The feeling of safety at Beatitudes Campus is almost palpable. If you glance around Beatitudes Campus, you’ll notice residents going about their day — from gardening or walking their dogs to chatting on a bench with friends or counting steps with their pedometers. When the temperature turns cooler in the evening, you’ll find an especially bustling atmosphere.
While so many of us might take this for granted, Robert Andrews doesn’t. Before moving to Beatitudes Campus, Robert always enjoyed the exercise and fresh air that came with walking his dog. He did so daily without giving it a thought until one day when it all changed.
“An event near our previous neighborhood made us feel unsafe, so I started carrying a baseball bat while walking our dog,” he said. “It was a terrible feeling.”
Safety at Beatitudes Campus And in the Surrounding Community
When Robert and his wife, Cynthia, began to explore the idea of moving to a senior living community, the couple prioritized a safe, secure neighborhood that would provide the freedom to enjoy life without worry. They found it at Beatitudes Campus and the surrounding 19NORTH neighborhood.
Ensuring the North Phoenix neighborhood is a safe, welcoming, walkable community for all is the goal of the 19NORTH Community Alliance, a grassroots effort that brings together community leaders, city officials, businesses, schools, faith-based groups and other non-profit organizations. The alliance focuses on the 19NORTH neighborhood between Montebello and Dunlap Avenues, from 15th Avenue to 23rd Avenue.
Beatitudes Campus’ location on Glendale Avenue is in the middle of the 19NORTH neighborhood, offering residents and staff the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of living and working in an active, involved, multi-generational community.
For greater peace of mind, Beatitudes Campus takes the commitment to a safe, walkable community even further. Here, you’ll find 27 acres of interconnected walking paths and roads, green space, gardening areas and dog parks all within our gated neighborhood that’s manned with 24-hour security. You can freely enjoy exercise, fresh air, and visiting with neighbors and staff knowing help is nearby if it’s ever needed.
For Robert and Cynthia, like so many others, it makes all the difference. Today, you’ll find Robert walking around Beatitudes Campus for exercise, greeting neighbors and staff along the way.
“Beatitudes Campus is an oasis in the city. Because it’s safe, we feel comfortable doing what we love,” said Robert. “I love to walk. Now, I can do it as much as I like without having to carry a baseball bat.”
To meet more residents like Robert and Cynthia, visit our video gallery. They offer a delightful and candid insider’s view of campus life.
To take a tour of Beatitudes Campus, call (602) 833-1358 or contact us through our online form below.
The nation’s largest older adult health and wellness event, now in its 28th year, is May 26. National Senior Health & Fitness Day® will see 100,000 seniors in 1,000-plus locations participating in local health and wellness events.
We embrace and affirm this special day, pointing to our long-standing dedication to creating the community setting in which seniors can readily engage in healthy, fit lifestyles. We’re coming out of a year in which a pandemic has limited access and activity for everyone. Therefore, this is an especially good time to ramp up your personal wellness practices.
Start Simple.
Consider basics, such as:
- Healthy eating. Meaning, you should try to avoid the bad fats, control portions, get at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily, include nuts, trim the salt—and do what your doctor tells you.
- Dinner guests. Friendship is good for you, and during shared meals, you’re likely to eat less.
- Body & brain exercise. Strength-building and cardio training take care of what’s below your chin but also remember to go upstairs to keep your brain growing. Reading, writing, word and memory games—it’s all good for the gray matter.
- Falling is a health risk and adding balance exercises to your fitness routine can help you avoid accidents.
- Breaking routines. While the familiar brings comfort, trying something new or doing something differently can stimulate you mentally and physically.
The All-In-One Wellness Move.
Families often remark on the myriad improvements they observe in their loved ones after a move to a senior living community. It could be the food, the socially engaging environment, the programs and activities, or even the freedom from homeownership responsibilities. Or simply the entire lifestyle’s effect on the resident.
Serving One Purpose Above All.
Senior living communities offer a setting for healthy living.
John Shilling, Director of Life Enrichment at Beatitudes Campus, oversees resident-serving departments at the community. His Life Enrichment team coordinates campus-wide services, including fitness, transportation and programs.
By creating meaningful opportunities for engagement, Life Enrichment fulfills the community’s purpose—to enrich residents’ lives. In doing so, the team must also rely on residents to share their ideas for what they want.
“We create an environment where there are no walls—where every Beatitudes resident feels welcome in every program,” John says.
“Anyone Can Make Their Ideas Come To Life.”
Senior living communities typically offer a variety of programs for life enrichment. However, Beatitudes Campus is among the few that provide such depth and breadth of programming—with many originating from residents’ expressed interests.
- Art gallery exhibits
- Art studio
- Ceramics and painting classes
- Gardening areas and walking paths
- Three dog parks
- Musical and dance performances
- Woodworking shop
- Committees, clubs and special interest groups
- Educational programs
- Lectures and presentations
- Spiritual programs
- Volunteer opportunities
- Bocce ball court
- Fitness Center with state-of-the-art equipment
- Fitness classes
- Heated swimming pool
- Motion studio for exercise and fitness classes
- Putting green
In addition, Beatitudes Campus residents can also continue to learn. The Beatitudes Center for Lifelong Learning offers spring, summer and fall semesters, with as many as two dozen courses each semester. Plus, new courses are continuously in development—as resources become available or when residents express their interest.
Wellness Is A Point Of View.
In short, integrating wellness practices—the life enrichment that comes from fitness, socializing and learning—makes for a way of life not possible outside the community setting. That’s why life in a senior living community is good for your well-being. And it’s why so many new residents say, “I wish I’d moved here sooner.”
So, on National Senior Health & Fitness Day, take up the challenge of enriching your life. Ramp up your personal wellness practices. Call (602) 833-1358 to schedule a tour at Beatitudes Campus or submit a form online.
Discover how a healthy, fit lifestyle can be an ideal choice for you and your family.
Staying Active Offers Big Benefits for Older Adults
In honor of National Senior Health and Fitness Day on May 27, we invite you to mix more motion into your routine. Whether you’re learning to exercise for the first time or are a fitness enthusiast, now is a great time to take the next step toward better health.
Physical exercise offers significant benefits for all older adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other well-respected researchers. Being active helps maintain your ability to live independently and reduces your risk of developing diabetes and some cancers. It can help control arthritis pain, reduce your blood pressure, and improve your stamina and strength as well as your mood and emotional well-being.
Given those benefits and so many more, it’s essential that we stay physically active as we age. It’s also why Beatitudes Campus proudly fosters an engaging, active lifestyle. And, because everyone enjoys different types of activity, we offer a wide variety of fitness and wellness opportunities. From line dancing and tai chi to walking and water aerobics, from putting on the golf green to Wii bowling and more, there’s something for all ages and all fitness levels.
CDC Fitness Fast Facts
- Improve your energy and stamina by doing activities and exercises that get your heart beating faster several times a week.
- Get stronger by making your muscles work harder at least twice a week.
- Virtually all types of motion counts as exercise, including walking the dog, doing laundry, taking the stairs and playing catch with grandchildren.
- Among adults aged 65 years and older, walking and gardening or yard work are, by far, the most popular physical activities.
Try a Class
If you’ve ever played sports or enjoyed playing outside with your kids or grandkids, you know that exercising with others can be a lot of fun. It brings laughter and camaraderie and provides motivation and social support.
The best fitness classes bring together all of those elements plus an experienced instructor who takes the guesswork out of what to do, how to do it and when. If you’re looking for motivation and expert guidance while staying at home or want to try a class before taking it in person, check out the free exercise videos on the Beatitudes Campus Fitness YouTube channel.
Free Exercise Videos on the Beatitudes Campus Fitness YouTube Channel
Beatitudes Campus’ fitness trainers Mike Smallwood and Camille Beaubien lead you through a variety of exercises that promote strength, balance, mobility and flexibility. You’ll also find instructor-approved tai chi and yoga videos posted by residents. You can follow along in the comfort and privacy of your own home.
For most exercises, all you need is a chair and hand weights. If you don’t have hand weights, you can use something around your home that has some weight and is easy to grip. For example, try a filled water bottle, canned goods, a book, or bag of rice or beans.
Beatitudes Campus is all-in with fitness and wants to help you stay active and motivated. Be sure to join our fitness trainers Mike and Camille as they guide you through various wellness activity YouTube videos from home!
If you’re looking for additional research and education on the benefits of physical activity, check out this science-based guide from the CDC for the benefits, how to track your progress, and more.
Growing Stronger — Strength Training for Older Adults
To learn more about all of Beatitudes Campus’s fitness and wellness opportunities call us today at 602.883.1358 or contact us online at BeatitudesCampus.org.