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Everyday we make choices that affect our health and wellbeing – whether it be choosing to eat a healthy meal over an unhealthy one, getting in your daily movement through exercise, or deciding to sleep early.
Although, what many people don’t realize is that where you choose to live can significantly affect your overall health as well. Where you live is one of the fundamental aspects of your day-to-day life, so it only makes sense that truly loving where you live makes everything else in life easier and more enjoyable.
The truth is, we are products of our environment but we can just as easily design our surroundings to be intentional with our choices. Our environment plays a key role in our behaviors and wellbeing so when we understand the power in shaping our surroundings, we can positively transform our lives.
That’s why for those exploring active adult living communities where you can comfortably age in place while still having access to all the things you love, choosing a home that’s best fit for your needs and desires is an extremely important decision.
From boosting your happiness to practicing everyday healthy habits, your environment plays a much bigger part in life than what you may think. Here at Arden, we’d like to guide you along your journey to healthy longevity and share why we believe where you live is a life hack and happiness hack!
Shaping Your Environment with Biophilic Design
Used for decades in the architecture and design industries, biophilic design is the practice of connecting people and nature within our built environments and communities.
The concept comes from the term biophilia, which refers to the human tendency to interact with other forms of life – whether it be people or nature. In relation to environment design, it ultimately means creating a sense of harmony between your personal space and the world outside.
When biophilic design principles like an abundance of natural light or openness of space are applied, we feel less stressed, more inspired, and inclined to pause and reflect away from our busy lives.
So if you’re evaluating your current environment and considering small changes you can start making today, refer to a few of these biophilic design principles that have been proven to promote human health and wellbeing:
- Decorate your space with living plants and greenery
- Open windows for frequent fresh air and ventilation
- Enhance your surroundings with nature-inspired blue, green, and neutral colors
- Embrace natural light and work with the hours of the daylight
- Incorporate natural elements and textures like organic shapes or wood, leather, or stone materials
Living in an Active Adult Community
When you choose to live in an active adult living community, you get to move into stylish and high-quality apartments with a wide array of amenities and opportunities to engage with other vibrant and like-minded residents.
At Arden communities for instance, our 55+ residents have the freedom to choose their own adventure everyday because we provide a stress-free lifestyle through universal design concepts that ensure full accessibility and maintenance-free living.
Residents get to experience a holistic approach to healthy living through thoughtfully designed community amenities, like fitness centers and outdoor space, and special events that encourage meaningful social connections.
Beyond their homes, residents are also empowered to connect and engage with the broader community and neighborhood because of the ideal location and walkability of these active adult living communities. With grocery stores, dining, and services right outside your doorstep, you can take comfort in knowing that you’re never far from what you need.
Maintenance-Free Lifestyle
Many homes in the United States don’t take into account the needs and best design principles for all residents, whereas active adult living communities provide a variety of floor plans and amenities that are designed to serve as a streamlined and maintenance-free environment.
By incorporating inclusive designs and advocating for person-centric buildings, maintenance-free homes are a no-stress zone with modern appliances and convenient features. At Arden Living, for example, no-trip flooring, ADA compliant door frames, and convenient trash disposal are just a few intentional design choices that enable a comfortable living environment for all residents.
Not only does ease of access within your home simplify daily tasks by reducing barriers to use, it creates more opportunities to pursue fun and explore what new adventures are out there for you.
Moreover, the value of investing in living where you love can extend further than the inclusive designs inside your home. Whether it’s being able to call for a friendly maintenance team to promptly repair something or no longer needing to worry about mowing your lawn, reliable services like these are offered at active adult living communities so that you can enjoy a hassle-free life.
Since less of your time will be dedicated to the upkeep of both the inside and outside of your home, you’ll have more chances to enjoy the activities you love, spend quality time with family and friends, and live life to the fullest.
A Thriving, Connected Community
There’s no perfect recipe for health and happiness, but one crucial element that a research study done on 222 people with high happiness levels suggests is this: you must have strong social connections in your life.
Additional studies have also shown that if you want to feel happier and more fulfilled, you should focus on enriching and strengthening the relationships in your life.
Your health and happiness is intertwined with the environment you’re in, and this is why creating meaningful relationships with others is significant to your overall well being. Our team at Arden realizes this and have intentionally designed a vibrant environment where similar-aged residents have endless opportunities for fostering connections.
One of the best parts of living in an active adult living community is the benefit of all the interesting new people you’ll get to connect with because socializing is made easier when your home provides access to versatile amenities and resident events designed just for that.
Many active adult living communities offer wellness and group activities, like fitness programs, movie nights, or cooking classes. A recent study has even also found that people who exercised in a group helped decrease stress levels and had a better improvement in overall physical, mental, and emotional health.
Furthermore, the social component of living in a community of like-minded individuals can motivate you to try new things and maintain healthy behaviors.
Here at Arden, we believe that integrating active living principles of daily movement and vibrant social connections allows life to flourish as you age – that’s why our residents can utilize over 8000 square feet of amenity spaces to engage with each other and build a healthy community together.
If you need an exercise buddy or want someone to share a good conversation with, you can count on the close-knit relationships formed with others in your community just by living next to each other and meeting in shared amenity spaces.
You’ll easily be set up for exciting experiences, more opportunities to foster meaningful connections, and lasting memories. After all, it’s nothing but human nature to connect, feel joy, and love around others.
Ideal Location and Opportunities
Where you choose to live extends beyond just your home– it’s also coupled with the broader community and neighborhood that surrounds it.
In a truly ideal community and walkable location, you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy plenty of parks and green space in nature – whether that’s right outside your doorstep or in the surrounding neighborhood.
Besides being an ideal place for you to walk and get some fresh air, having abundant green space to spend time outdoors has been proven to allow you to relax, experience calmness, and reset with a better mind.
Living close to these neighborhood hotspots are not only convenient but also empower you to focus your day around the activities you want to do or the people you want to see, instead of how far away somewhere is.
Adventure is always calling when you have the choice to leave the stress behind and spend time exploring your neighborhood’s art and culture!
Love Where You Live, With Arden Living
Creating opportunities for the most vibrant lifestyle is what we do here at Arden, and we are always seeking ways to grow and challenge the status quo of 55+ active adult community living.
With access to ample shared amenities and a community that inspires you to stay young, Arden is where living starts.
Discover our thoughtfully-curated apartment homes designed for enhanced comfort and accessibility, and find the perfect location and Arden community for you.