Timbers’ Academy for Seniors graduation ceremony
The Timbers of Shorewood held a graduation ceremony for ten residents who completed the Timbers’ Academy for Seniors course on brain function on Thursday, April 28, at the Timbers, 1100 N. River Rd, Shorewood. The course covered brain structure and aging, brain function, diseases of the brain, and strategies to help keep the brain active and healthy.
“The video lectures were very good, but the discussions afterwards were best of all. We students were able to relate and share. Also, everyone got a kick out of the graduation ceremony and luncheon. I’m ready for the next session.”
Bill Rebhan, a five-year Timbers’ resident
Launched in 2018, the Timbers’ Academy for Seniors features courses on a wide range of topics. Each weekly class includes a lecture and a group discussion where residents can share their experience and understanding on the topic.
For older adults, staying active is the key to preserving health. Researchers have found that mental exercise is just as vital as physical exercise. It’s called cognitive reserve which is the ability to optimize or maximize performance through recruitment of brain networks.
Many scientific studies show that a healthy mix of both physical and intellectual activity helps seniors maintain overall well-being. Older adults can attain a healthy body and a healthy mind which help delay or modify the onsets of dementia and Alzheimer’s. One method for the mind is continuing education.
“We are very aware that continuing education has significant positive benefits,” said Amy Odell, director of activities at The Timbers. “We offer the Academy for Seniors for learning, keeping the mind sharp, and camaraderie. At the graduation, each resident received a certificate of achievement while the march, ‘Pomp and Circumstance’ played. The graduates looked very proud.”
The current Academy for Seniors course is Major Transitions in Evolution. Future courses include: The world was never the same – events that changed history; WWII the Pacific Theater; Sensation & Perception and the aging process; The Science of Extreme Weather; and Folklore and Fairytales.
The Timbers of Shorewood is a rental retirement community that provides senior independent living and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Residents whose needs may change are able to stay in the same place and receive appropriate and compassionate care. Furnished apartments are also available for short-term stays.
For more information call 815-609-0669.
