Category: News

Arbor View Senior Living’s unique design includes all ground-level residences with private patios, giving residents easy access to the outdoors and space to set up their own small gardens. Many have planters with colorful flowers and even grow small vegetable gardens and other plants right next to their patios. Because gardening is so popular, we provide community gardens as well so that everyone can “get their hands dirty in the soil” as little or as much as they like.

The community gardens and planters are raised to allow for easy access and Arbor View provides a full complement of gardening necessities like spades, watering cans, and hoses. Residents and our team collaborate to maintain the gardens with rotating crops to keep the soil fresh.

Kellie Campbell, a Certified Recreation Specialist with 35 years of experience and an Activities Associate at Arbor View, oversees the community gardens working with residents to decide what flowers and vegetables to grow.

“When I started here four years ago the gardening plots were overgrown but there was a real interest by many residents to start planting vegetables for the community again. We started a gardening club that is open to everyone and are fortunate to receive donations of soil, starter plants, and seed packets. Residents take the lead and I support them as much as possible,” Kellie said.

Right now the entire 13-acre campus is surrounded by planters with a variety of annuals and perennials like roses, columbines, and irises. Soon the large garden plots will yield a variety of vegetables like radishes, lettuce, kohlrabi, and tomatoes. The harvest will be donated to the culinary staff to be incorporated into the dining menu and shared with team members.

Kellie says the biggest benefit the community gardens offer is encouraging residents to get outside and work together, often reminiscing about the gardens they have grown in the past and building connections through a shared interest.

“The residents love seeing seeds sprout and small starter plants grow into beautiful flowers or begin producing tomatoes. Even those who are not particularly interested in gardening still like to see the progress, guess what plant is growing, and be outdoors socializing with each other,” Kellie said.

Gardening offers several health benefits, especially for older adults. The University of Colorado Boulder recently published an article about the benefits of community gardening concluding that “community gardening could play an important role in preventing cancer, chronic diseases, and mental health disorders.” Researchers observed that those who participated in community gardening were more likely to eat the healthy foods they helped grow and it encouraged people to get outdoors and connect with others providing a boost to their mental health.

At Arbor View Senior Living, we are responsive to the interests and activities the residents want, especially when it is something that has so many health benefits, helps strengthen social bonds, and encourages participation in community life like gardening does.

Call 303-268-4747 to schedule a tour and learn how you can plant roots at Arbor View. We’re always looking for more green thumbs to help our senior living community flourish.

Robert Benjamin Jordan is enjoying a carefree retirement cruising around the quiet neighborhood surrounding Arbor View Senior Living on his electric scooter and making new friends playing bingo. An actor, artist, and published author, he especially likes the added convenience of living next to the Arvada Center, where he can attend theater performances and has taken art classes.

Born and raised in Denver, Colorado, Robert attended St. Francis de Sales High School and Mesa Junior College in Grand Junction before being drafted into the United States Army. He served as a medic in Puerto Rico for two years, then began a career in aerospace until retiring in 2010 for the second time. Robert, a widower, has two adult children and three adult stepchildren. His extended family includes 15 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren, most of whom live nearby.

Robert has always been enthusiastic about the performing arts and has acted in everything from musicals to melodramas. He is also a writer with a collection of essays about how his experiences shaped his views on religion, politics, and the world. His first full-length fiction novel, Stumble and Sting, is an old-west adventure about an unlikely partnership between two misfit would-be bounty hunters whose comical ineptness and bad luck keep them from finding much success but ultimately become the best of friends.

“It’s a humorous feel-good story about learning to trust and friendship,” Robert said.

Robert finds inspiration from his own life experiences, and after moving to Arbor View, his head is swirling with story ideas for his next book. Though he hasn’t put pen to paper yet, he’s taking full advantage of Arbor View’s amenities and prime location, which provides opportunities to indulge his love of theater, art, and literature.

To give back to his new friends and neighbors, Robert donated copies of his novel, novellas, collection of essays, and books about sports to Arbor View’s library, and he will be doing a presentation at Arbor View to share his aspiration of writing.

Arbor View is committed to supporting residents’ interests and finding creative ways to reignite their passions and highlight their achievements – making it a great place to retire.

Call 303-268-4747 today to see what the next chapter of your retirement holds at Arbor View. We’re always looking for new residents to be part of our senior living community’s story.

While it may be uncomfortable or you think there’s no hurry, it’s beneficial for seniors and their families to start exploring various senior living options before it becomes a need, such as in a moment of crisis, injury, or illness.

As difficult as it may feel, planning or at least exploring senior housing while loved ones are healthy and independent can help reduce stress if a move becomes necessary to ensure someone’s quality of life in later years.

1. It can be dangerous to live alone

As seniors age, they experience an increased risk of accidents from even the most mundane household tasks—from doing yardwork to sweeping floors to folding laundry. As immune systems weaken, less hygienic conditions become even more dangerous, and walking down a slippery driveway to retrieve the mail can lead to a fall that limits mobility. By understanding your loved one’s senior living preferences and concerns now, you can be more confident they’ll stay safe in the years to come.

2. Living in a community makes it easier to stay social

Senior living communities make it easier for older adults to socialize in groups, engage with others, express themselves and discover new interests. Feeling isolated can have a negative impact on seniors’ physical and emotional health, and research shows that loneliness and depression can shorten one’s lifespan. Ensuring proximity to social events, activities, classes, and friends can help your loved one ward off isolation, particularly common after late-in-life events like retirement or the loss of a spouse.

3. A hurried decision can lead to financial mistakes

It’s important for seniors to reserve enough time to choose the right senior living community for them, considering their finances, available housing types, and possible locations. With many kinds of senior housing serving many different needs—including independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing facilities—it’s a good idea to start researching now. Looking at the big picture early on will give you and your loved one some idea of what is affordable down the road, without running into financial trouble.

4. It can be difficult to sell your home

Any last-ditch decision about senior living can be a potential drain on you and your loved one’s time, resources, and finances. While downsizing in real estate is typically good for the pocketbook, it’s important for your loved one to sell in a market that will maximize their original investment. Seniors who try to navigate the process alone may fall for an unscrupulous or predatory broker.

To experience our newly renovated independent and assisted living community up close, visit arborviewsl.com or call our team at 303-268-4747 and schedule your personal tour today.

Transitioning to a senior living community can evoke many emotions. While you’re probably excited to start a new chapter of life, you may also feel nervous at the thought of leaving a longtime home, downsizing your personal belongings, or adjusting to a new routine. It’s perfectly normal to feel that way. There are several steps that you and your loved ones can take to ease the transition and help you adjust to your new home.

1. Get to know your new community

The thought of changing your daily routine may seem stressful. To reduce any feelings of worry, learn what the day-to-day schedule will look like in your new community. Knowing this will give you a better understanding of what to expect before settling into your new home.

2. Ask questions

The best way to get answers to all the questions you have is by talking to members of the community’s team and current residents. Spend time with team members before moving in, take a tour, and speak to a marketing or leasing person about the details. These individuals will help you begin your exploration process and give you a sense of the community’s culture.

3. Get involved

Frequent social activities are one of the best amenities senior living communities have to offer, so be sure to take advantage of your community’s social calendar as you move in. Many communities have welcoming committees and special events specifically designed for new residents. You should also look at the community calendar each day and pick activities or events you’d like to attend.

4. Make yourself at home

Personalizing your residence is an easy way to begin making your new community feel like home. Adorn your walls with pictures of loved ones and display favorite art pieces and other keepsakes. Pillows, throw blankets and rugs will make your space feel more comfortable as well. Ask family members to help you shop for some of these items and then spend an afternoon having fun together decorating and organizing your belongings.

5. Stay in touch

In addition to hosting events and activities for residents, senior living communities often invite your entire family and outside guests who may be considering a move to the community. Including your loved ones in this way helps you stay in touch with them on a regular basis. Maintaining a bond with the people who provide you with a sense of familiarity will help you continue feeling like part of the family, even after you’ve moved into a new community.

To experience our retirement community up close, visit arborviewsl.com or call our team at 303-268-4747 and schedule your personal tour today.

Arts and crafts aren’t just for kids anymore. National Craft Month encourages everyone to focus on their creative side and make something purely for enjoyment. People of all ages, especially older adults, can physically and mentally benefit from participating in craft-related activities. In fact, many retirement communities provide a vibrant activities calendar with plenty of creative outlets that are not only fun but offer some surprising health benefits.

Drawing, sewing, and model building are all crafty activities that improve hand-eye coordination and strengthen fine motor movements like dexterity. Research shows that crafting and making art stimulates the production of dopamine, the neurotransmitter that creates feelings of pleasure and enjoyment and can lessen pain levels. Creating art has also been clinically shown to reduce stress-related hormones in the body, prompting a physical response like muscle relaxation and lower blood pressure.

The biggest boost to seniors’ health from arts and crafts is mental. Regardless of the medium, painting with watercolors or designing a homemade birthday card, research shows arts and crafts improve mood and increase self-confidence. Artmaking may boost older adults’ self-esteem and overall well-being by challenging them to learn new skills, create something unique, and take pride in a finished project. Crafting is also beneficial for those living with depression or insomnia and can help improve mental acuity, thereby reducing the risk of developing dementia.

Residents of Arbor View Senior Living really enjoy our “Art Galore” classes. These weekly sessions allow residents to work with new and interesting mediums like clay, paper mâché, or collage and participate in community bonding activities like making decorations for an upcoming event or holiday celebration.

Providing the materials, opportunity, and inviting space for residents to gather for creative endeavors is one of the many benefits of living in a 55+ retirement community like Arbor View. Our full-time Life Enrichment Director loves coming up with new art-related programs and creative outlets that foster socialization and camaraderie and encourage our senior residents to explore their creativity and let their imaginations flow.  Plus, the maintenance-free lifestyle affords them more time to indulge in new hobbies and interests and boost their overall health.

Ready to start “crafting” your perfect retirement? Call 303-268-4747 and schedule your personal tour today. We’re always looking for more makers and DIY enthusiasts to join our independent and assisted living community.