Active living: the secret to wellness at Cedar Springs PARC

Some say wellness is a marathon, not a sprint. But at Cedar Spring PARC, it’s much more than that: it’s everything that makes life the best it can be. The North Vancouver independent-living community is a leader in cultivating active, healthy lifestyles for aging adults who want to prioritize wellness in their later years to foster relationships and promote the highest quality of life.

The PARC Active Living™ program lies at the heart of this approach. Developed specifically for independence and aging, this comprehensive program comes packaged as part of the PARC offering, with the goal of helping all residents stay healthy and mobile for as long as possible while focusing on four pillars of well-being.

The first pillar is PARC Social – thoughtfully planned arts, culture and educational programming, as well as other social activities, including excursions and events geared for fun, friendship and connection with other seniors.

Of course, eating well is essential, too, which is where pillar two comes in. Thanks to PARC’s desirable food menus, residents sit down daily to nutritious, delicious, well-balanced meals along with delectable casual fare that evokes the simple comforts of home.

The third pillar is PARC’s Wellness Nurses, who hone in on basic health, emotional well-being and mental health. The onsite wellness nurses develop customized, one-on-one programs to ensure the unique needs of residents are met and maintained to prolong their independence and keep them mobile, safe, and confident.

Finally, the fourth and final pillar, PARC Fit, is the movement piece of the puzzle. Offering fitness classes to suit every ability, from strength and balance classes to pole walking, classes are expertly guided and tailored to aging adults – not to mention lively and well-attended. Mindfulness, meditation and personal training round out this part of the wellness spectrum.

“Our goal is for it to be fun, inspiring and soulful,” says Cedar Springs PARC active living manager Moira Cohn. “We’re enriching the body and the mind through physical fitness, social pursuits, emotional health and wonderfully tasty, nutritious meals.”

Meet the Cedar Springs PARC active living team

Active Living Manager Moira Cohn. With decades of experience in holistic wellness, Moira is Cedar Springs’ fearless leader. She spends her days developing creative, well-rounded programs and activities to address all PARC residents’ physical, social and spiritual wellness. With her background in counselling and coaching, she brings unique insight into the link between mental and physical well-being – prioritizing both in PARC’s Active Living™ programming. From experience with her own senior parents, Moira knows how much active living can improve quality-of-life for aging adults.

Active Wellness Coach Jennifer Chin. Jennifer is a bundle of pure energy and enthusiasm, making her the perfect fit for her role of designing and teaching PARC’s fitness classes and guiding healthy body sessions. With a Kinesiology degree and background as a personal trainer and fitness leader, Jennifer tops it off with her bilingual ability to teach in both English and Mandarin – a truly versatile gem on the PARC Active Living™ team.

Wellness Nurse Samantha Robinson. Samantha started her career as a dietary and healthcare aide before becoming a nurse and realizing her passion for working with seniors. She believes that staying active, social and connected is not only the best way for seniors to retain their abilities but improve them. At Cedar Springs PARC, Samantha witnesses this first-hand each day. She’s always excited to see residents ‘dip their toe in the water’ and try out new activities, learn new skills and become part of PARC’s Active Living™ program.

Learn more about the inspiring, independent lifestyle at Cedar Springs PARC by calling Sean or Kaylie at 604.986.3633 or visiting parcliving.ca/cedarsprings.