Quad Cities, IL/IA

Working with the community... for a healthier community.

Laughter Is Truly the Best Medicine!

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By Marcie Droll-Durian

I am amazed at the vibrant seniors I encounter in my days! They hold their head up high, experience so many fun things, are often more active than many adults in their younger years, and just simply enjoy each moment to the fullest!

Leaving my gym in the morning, I see countless seniors on the exercise equipment, lifting weights, carrying yoga mats, and heading into classes. My favorite part is to see them gathered in the lounge area smiling and laughing before and after working out. They remind me of a group of giggling teenagers that you see in the hall of a high school!

As I spend my days in senior living communities, I see the ladies with their nicest outfits, jewelry on, hair done, and always smiling and laughing! I think the socialization is what makes them thrive, and the communities they choose to retire to in later years offers so many things to do to keep them active and fulfilled! I love to see the men playing pool, or cards, or just having a gathering in the activity area to visit or watch a game, and hearing them boast with laughter as they tell one another their tales!

There are so many senior centers in many communities that offer not only meals, but social opportunities for those that may still live at home and would like to enjoy the company of others. The fact is, if folks don’t utilize them, they often can’t survive, especially in small communities. These places are invaluable to seniors, and they also offer an opportunity to have someone looking out for you if you live alone and family is farther away. Everyone keeps track of everyone else like an extended family.

What simply amazes me the most is when I get to visit with so many of these seniors and often they share their stories with me, so many are many years older than what they look, and oftentimes they share surgeries that they have endured and current health issues that I would never have guessed by looking at them. I ask them how they continue to look and feel so young and vibrant. I get the same answer every time! They get up, get dressed, stay active, and laugh! It just goes to show that laughter is the best medicine!

LivWell Seniors serves as a local agency providing community-bases resources that are 100-percent free to seniors and their families. They are funded by the senior care providers that utilize their service and network of connections. For further information, contact us at 563-265-1577, or visit our website at www.livwellseniors.com.