Be a Better You in 2022 at Fox Run!

As each new year arrives, many people find it's time to reevaluate their priorities. They want to focus on their well-being and make changes that help them live their best lives. 

At Fox Run, an Erickson Senior Living community in Novi, Mich., community members find it easy to adopt an active lifestyle. With plenty of fitness activities and amenities to support all facets of well-being, the community is placing health and well-being at the forefront in 2022. 

So much to do

Community Resources Coordinator Megan Smith says that with over 120 clubs, committees, and groups on campus, there’s no shortage of opportunities for continuing education. She notes that the community’s dedication to offering cognitive stimulation is even present in the Center for Continuous Learning’s (CCL) tagline: “We promote lifelong learning.” 

“Everywhere you turn, CCL engages the mind,” Smith says. There are lectures, discussion groups, and guest speakers presenting in the performing arts center multiple times a month. 

And they cover a variety of interests too—anything from the Ford Retirees’ Group to the astronomy club. Community members can also get involved with the Your Own University (Y.O.U.) group, which covers topics such as investments, current events, and trends in the automotive world.

All these activities, community member Kay Diggs says, put her in contact with many of her neighbors—whom she may not have otherwise met. “With some, you have a few laughs. With others, you foster emotional support,” she says. 

When Kay isn’t playing bridge while hanging out with friends in her spacious two-bedroom, two-bath apartment home, she volunteers with the Light and Sound Committee, which shows movies in the community’s theater. Kay is also involved with the Political Awareness Committee, with which she just finished her three-year term as chair. 

Fun and fitness

Community members’ health and well-being takes priority at Fox Run. With an expansive fitness and aquatics center, staying active has never been easier. The weight-machine room sports elliptical machines, bikes, treadmills, and free weights—perfect for any fitness goal or routine.

A lap pool hosts a variety of activities—anything from morning water aerobics classes to water volleyball games. “The games can get competitive,” says Smith. “We’ve had many staff-versus-community members volleyball games in the past. It’s fun for everyone! With a tight-knit community like Fox Run, the bond between staff and community members can be really strong.”

Stretching it out

Four-year community member Laura Woodruff finds her one-bedroom apartment home with a den to be the perfect place for practicing yoga stretches between classes.  

“We have yin yoga, integrated yoga, and chair yoga classes. I prefer integrated, which is the most challenging of the three,” says Laura. “Integrated yoga puts you on the floor for some of your exercise; you have both standing and floor work. But in chair yoga, you are never on the floor, as you’re always sitting in the chair.”

Besides going to yoga twice a week and attending line dancing class on Saturday mornings, Laura also participates in the Stretch and Tone class—held twice a week as well. “We start with aerobic movements, then we move into weights. We work on the upper and the lower body during the 45-minute class,” she says.  

Laura says that since moving to Fox Run, she’s seen a difference in her physical health. “I’m more limber and stronger. I basically do everything I did as a younger person! I have my limitations, but I do feel that I’m stronger, thanks to the fitness classes and yoga stretches,” she says.

Smith emphasizes that if you’re not into yoga, there’s plenty of other group fitness activities to choose from. 

Holistic care

At Fox Run, well-being is much more than physical fitness—it encompasses a person’s mental, spiritual, and social health as well. Whether you’re interested in strengthening your own spiritual practices or exploring new ones, Fox Run’s pastoral ministries provide plenty of options. 

Pastoral services include different faith and religious traditions to support the diversity of the community. Smith notes that Fox Run has a Shalom group with more than 100 participants, an inter-denominational Wednesday night church service, Catholic masses on Tuesday mornings, and two Bible study groups—one led by a visiting pastor and the other led by a community member.

For community members who want to practice mindfulness, Fox Run offers classes such as meditation and yoga. Participating in yoga, Laura says, has helped her overall well-being. “That’s 50% of the pleasure of yoga,” she says. “It relaxes you and puts you in a kind of meditative state that is very soothing.”

What keeps community members the healthiest of all? Smith says that it’s the friendships built within the community. “We were born to create relationships, and being involved with others while doing something you enjoy is the sweet spot of life.”

Wellness, quality care, and community are just a few of the hallmarks that make Fox Run the perfect independent living community for seniors. Request a brochure today or schedule a visit to take a closer look at what Fox Run has to offer!