Cheers to the new year and your efforts towards good health and well-being for your community.

Your residents are seeking new ways to connect to bolster both their physical and mental fitness. The early months of the new year are a great time to plan community events to bring residents together to encourage more connections between them.

New mindset about care:

Research by Mintel anticipates that people seeking improved health and wellness are shifting their mindset around care.

Striving for social fitness. People are beginning to understand that good health requires social networks. This means that a priority for health and wellness in 2024 must include making more of an effort to get out into the world and spend face time with other people in the real world, not just the virtual one.

• Research example: Over the past 10 years, a $5.6 trillion industry around self-care and wellness has been convincing people–mostly women–that they should prioritize themselves through solitary activities like massages, silent retreats, hot baths, meditation, and journaling. But these are done in isolation.

Building resilient communities. New kinds of homes and neighborhoods will be needed in the future to adapt to ensure that people can continue to live healthy, happy, and fulfilling lives. This will require businesses of all kinds to adapt their products and services to support wider and more resilient communities capable of sharing and interconnecting.

• Research example: According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than one in three adults aged 45 and older feel lonely in the United States, and social isolation increases risk of dementia by 50%, heart disease by 29%, and stroke by 32%.

Community activity suggestions:

Good news, high-speed fiber internet and reliable WiFi can help. Quantum Fiber provides the speed, capacity, and performance to stream movies and music and play games, so people can collaborate with others via videoconferencing or in common spaces in your community. Try finding ways to make these activities accessible for those attending virtually or in-person.

Fitness classes:  What a terrific idea to help you and your residents achieve both physical and social goals! Residents will especially enjoy variety, like a mix of yoga, Zumba, spinning, Pilates, and others. And it provides the perfect opportunity for them to meet their neighbors and make new friends.

Healthy cooking/grilling classes: Moving physically is important, but so is eating the right foods to give your body the nutrition it needs and to avoid putting too much sugary or over-processed food into it. Your residents will appreciate your concern for their well-being if you offer classes teaching them how to cook healthy meals at home. And, again, the comradery such events tend to generate will also strengthen bonds between neighbors.

Arts and crafts classes: Making art can be very therapeutic and contribute enormously to your residents’ mental health. Whether drawing, painting, sculpting, flower arranging, door hanging decorations, potting plants, or creative writing, these activities provide creative outlets for residents with otherwise stressful and overburdened lives, as well as a way to build community for people with like interests.

The Property Managers page has tips on Quantum Fiber internet benefits for residents. Plus, learn how to earn rewards with the Connected Communities Referral Program (CCRP).