Myth-busting resident engagement: Translating programming into evidence-backed health interventions

Life enrichment professionals are at the center of fostering connection, purpose, and belonging in senior living communities, yet engagement programming is often viewed as “activities” rather than as meaningful health interventions. Research tells a different story.

This session reframes life enrichment through a research lens, drawing on current research linking social wellness to cognitive health, emotional well-being, health outcomes, and even longevity. In this myth-busting webinar led by Dr. Lydia Nguyen, Principal Researcher at LifeLoop, and Simona Zappas, Director of Engagement at Merrill Gardens, panelists will highlight the measurable relationship between social wellness and loneliness, dementia risk, emotional health, and overall health outcomes. A senior living life enrichment leader will translate these research insights into everyday practice, sharing how intentional engagement strategies influence resident well-being and how teams can recognize engagement patterns as early indicators of risk.

The session closes with a practical overview of how communities can operationalize and measure social wellness, including examples of tracking engagement trends and identifying meaningful risk signals over time. After watching, viewers will leave with research-backed validation, actionable strategies, language to advocate for the impact of life enrichment within their organizations, and a stronger understanding of how life enrichment supports whole-person wellness.

Learning objectives:

1. Attendees will be able to describe the evidence linking social wellness to cognitive health, emotional well-being, loneliness, and overall health outcomes, and articulate how life enrichment programming contributes to whole-person wellness.

2. Attendees will be able to apply strategies for designing and delivering intentional engagement that supports resident well-being.

3. Attendees will be able to explain practical methods for tracking engagement trends, identifying meaningful signals over time, and using data to advocate for the value of life enrichment within their communities.
   

Lydia Nguyen, PhD Principal Researcher LifeLoop

Simona Zappas Director of Engagement Merrill Gardens