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If you’re considering moving into a retirement community but are worried that it will mean fewer opportunities to have your grandkids over for a visit, then you’ll be glad to learn that an independent living community like Southgate at Shrewsbury likely offers far more activities and entertainment for kids of all ages than you have now. In fact, many of our residents find that their grandkids want to visit more often once they move in, in order to take advantage of all the amenities and enjoy the friendly atmosphere.

Things to do at Southgate at Shrewsbury

Here at Southgate at Shrewsbury, we are committed to providing the very best that independent living has to offer. That means providing a variety of amenities, activities and entertaining programs every month of the year. With so much variety, your grandchildren are bound to find a few favorites among the many options for activities and entertainment offered right here on the Southgate campus—no matter their ages or interests.

For starters, plenty of fun and games can be had in our aptly named Game Room. It features billiards, foosball and ping-pong tables that let you test your skills against your favorite competitors! You can even show your grandkids that ‘this old dog does have new tricks’ with a strategic game of checkers or cards. (Whether you let them win or not!) If your grandkids are more active, you can score big with a rousing round of bowling at our four-lane candlepin bowling alley. Or, make a big splash they won’t soon forget with a dip in Southgate at Shrewbury’s indoor swimming pool.

The warmer months are an especially great time to take advantage of all that this independent living retirement community offers outdoors. Take time to explore the Southgate Park walking paths. Then, pack a picnic lunch to enjoy on the green after an eventful game of bocce in our outdoor bocce court.

There are also ice cream social parties on Sundays at Southgate at Shrewsbury’s very own ice cream parlor. And don’t forget about our summer concert series featuring live music on the lawn of Southgate Park every Tuesday evening. The concert series is one of the most beloved events we hold all year, and perfect for family get togethers.

Since Southgate at Shrewsbury is considered senior living at its finest, there’s no excuse for the grandchildren not to have the best time visiting with their grandparents.

Create Your Own Adventure, Off-Campus

Just because there’s plenty to keep young ones busy at your independent living residence doesn’t mean you have to find something to do on-campus. As we head into summer, you might want to make plans with the family to visit area attractions and recreational opportunities outside of Southgate.

The EcoTarium, located in nearby Worcester, MA, is a unique museum exploring science and nature with ever-changing exhibits and activities. Experience both indoor and outdoor exhibits showcasing various flora and fauna, the latter of which currently includes wildcats, bald eagles and animals living in freshwater habitats. Explore the marvels of nature at specially designed play areas where you and your grandchildren can build, dig, climb and more! Then, end the day with a relaxing ride aboard the Explorer Express, a 12-minute open air passenger train ride, or take a scenic walk down the EcoTarium’s many wooded trails. Pricing is cost-effective at just $14 for seniors aged 65+ as well a for children aged 2-18 (adult tickets are $18).

Northboro’s Tougas Family Farm is another local option teeming with outdoor activities the whole family will enjoy, with healthy perks to boot! This family-owned farm boasts U-Pick schedules for produce through the summer and fall seasons, from the beginning of June to the end of November. (Pricing is based on season and produce harvested.) Stop in at the beginning of June for pick-your-own strawberries, and then cherries as we head into July. And be sure to come back mid-to-late summer for blueberries, peaches and raspberries! Tougas Family Farm also has a playground and a mini petting zoo, and you’re invited to stay and enjoy a picnic-style lunch from fresh baked goodies sold at the Farm Store and Snack Shack.

If you’re looking for a place where you can enjoy an equal blend of relaxation and play, nearby Lake Quinsigamond offers two public areas to soak up the sun—Regatta Point and Lake Park. Both are open for the summer season starting June 1, and parking is $8 per day, per vehicle. Whether you’re interested in swimming, sailing, canoeing, picnicking or fishing, both parks areas provide numerous recreational opportunities. You can even play tennis!

So, if you’re considering moving to our independent living community, you now know that you don’t have to worry that you’ll have less time for family togetherness. And if you’d like to see the amenities and activities mentioned in this blog first hand, please give us a call to schedule a tour!

For so many residents of our senior living retirement community here at Southgate at Shrewsbury, walking through the lovely Southgate Park is an immensely enjoyable activity. In addition to the joy it brings, it also conveys excellent health benefits.

Walking remains one of the best forms of exercise for maintaining our overall health, particularly when it comes to agility, balance and cardiovascular conditioning. In fact, studies have shown that, for people of all ages, walking can do everything from help lower blood sugar and ease joint pain to boost immune function, improve mood and increase energy levels.

At Southgate at Shrewsbury retirement community, walking is consistently one of the most popular activities among residents. Much of the appeal is attributable to the safety, comfort and beauty of our campus and facilities; both the interior areas (e.g., broad, carpeted hallways; walkway bridge; atrium) and the exterior areas (e.g., sprawling 30-acre park) are perfectly suited for taking leisurely strolls.

Of course, it also helps that walking doesn’t require any special exercise equipment and can be done at nearly any time of day.

All this notwithstanding, if you still need some inspiration to put on your walking shoes, no better source can be found than a brief life history of Edward Payson Weston, America’s so-called “Greatest Pedestrian.”

A Life on the Road

A true original (and natural showman!), Mr. Weston was born in 1839 in Providence, Rhode Island. His illustrious career began in 1861 at 22 years of age, when he boasted to a friend that, if Abraham Lincoln won the presidential election, he would walk the nearly 500 miles from Boston to Washington, D.C., to attend the inauguration. Upon losing the bet, Mr. Weston made the trek accompanied by two men in a carrier, who not only bore witness to his accomplishment, but served to distribute advertising flyers in a gratuitous display of self-promotion. (His contemporary, P. T. Barnum, was undoubtedly a bit jealous—if not envious—of Mr. Weston’s innate public-relations talents!)

In addition to generating newspaper coverage and prompting a congratulatory handshake from the newly inaugurated president, this impressive stunt of perambulation (more commonly referred to as “walking”) set Mr. Weston’s path in life: He realized he could make a career as a pedestrian. Turing professional at age 28 and dubbing himself “Weston the Pedestrian,” he made his professional debut in 1867 by hiking 1,300 miles from Portland, Maine, to Chicago.

Over the years, the trips (and the miles) added up … quickly. (Frequently on his journeys he would give lectures to crowds on the health benefits of walking; he was truly a man ahead of his time!)

A few examples of his “feet feats” will suffice here:

• In 1869 he walked 1,058 miles through snow-covered New England in 30 days
• In 1871, he walked 200 miles—backwards!—around St. Louis, Missouri, in 41 hours
• Starting in the mid-1870s, Mr. Weston spent eight years touring Europe; his victories included beating England’s racewalking champion to a 24-hour, 115-mile trek in 1876, and defeating the British champion “Blower” Brown in a 550-mile match in 1879
• Never one to let aging slow him down, he walked 3,895 miles from New York to San Francisco in 104 days in 1909—at the “young” age of 70

Certainly, there’s a lot to be learned from the fascinating, highly ambitious life of Edward Payson Weston. His passion for walking foreshadowed today’s obsession with physical fitness and staying active. One of his primary concerns, in fact, was that the introduction of automobiles was making everyone lazy and sedentary. In many ways, he was instrumental in motivating people to get up and move.

Speaking of which: Let’s all of us here at Southgate at Shrewsbury retirement community make Mr. Weston proud by taking a stroll around the park. Come on … who’s game?

In Part I of this blog (which you can find here) we discussed how, in many ways, age is just an
attitude. There’s no reason why each and every one of us shouldn’t always strive to do our very best in things both big and small. As is so often said: We can’t know what’s possible until we try!

That’s why, at Southgate at Shrewsbury retirement community, we offer a host of amenities, events and activities that allow residents to explore new possibilities and—in the process— discover new personal capabilities.

Let’s continue now with our look at the amazing accomplishments of noted individuals who simply refused to let advancing years slow them down.

Strikes, Spares and Everything in Between

To roll one perfect game in bowling—that’s 300, by the way—is an accomplishment most players only dream of.

But to roll two?!

That’s exactly what happened on December 7, 2010, when Floridian Arthur Ulmer rolled the second perfect game of his career. His age? A mere 89 years, six months and eleven days. Doing so at that point in his life gave Mr. Ulmer the distinction of attaining the United States Bowling Congress’ record for oldest person to roll a 300 game.

Here at Southgate at Shrewsbury, our residents have access to a state-of-the-art four-lane candlepin alley. They find bowling a great way to exercise, socialize and set their own personal records. (And don’t worry: Nobody around here keeps track of gutter balls.)

Calling all 21st-Century Shakespeares

With the “Little House on the Prairie” children’s book series as her writing legacy, you’d not be alone in imaging that Laura Ingalls Wilder was a lifelong author. In fact, however, her first work—“Little House in the Big Woods”—wasn’t published until she was 65. (Her final book in the series came out when she was 76.)

While not everyone has the talent to write professionally, many of us love the magic and wonder of words. That’s why Southgate at Shrewsbury keeps a well-stocked library for all our residents. With an enchanting fireplace, it’s a great hideaway to read some classics … or perhaps to stimulate ideas for writing “the Great American Novel.”

Red Ball, Side Pocket …

If Mike Lebron challenges you to a high-stakes game of billiards, you may just want to pass. That’s because Mr. Lebron is a professional pool player who in 1988—at the age of 54— became the oldest player to win the US Open Nine-Ball Championship.

Likewise, should Doyle Brunson happen to join your card game, you may want to fold. Why? Because Mr. Brunson is an American Poker player who played professionally until his retirement in 2018 at 84 years of age.

Residents work on perfecting their own pool- and card-playing techniques in Southgate at Shrewsbury’s comfortable game room. In addition to a pool and ping-pong table, it’s equipped with ample space for card playing of every variety.

After all, who doesn’t love a rousing game of “Go Fish”?

At Southgate at Shrewsbury retirement community, there is a truism we really take to heart: Age is no barrier to what you can accomplish in life.

That’s why we foster a senior-living culture characterized by an abundance of exciting possibilities. Our amenities are diverse, engaging and highly enriching. They allow residents to indulge their passions, hone their skills and discover new interests.

In this two-part blog, we’ll discuss Southgate at Shrewsbury’s varied amenities in the context of several notable accomplishments achieved by older adults—dynamic, lively individuals who refused to see advancing years as anything but motivation to push themselves and their abilities farther than others may have thought possible.

The Magic of a Palette

How much do you know about Anna Mary Robertson? Probably not a lot, until we refer to her by her well-known nickname, “Grandma Moses.”

A woman who throughout her life picked up a brush as an occasional hobby, Anna turned to painting as a serious pursuit in her seventies. Completely self-taught, she primarily portrayed rural and agricultural life. She gained notoriety at the age of 78, when an art collector saw her works in a local store. Ultimately, her paintings were displayed at the Museum of Modern Art in New York!

That’s powerful inspiration for all budding artists—and we know there are several living here at Southgate at Shrewsbury! That’s why we provide wonderful arts & crafts resources for all our residents. Our studio allows you to unlock your true potential…or just have fun expressing yourself in vibrant colors (or subdued grays and blacks). Residents also have the opportunity to browse our art gallery wall and admire the work of fellow artists.

On Your Mark, Get Set…

We all know how vital it is to make a lifelong commitment to exercise. Of course, everyone has their own definition of “staying active.”

Take Gladys Burrill, for example. What did she decide to do at the age of 86? Oh, nothing much…just run her first marathon! She became famous six years later—yes, at 92—when she completed the Honolulu Marathon! She power-walked and jogged her way to the finish line after nine hours and 53 minutes.

Now, we’re not suggesting that you need to (or even that you’d want to!) match Gladys’ feat. However, for getting your legs moving and your heart pumping, Southgate at Shrewsbury offers a beautiful health club and spa—complete with treadmills, weights and elliptical machines.

Come on in…the Water’s Fine!

Australian George Corones may not be able to beat Michael Phelps in the pool—but, then again, George has celebrated quite a few more birthdays (67 more, to be exact!).

In March of 2018, Mr. Corones smashed two world records in four days for his age group (100 to 104) at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre—including beating the prior record by 30 seconds in the 50-meter event. Not bad for someone who stopped swimming at the onset of WWII and didn’t start again until 80!

At Southgate at Shrewsbury retirement community, you can set your own pace in our refreshing three-lane indoor swimming pool. Come on: Do it for the glory, do it for the exercise…or just do it for the sheer fun!

In Part II of this blog, we’ll cite some more fun examples of the accomplishments achieved by spirited individuals later in life…and provide additional anecdotes supporting the widely held notion that age is just a number!