A custom advertising publication to The Indianapolis Star
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Thursday, July 17, 2014
Del Webb Press
YOUR FUTURE BEGINS NOW
Volume 9 Issue 2
www.delwebb.com/press
Social activity is as important as physical activity
By Shauna Nosler
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“The homeowners here include individuals who are motivated to reach new fitness goals or improve their physical fitness so they can keep up with their grandchildren,” Hodge said. “I always tell my clients, ‘Use it or lose it.’ ” It’s that kind of encouragement and positive reassurance that keeps Hodge busy throughout the year. Britton Falls’ fitness center is a state-of-the-art facility with everything from treadmills and weight machines to aerobics and yoga classes. Hodge has “We have noticed a big certain hours each week homeowners can ask improvement in our when questions, have their blood strength, endurance, pressure checked, and get help in the fitness center. flexibility, general Hodge also does a fitness center orientation twice a health and overall month to demonstrate how good feeling.” all the equipment works.
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here’s a reason that Britton Falls has become a popular place to live for those 55-and-better, but it’s not as straightforward as you might think. True, the single family floorplans are versatile and the community grounds are lush and abundant, but there’s much more for homeowners to love about their Fishers neighborhood than the house they live in or the green space that surrounds them. They also love the liveliness, interaction and energy that flourishes around them. The beautifully expansive (23,000 sq. ft.) Chateau is a veritable hub of Britton Falls' active lifestyle. Though the community has its fair share of traditional social options (think dinner parties, book clubs and card games), Britton Falls also boasts some unexpected opportunities for homeowners to get out and pursue the active life. Read on to learn a bit more about all there is to do at the Del Webb community in Fishers.
Yoga for a healthy body and mind
Taking personal fitness to a higher level
Another increasingly popular activity at Britton Falls is yoga. Why yoga? Lauren Windle, a marketing executive turned certified yoga instructor in her 60s, believes it’s because there’s no push to feel the burn. “There’s trust and enjoyment,” she said, adding that the class structure at Britton Falls is fun and encourages individuals to do what feels right for them. “I love to watch folks at Britton Falls fall in love with the results that gentle stretching and deep breathing can provide.” These results, she said, often set in quickly. “Yoga as an exercise is 5,000 years in the making,” Windle said. “It exercises the mind as much as it does the body. It keeps you mentally sharp and is a remarkably effective tool for flexibility, better health and understanding your body.” Exercise doesn’t need to be harsh or grueling, and Windle advises everyone to get in tune with their own body’s needs. “Make friends with your body,” she said. “Find out what it likes and what it doesn’t — and trust your body’s intuition as to what will work for you. My students know if a pose doesn’t feel good to them, they can and should sit it out.”
Sabrina Hodge understands all too well how vital physical exercise is to a person’s health and well being. “My grandpa passed away several years ago from a fatal fall in a parking lot,” said Hodge, who is the owner of Simply Healthy and the personal trainer for Briton Falls. “I hope to prevent this in as many people as possible through exercises aimed at improving balance, strength and mobility.” She does this by working with individuals to customize their workouts based on their ambitions, needs and limitations. “In Britton Falls, there are homeowners of varying fitness levels with different goals,” Hodge said. “It’s extremely important to work with the homeowners on exercises that are applicable to their everyday lifestyles.” Bodybuilding competitions might not be on the horizon for many, but finding exercises to improve balance will help prevent falls in the future.
More information on the initiative and its goals can be found on the interactive website, HealthyPeople.gov.
Windle teaches a variety of classes at Britton Falls throughout the week. She also teaches AquaFlex — which is similar to aqua aerobics minus the jumping around.
The community gardens are growing, literally
This summer will mark the fourth year for the community garden club at Britton Falls — a club that at conception had a mere 15 plots but now has nearly 75. “The garden area can be quite a social place in the evenings as people tend to their gardens,” said John Hoopes, a retired Ohio mathematics teacher who along with his wife, Linda, moved to the Fishers community 10 years ago. Plus, he added, gardening can be very meditative and relaxing. Even so, it’s a bountiful harvest that keeps Hoopes a devoted gardener. “I have raised beds where I grow tomatoes, radishes, romaine and leaf lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, peppers, beans, onions, squash, cucumbers and garlic,” he said. Hoopes harvests about 80 garlic bulbs each July, but he doesn’t cook with all of them. Some he saves for future crops: Each bulb has eight cloves that will generate an entirely new plant. He plants them in October. “There’s nothing better and healthier than fresh Swiss chard that’s steamed down and sautéed with fresh garlic, onions and olive oil – and maybe a hot pepper,” Hoopes said. He’s quick to point out that the while the gardens might produce only during the warm months, gardeners reap the benefits all year long. “We freeze tomatoes, peppers, onions and Swiss chard for cooking in the winter,” he said. “When we head south for a month in January and our neighbor watches our Bonsai tree, we pay her handsomely with Swiss chard and garlic.” The yearly fee for a 10-by-15-foot garden space is $10. The Hoopes plant their produce in raised beds, but homeowners may also sow their seeds in the ground. ■
What’s so great about Britton Falls? A lot! By Jen Bingham
PHOTO: MARC LEBRYK
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enny and Lois Darst moved to Britton Falls just a few weeks ago, but they’re already thrilled with the access to amenities. “In shopping for a place to live, we got oriented toward the Del Webb concept and visited several communities before we settled on Britton Falls,” Denny said. “We like the lifestyle and not having to maintain the exterior. And we like all the activities available both inside the community and outside it. “We’re excited by the restaurant choices — there is a tremendous variety of dining opportunities. We aren’t big shoppers, but we love to go out to restaurants.” Denny worked for Dow Chemicals, and Lois was an administrative assistant. They also ran a business together for eight years. They moved from a small town in northern
PHOTOS: MARC LEBRYK
good health
PHOTO: MARC LEBRYK
The Del Webb lifestyle promotes
There’s no question that physical activity is beneficial to a person’s overall health. But what about social activity? Does being involved with others actually help promote a healthy life? According to many experts, it most certainly does, and the Department of Health and Human Services is on a mission to see that all Americans have access to both physical and social environments that promote good health. In December 2010, the DHHS launched Healthy People 2020 — an initiative aimed at improving Americans’ lives over the course of the decade. The organization hopes to discover the reason some Americans are healthier than others by monitoring key factors such as the availability to social opportunities; the resources and supports available in homes, neighborhoods and communities; and the nature of social interactions and relationships. One thing is certain: No matter how the rest of the country stacks up, the homeowners at Britton Falls are most certainly ahead of the game when it comes to leading happy, healthy and active social lives.
Michigan to be closer to their kids and grandkids. Alice and Dan Hayes have live in Britton Falls for about a year and a half and are still delighted with their community. “It’s the way people care about each other out here that makes it so nice,” Alice said. “If someone is sick or having some kind of problem, there’s always someone to help or make dinners. It’s a very comforting feeling. If I were single, I would feel very good about living here because of the way people care about each other.” She and Dan also participate in the activities put on by the neighbors on their street. “Our street, which is Mondavi, is very active,” Alice said. “There are 40 homes on our street. If there’s an excuse to have a party, it seems that Mondavi has one. Everyone takes something to eat and their own beverage and a chair. At our solstice party we had a water balloon fight.” ■