Residents at Presbyterian Village North (PVN) and Grace Presbyterian Village (GPV) put on their dancing shoes and started their New Year off with a special lunch and a line dancing showcase in PVN’s McGowan Auditorium. Determined to try something new and stay active, the residents participated in weekly line dancing classes every Thursday afternoon in preparation for the big event. After the showcase, residents from both communities learned a dance routine together and had the opportunity to practice everything they had learned. It was a time of camaraderie that encouraged socialization, active aging and showcased the benefit of keeping your mind sharp by learning new things. Staying active helps seniors age gracefully, and exposing themselves to new learning experiences exercises their minds as well. Presbyterian Village North and Grace Presbyterian Village look for varying ways to engage residents in activities that encourage wellness. According to the National Institute on Aging, physical activity in older adults provides benefits like improved balance, well-being and cognitive functions.

Presbyterian Village North, a Presbyterian Communities and Services community, is a faith-based nonprofit continuing care retirement community for active adults aged 62 or older offering independent living, assisted living, short-stay rehab services, skilled nursing and certified memory care. Nestled among 63 acres of wildflower gardens and putting greens in North Dallas, independent living residents may choose from executive homes, patio homes or garden apartments. Assisted living residents enjoy private apartments, and private and shared suites are offered for licensed nursing care, rehabilitation therapy, memory care and hospice care. Amenities include an 1,800- square-foot wellness center, computer center, billiards room, salon, meeting rooms, woodshop, library, business center, sewing center, pottery and craft center, fulltime chaplain and weekly worship services and a 250-seat performing arts center. In 2011, Presbyterian Village North opened the nation’s most innovative therapy pool, the HydroWorx 3500, with underwater treadmill, gait monitoring and massage jets, as part of its comprehensive wellness program. The retirement community was named one of the nation’s best for 2013 and 2014 by U.S. News & World Report and Medicare, which ranks it 5 star. For more information, please visit www.prescs.org.