There’s nothing quite like the feeling of freedom, especially after a lifetime spent taking care of the necessities. In this article, we’ll explore what freedom means to us at Settlers Lifestyle Village and how our community provides the perfect setting for doing what you love.
Less stress, more time
At Settlers Lifestyle Village, we believe freedom comes from having less pressure and more time to pursue your interests. Retirement should be a time for new beginnings, a chance to unwind, spend time with friends, and enjoy hobbies, without the pressures of work, maintaining a home or raising a family. It’s a good time to discover new passions and do things you’ve always wanted to do but didn’t have time for.
Our community is designed to support your interests, whether that’s getting active in our fitness centre, taking up a new hobby, or spending time with fellow residents. With hassle-free living arrangements, residents can bid farewell to time-consuming chores and enjoy their free time.
“There is kinda a weight off your shoulder. Once you settle in you think I should have done this sooner”.
Doing what you love is good for your brain
Having the freedom to pursue what you love goes beyond enjoyment. New research reveals an intriguing link between living a purposeful life and brain health. The study suggests that finding meaning in life can contribute to better cognitive function and potentially reduce the risk of dementia in older adults.
While previous studies focused on lifestyle factors, such as exercise and diet, this research sheds light on the impact of psychological well-being in slowing cognitive decline. By understanding how mental well-being is linked to cognitive function, researchers are uncovering the keys to maintaining a healthy and sharp mind as we age. Source: Psychcentral
A number of important factors can help reduce dementia risk, according to Alzheimer’s NZ. Our village provides the ideal environment for three of them, so we will discuss them here. Source: Alzheimers NZ.
Keep active
Staying active can do wonders for your overall health, from managing blood pressure and weight to lowering the risk of diabetes, cancer, and even dementia. Having more time for physical activity is another benefit of living in a lifestyle village. You’re also more likely to exercise if you live in an environment that makes it easy and enjoyable for you to do so.
Settlers Lifestyle Village provides the ideal setting for staying active. You have a pool, spa, gym, bowling green, and beautiful landscaped gardens to explore. From yoga to line dancing, darts to table tennis, resident-led activities cater to a wide range of fitness levels and interests.
“We are more active here than before we came.”
“Fitter, we are definitely fitter.”
“The old-olds are in their 90’s, and they are just so with it and so fit and healthy.”
Do activities you enjoy
Engaging in brain-stimulating activities like reading, puzzles, or taking up a new hobby helps build new brain cells and strengthens connections to keep Alzheimer’s at bay. “This may counter the harmful effects of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia pathologies” Source: Alzheimer’s New Zealand.
Living in a first-class lifestyle village offers a wide variety of opportunities for staying mentally stimulated. At our village, we like to keep things interesting. Our residents can choose from five to ten activities each day. A lot of activities are resident-led, and if you want to start a new group, it’s easy!
“You’re here just to enjoy yourself. That’s the fun of it! There is so much to do if you want to do it, and if you don’t, just stay home.”
View our weekly activity schedule below!
Stay socially connected
Let’s not forget the power of social connections. Remaining socially engaged not only reduces the risk of dementia and depression but also adds a sense of fulfilment to our lives. Our community facilitates many social events including happy hour, women’s only happy hour, guest entertainers, special dinners, and mystery tours. Our resident well-being group offers support and check-ins to those who prefer quieter social activities.
“We have about 350 friends now that we never had before.”
“We often say ‘What would we be doing if we weren’t here’. I don’t think we would be as happy. We wouldn’t have the friends we have here.”
“I love the walking, I love the singing group, I love the drama, I’m a bit of an avid reader and we’ve got a cracker library here”.
“Every day I have something that works towards my health”.
We believe that these three factors identified by Alzheimer’s NZ can be supported by a quality lifestyle village. Being active, socially connected, and doing what you enjoy requires time, as well as the right environment and support. In order to enable these three factors, the right village is crucial.
Freedom from chores
At Settlers Lifestyle Village, retirement also means being free from the stress of home maintenance and chores. Our staff take care of everything from gardening to repairs and maintenance, so you can spend more time doing what you love. We also provide housekeeping services if you choose to free yourself of that too!
“Before I moved in here I saw decks cracking, fences ready to come down, the roof was starting to show signs of wear and tear, and the garden was starting to overgrow. So to come in here and just be with my wife, instead of having to do chores, I feel a lot better”.
You’ve got no pressure. There’s no maintenance – it’s all done for you. All the gardens are done for you. To me, it’s more like a resort”.
Freedom to do things your way
You’ve got no pressure. There’s no maintenance – it’s all done for you. All the gardens are done for you. To me, it’s more like a resort”.
But freedom isn’t just about leisure and convenience – it’s also about having the autonomy to make your own choices and live life on your terms. At Settlers Lifestyle Village, we believe that residents should have a say in the decisions that affect their community. That’s why we have a resident’s committee that works with our staff to create a sense of collaboration and community. Many of our activities are also resident-led, as is our transportation service.
“If you want to start a group, you start it. You’re not being told ‘No you can’t because we’ve already organised it’. You just say ‘Can I have the room on a certain day’ and away you go.”
“In other villages, everything is structured – but here we have more autonomy.”
“As you get older you have less energy, so you’ve now got more time, and you can use the energy to do the things you want to do rather than the things you had to do”.
In summary, retirement should be a wonderful time of life, full of new opportunities and experiences. Our village is designed to provide an environment for you to enjoy your newfound freedom, while also providing you with the support you need to live your best life. You can spend your newfound free time however you choose in a beautiful setting with a wide range of choices.
