wellness director of Oak Park Place, offers tips for seniors who want to remain on the go.

Stay Connected
“For seniors in an independent-living community like Oak Park Place, maintaining an active lifestyle keeps people connected — connected to others in the community and connected to years gone by,” Breidenbach says. The many exercise classes provide residents the opportunity to remain social. In fact, many residents become fast friends through the classes, he says. Yet exercise can also slow the symptoms of aging and help one manage chronic health conditions. “Sarcopenia, age-related muscle loss, is a common problem. The average senior loses around 3-4% of their muscle strength every year, but this can be delayed and even reversed with healthy eating and routine exercise.” Remember, being active can be fun. From book and walking clubs to cooking demonstrations, educational seminars and card groups, there is something for everyone at Oak Park Place!

Small Steps for Big Change
Staying active is important, but so is staying safe. “We specifically work on progressive balance exercises for fall prevention,” says Breidenbach. “Exercise at Oak Park Place can come in many forms, such as light strength training, yoga, tai chi, gardening, morning stretches and, when it’s nice out, walks.” Even minor activities done habitually can help one sustain healthy bones, muscles and joints. No matter the difficulty level, exercise fosters improvements in mood and feelings of well-being.

Restoration is Key
To get residents back on their feet quickly, Oak Park Place works closely with physicians to create customized rehabilitation plans. All therapies and trainings are considered, from neurorehabilitation (in response to strokes, head injuries or spinal cord injuries), orthopedic rehabilitation (like total knee or hip replacements, or healing following fractures) and cardiovascular rehabilitation to speech therapy and occupational therapy. “Our therapists, nurses and caregivers will be there with the best strategies to get you back to being you.”

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Middleton is set to welcome a new good neighbor this fall. Residents will begin moving into Cardinal View Senior Living in September. The luxury apartment homes include independent- and assisted-living services, as well as memory care suites. Residents can live as independently as they choose and add on additional services as needed with the option to stay in the same apartment home, explains Julie Holden, senior executive director at Cardinal View.

Active seniors will enjoy the many high-end amenities Cardinal View has to offer, including an elegant restaurant-style dining space, fitness center, community life spaces for daily events, a theater and salon services. The on-site restaurant offers indoor and outdoor dining options, as well as a cozy bistro pub. Throughout the year, residents can take advantage of the rooftop patio, which features gas grills and fire tables for cooler evenings. Holden envisions the outdoor lounge as a nice space to relax with a diverse community of neighbors and friends, as well as a place to invite the community for educational programming, entertainment and social events.

Opening September 2021
Cardinal View Senior Living
Middleton, Wisconsin
83 independent/assisted-living apartment homes
21 memory care suites
Spaces are filling up fast — take a tour today!

Conveniently located on Middleton’s north side and featuring spectacular views, Cardinal View is within a few miles of dining, shopping, green spaces and necessities like grocery stores, banks and health care facilities. Plus, the Cardinal View bus gives residents the freedom to explore all that Dane County has to offer active seniors.

The construction of Cardinal View coincided with the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, which motivated some additional design considerations to create an even safer space. In addition to outdoor dining options, private apartment patios and floor-to-ceiling windows, the building also features air-purifying technology that continually cleans the building’s indoor air by eliminating airborne particulates, odors and pathogens to provide a healthier home for residents.

Holden is excited to meet future residents and show them around this comfortable and safe environment. “Our staff are passionate about what they do and work hard to make this feel like home, because the journey matters.” •