Healthy Living Archives - Beatitudes Campus

If you’ve been wondering whether a move to a senior living community is the right thing, you’ll be pleasantly reassured to hear that life at Beatitudes Campus comes with fewer risks and many more rewards. We’ve reimagined senior living to enhance everyday life, even in a pandemic.

Healthy All Year Long

As experts in healthcare, senior living communities understand how to safeguard your health and well-being. The staff, including ours, follows strict protocols for safety and cleanliness, and most communities have the capabilities and resources to respond quickly and efficiently to any issues.

At well-planned communities like Beatitudes Campus, older adults are healthier year-round. Opportunities to take fitness classes, swim, dance, walk, garden, paint, learn a language, socialize, volunteer and participate in an array of activities and programs help keep bodies and minds sharp. Regardless of your age, being healthy is the best defense against any illness, especially colds and flus.

“I love the life here,” said Anita Shehi, who moved to Beatitudes Campus in 2019. “For me, there’s a sense of renewed purpose being active in the community, making new friends, volunteering, taking classes and getting back into learning.”

Social Distancing Without Social Isolation

Social distancing to stay safe has affected everyone. Not being able to enjoy the familiar routines of our favorite activities or the simple social interactions that come from dining out or gathering for meals has taken a profound toll on our cognitive abilities and mental and emotional well-being, not the least of which our healthy eating habits and waistlines. It’s been especially difficult for older adults who may be retired and live in one- or two-person households.

Building on years of experience developing social, recreational and educational opportunities, senior living communities are working hard to help residents stay active and connected. At Beatitudes Campus, staff and resident volunteers work together to create enjoyable virtual activities, physically distanced indoor festivities and carefully planned outdoor events that keep people engaged and moving.

As for eating healthy, senior communities make it easy to enjoy a variety of delicious and nutritious meals at on-campus restaurants. Beatitudes Campus, for example, has several restaurants, from a bistro and coffee bar to a steakhouse and grille to a gourmet dining room. Throughout the pandemic, the community’s staff has delivered made-to-order restaurant meals, groceries and essentials to residents’ homes.

“There’s nowhere we’d rather be than right here, especially now. We feel safer and more secure at Beatitudes. The staff handles everything,” said Dan and Marge O’Horo, who moved to Beatitudes Campus in 2016. “They’ve worked really hard to keep life fun and engaging as we stay home to stay safe.”

Access to Healthcare and Help at Home

In addition to enjoyable activities and convenient services, many senior living communities offer access to onsite healthcare, making it easier to treat illnesses and chronic conditions so they don’t escalate to a bigger issue. At Beatitudes Campus, you’ll find onsite health services, from certified 24/7 security response and an outpatient clinic for primary care and podiatry services to rehabilitative therapies and specialized care such as skilled nursing care and memory support.

While we’ve seen on the news how many people across the country have to wait in line for care, at Beatitudes Campus, you can make an appointment for a doctor’s visit, a vaccination or physical therapy session, for example. If you’re not feeling well enough to come in, we’ll send medical staff to your home so you never have to go without care. As we’ve mentioned before, Beatitudes Campus was part of the early vaccine rollout and continues to help get vaccines to those who are most vulnerable to the coronavirus.

Let’s talk about it!

Want to experience Beatitudes Campus for yourself, call us today at 602.883.1358 or send us a note using the form below.

By Rodney D. Bailey, MSW, PhD, Senior Vice President

March is National Nutrition Month and it reminds us that eating nutritious foods offers big benefits. Research shows eating well can boost your energy, improve your mood, keep your bones strong, enhance your sleep, and extend your life. Healthier eating can even reduce your risk for dementia, some cancers, and type 2 diabetes.

Considering all of the physical and mental benefits of eating nutritiously, why not give it a try? Mayo Clinic offers these simple tips for eating better.

Choose a variety of nutrient-dense foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean meats, nuts and seeds, and low-fat dairy products.
Limit the number of calories you get from added sugars and saturated fats, while also cutting back on sodium.

Eating healthy isn’t complicated. There’s no magic diet plan. By applying those simple guidelines at every meal, over time, you’ll significantly increase the nutrients you’re intaking, while dramatically decreasing the amount of sugar, salt, calories, and saturated fat. Smart choices like these will allow for a healthier, stronger mind and body–one day at a time.

So many smart, delicious choices on campus

At Beatitudes Campus, we make it easy to eat for your well-being. We offer heart-healthy, vegetarian, and allergen friendly options at all of our restaurants. We regionally source ingredients whenever possible for the freshest flavors. Most importantly, our chefs tailor your order to your liking.

Tailored menu

Fit menu filled with healthy choices
Diabetic friendly selections
Vegetarian dishes
Gluten-free alternatives
Allergen friendly options (milk, peanuts, wheat, and other allergens)
Dietary preferences (salt, spices, garlic, shellfish, and others)
Sugar-free desserts

Healthier choices

Made-from-scratch soups
Sustainably sourced seafood per Monterey Bay Aquarium standards
Gluten-free bread, pasta, mayonnaise, dressings, and more
No growth hormones in milk and meats
Pasteurized in-the-shell eggs
Cooked with zero trans fat
No salt added

Whether you’re grabbing a quick breakfast, lunch, or sitting down to dinner with friends, you’ll find something delicious and nutritious.

At Town Plaza Bistro, we offer fresh, made-to-order meals, including grilled chicken, fish, fresh fruits, salads, vegetables, and more. On the menu, it’s easy to see which items are vegetarian, gluten-free, and have low sodium and no sugar.

Elaine’s, our fine dining restaurant, offers sophisticated cuisine in an upscale atmosphere. You can choose from a variety of healthy options such as seared scallops and halibut, shrimp, rack of lamb, and zucchini noodles.

Even at Buckwald’s Arizona Grille, our steakhouse-inspired restaurant, you can choose fresh seafood, grilled lean meats, and vegetable-forward dishes. You can also build-your-own salad and top it with one of our house-made dressings.

“We have really talented chefs here at Beatitudes Campus. If you need a dish specially prepared, just let them know. We want to make it easy for you to enjoy great meals that are also healthy for you,” said Joe Kane, Director of Dining Services.

The facts about nutrition and older adults

Whether you’re dining at one of Beatitudes Campus’ restaurants or in your own kitchen, consider choosing your meals and snacks for their nutritional value–at least a majority of them. Poor nutrition particularly affects older adults. As we age, we need adequate amounts of protein to maintain our muscles, calcium to keep our bones strong, and vitamins and minerals to keep our mind and body working properly. The real magic is that you have control over what you eat.

With National Nutrition Month, now is a great time to add nutrient-dense foods into your everyday eating. When possible, make every bite count. It’s quick, easy, and hugely beneficial. If you enjoy statistics, here’s more about the latest research in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.