Connecting with Family for a Fun and Healthy Summer

Happy summer! We're celebrating this spectacular season with a blog series all about family. With grandkids out of school and families taking time to unwind, summer is the perfect time to connect and relax with your loved ones.

Connection is essential to a vibrant life, and there are many physical and emotional benefits of staying connected to family and even close friends. "Family" consists of the people who support and love you, and the people you can confide in and trust. Whether it's a relative or someone you feel deeply connected to, these bonds are important. So, this feels like a great topic to kick off our series. We'll dive into the details of how connection can positively impact your wellbeing and offer ways to become the social chair of your own life, and plan fun and safe gatherings this summer.

Why is family connection so important?

In essence, healthy family bonds and relationships encourage a sense of belonging and keep us balanced in all areas of life. It's a natural desire to want to feel deeply connected to others, and family is often our best source. These relationships tend to be unconditional and ever-present. When we're with family, we're surrounded by people who love us and value our opinions and wisdom, which not only feels good but also provides added motivation to live a healthy lifestyle.

When it comes to aging, staying connected to close friends and family was a primary indicator for living a high-quality life. In a United States Aging Survey, relationships were listed as more important than financial resources for most people surveyed. And, the significance of family connection goes deeper than a senior's preference. There is a strong correlation between the strength of one's family relationships and overall health. Seniors who report having regular interactions with family members also experience more robust immune systems, improved mental health, and better cognitive functions.

In addition to providing the companionship we all crave, time with family can even strengthen thinking skills. Participating in conversations with family requires short-term and long-term memory, increases our vocabulary, and paves new neural pathways as we reminisce about memories while creating new ones. All good reasons to gather your group!

What are some fun ways to connect?

Here are five fun ways to pull the family together and stay connected this summer:

1. Host a play date. Invite the grandkids over for an outdoor play date with plenty of fresh air, cool treats, and fun games like bubbles, coloring, and crafts. For more ideas, check out this article with 100 fun things to do with the kids.
   
   
2. Share your thoughts. Staying connected can simply mean communicating more frequently. And, when family members communicate, it's more than sending messages to each other – it's reinforcing relationships. With this in mind, pull out your phone or pretty stationery and put your heart on paper. Share a memory that popped up or simply tell a family member what you love most about them. Maybe make this a weekly thing? These notes will be treasured and give you a meaningful activity to look forward to all summer long.
   
   
3. Plan a joint trip. If you've been thinking about planning a trip, consider going with dear friends or your extended family. Make it one big trip at the same time! You'll end up saving on costs and gain valuable time catching up and creating lasting memories. And, it could end up becoming a yearly tradition.
   
   
4. Host an off-the-beach party. Who says you have to travel to the coast to have a beach party? Not us! Invite the kids, grandkids, and close friends to a beach-themed gathering. Serve ice cream, drinks with umbrellas, and Hawaiian leis. Maybe even play beach ball toss while listening to your favorite summer tunes?
   
   If you'd feel more comfortable gathering with masks, simply add "summer mask attire" to your invite. You could even tell people to decorate a plain mask before coming and have a contest for who has the best design.
   
   
5. Encourage a family reunion. Family reunions are a classic and beloved summer event. You don't necessarily have to host or plan it all by yourself, but you could get the conversation started. Pull out your calendar and suggest dates and locations that would be easy for everyone. Even if you decide to gather next summer, you'll get immediate enjoyment from planning and thinking about having everyone together again!

We hope you have a lovely time staying connected to family this summer. At Resort Lifestyle Communities, we encourage family connection as much as possible. We love when residents invite guests over to stay or travel to visit family members who live out of state. It's one of the reasons we have our robust TravelProgram. Residents have the option to book a guest suite in any of our communities across the country at no charge. And, while visiting another community, residents receive all meals and activities free of charge. If you're considering a move, be sure to look into this wonderful program that has become one of the most popular features of living at RLC.

Want the complete list of our all-inclusive, worry-free amenities? Visit our dedicated page about Living Here or schedule a tour of a community near you to see for yourself!