Activity could help ward off the flu

MASON, Ohio - Sweet melodies flowed through the corridors at the Cedar Village Retirement Community during the lunch hour. The resident choir was practicing as part of a wellness activities.

From singing and Wii Bowling to cooking, keeping the mind and body active is crucial to staying healthy at the facility.

"Being active keeps you in a better state so you can ward off illness that comes your way," said the Rehabilitation Director, Debi Tyler. "It helps give you a better resistance if you are stronger to start with."

Influenza has been taking a strong hold on the region. The Warren County Combined Health District (WCCHD) reports 25 hospitalizations associated with the bug this season. Typically, the county records about 30. But the WCCHD said the flu could have peaked early, or it could get much worse.

"The last thing anybody needs is the flue, right," asked rhetorically Cedar Village's CEO and President Carol Silver Elliot. "Staying physically active and mentally active, socially connected, all of those things are an important part of wellness."

The average age of her 300 residents is 85 years old.

"So clearly we have a vulnerable population," Elliot said. "We also have a workforce of about 400 people. Many of whom have younger children. So we have vulnerabilities at both ends of the spectrum."

That is why the all of the residents and the employees had to be vaccinated for the flu this year. There were a few people who were not given the flu shot because of medical reasons.

Elliot said that the social, physical, and mental activities that the wellness program provides, plus the vaccination, has kept flu numbers low at the home.

The activities that Tyler said could be done around the house to keep everyone healthy are arm movements, wiggle your feet, walk outside if the weather permits. Playing strategy games help keep the mind strong as well, and interact with someone, even if that means through a phone call.

While these activities will not guarantee anyones health stay good, they do help the body fight back against an illness.