How resident Sylvia created an active and engaged life at Prairie City Landing
I find there are two types of people in this world: those who create and chase opportunities and those who respond to them. I’m always encouraged by those who are proactive, creating a future that shines for them. Recently, I shared a beautiful conversation with Sylvia Cheng, a resident at Prairie City Landing, who showed me what curating a life by proactively planning for joy and longevity looks like.
Sylvia does not wait for opportunity—she seeks it out like iron filings clinging to a magnet. Seven years ago she recognized she was spending a lot of time just maintaining her house. With some bigger house projects looming that would incur additional costs, she decided it was time to make a change. She didn’t want to spend her days cleaning and doing house and yard upkeep, nor did she want to spend her financial resources so heavily on a roof over her head.
Sylvia visited several senior living communities. Prairie City Landing stuck out to her because people were so positive and active. “Residents weren’t just sitting around. They had a lot of activities and a beautiful outdoor area for walking,” she remembered. So she sold her house and moved in. Conveniently, living at Prairie City Landing means Sylvia is centrally located among her children.
Physical health opportunities
After moving in, Sylvia dove into the opportunities the move offered her. Freed from housework and not isolated in her own home, she had the time and ability to engage with others in the active pursuits she has always enjoyed, including fitness classes. At the time, Cynthia Bazin, currently the Marketing Director, was a fitness instructor. She still remembers Sylvia’s first fitness class. “After the class, she came up to me and asked if I could step it up—like three notches!” Cynthia laughs.
Today, Sylvia’s daily routine includes up to three fitness classes—all before lunch! She also relishes the opportunity to walk outside. On community outings to local parks, Sylvia is often the first one off the bus and out of sight! Sylvia draws inspiration from her neighbor, who is 102 years old. “I see her lifting weights in the strength and balance classes and it’s so amazing!” Sylvia says.
Mental health benefits
After lunch, Sylvia takes advantage of the opportunities to socialize and keep her brain sharp by playing games. Before moving to Prairie City Landing, Sylvia would occasionally play some pinochle or poker when family visited, but games were not a big part of her life. Now, she plays at least six days a week!
What keeps Sylvia showing up for games most evenings? “It’s the social (aspect),” she tells me, “You get together to play, but you also talk and have fun. It’s just getting together with different people around a shared activity.” Sylvia has built a community at Prairie City Landing around physical activity and games.
Playing games is an easy way to meet new people by sharing a common purpose. Conversation flows more easily, nourishing relationships. And those relationships are essential to one’s overall health and well-being. In 2019 the US Surgeon General warned that loneliness was a public health threat akin to smoking and obesity. By gathering to play games multiple times a week, Sylvia has actively chosen to gain the benefits of socialization.
One of Sylvia’s favorites is cribbage. Rather than playing one-on-one, groups at Prairie City Landing play as a team, two-against-two. This type of friendly competition has multiple benefits. First, players get to socialize with more people, creating more vital connections within their community. Second, strategizing with partners forces players to communicate verbally, improving cognitive health.
Cognitive health benefits
“I want people to learn because I’m interested in having people stay the sharpest they can. I have family with Alzheimer’s and a lot of times, playing can help combat cognitive decline,” Sylvia says. Every game is different, which presents a unique challenge that keeps players on their toes. Additionally, playing with different partners adds another variable that Sylvia must account for. “How do I need to communicate with this person, who is different than my previous partner?”
Sylvia recognizes what many studies have shown—that learning something new, like a new card game, creates brain plasticity. As we age, our brains change and our cognitive processes diminish. Yet the adage about old dogs is not true. One can combat that decline by continuing to challenge the brain. While memory is important—and playing cards definitely requires players to have a good working memory—learning something new greatly boosts brain health, creating new neural pathways that keep the brain growing.
Once you know a game, you are still challenged by playing it. Did you know that shuffled cards have almost infinite possibilities, so each time you pick up a deck and shuffle it, most likely, the cards have never been in that order before? This requires constant attention to recognize patterns and apply logic to be a strategic player.
Learning new things can be difficult and exciting. Sylvia knows firsthand, as she has learned a lot of new games since moving to Prairie City Landing. When new residents move in, Sylvia always invites them to join. “And if they are curious, I tell them the day and time. And if they don’t seem comfortable, I invite them just to watch first. And (if they want to play), then we are so excited to teach people the games.”
Curating joy
By intentionally choosing to move to Prairie City Landing, Sylvia has curated a life that balances physical activity with socialization and cognitive exercises—and a lot of fun! By living in a community, Sylvia is able to stay active, meet new people, and learn new things.
“You learn new stuff every time you talk to someone,” Sylvia says, always curious. “It’s just so interesting. I love to play.”
I learned a lot from talking with Sylvia! She inspired me to be more proactive about choosing opportunities that bring me closer to my desired outcomes.
If you’re ready to choose a new path, please reach out to our Counselors who are happy to support your decision-making process.
Discover life at Tenfold’s Prairie City Landing
The social supports at Prairie City Landing complement our amazing apartment homes, creating engaged, vibrant opportunities for our residents. To learn more about living at Prairie City Landing, download our Signature Programs at Tenfold Senior Living Guide. Or better yet, reach out to a Counselor and drop in for a card game!
