This Summer…Get Outside! It’s Good For Your Health!
Warmer weather is finally here! This is the time of year when many of us intend to spend more time outdoors…and for good reason! Being outdoors reduces stress levels and has an overall beneficial effect on both physical and mental health. And it’s a wonderful way to feel more connected to the natural environment, something that is frequently overlooked in our everyday routines of being indoors.
Each spring as nature is blooming and the weather is warming, many of our residents enjoy our Spring Walking Challenge. Participants track and log their time spent walking over a six-week period with the help of pedometers, Fitbits or by simply dedicating time to walk each day. It’s a great way to celebrate accomplishments and prepare for the Spring and Fall Walking Excursions to varied destinations like the T. Tyler Potterfield Bridge, High Bridge Trail or the Floodwall along the James River.
Our residents know how to cover some distance. And they know how to have some friendly competition! Residents practice their skills on our putting green or challenge their neighbors in croquet. Many enjoy the sights and songs of the birds, plants and flowers by choosing an easy stroll around Cochrane Pond with its paved walkway and quiet benches or the Campus Nature Trail, which offers a more challenging terrain. Recently, both residents and staff participated in the very popular Walking Wednesdays, a time each week to walk on our beautiful campus and get to know one another. Where are the best places to walk near your home?
An enthusiastic group of Westminster Canterbury residents formed a Birding Group, taking outings all throughout the Richmond area to learn about and observe our feathered friends. Our residents enjoy opportunities to garden vegetables and flowers no matter what area of the campus they live in, from independent living to memory and nursing care. And speaking of flowers, you can spend time outside surrounded by beauty even if you are just in the mood to relax! Our numerous beautiful gardens, many of them given by generous donors to Westminster Canterbury Foundation, provide comfortable places to sit and read, meditate, visit with friends or just experience nature. All of these leisure pursuits strengthen the body, inspire the mind and nurture the spirit.
As we look with excitement to our community’s future and expanding our opportunities for outdoor wellness, we remain committed to the health and vitality of every member of our community. Whether you live here on our campus or elsewhere, we encourage you to get outside today! Click here for more information on wellness opportunities.