Assisted living residents recently found themselves strapped in securely for a wild joy ride in a police car! While you may think of senior activities as consisting of bingo, arts and crafts and musical entertainment, life enrichment opportunities can sometimes be found way outside the box.
Andrea Saddler, life enrichment director at Morning Pointe of Lexington, Kentucky, Assisted Living, saw online that the Lexington Metro Citizen Police Academy was offering a program for locals. “I thought it would be something we’d be interested in.”
The program was seven classes over six weeks, a meeting each Tuesday with the Fayette County Police Department. Andrea supported the residents every step of the way. Participants from Morning Pointe had the chance to bond and get involved with their wider community, and had a blast!
“I loved it!” said Beverly Troy, one of the residents. “My favorite part was riding in the cruiser and going through the obstacle course.” The police car weaved and sped through a pre-designed course to give program participants an idea of what it feels like to be part of a police chase. It was a popular session for sure, feeling more like a thrill ride than a simple educational seminar.
Each week, the Police Academy course featured a different facet of law enforcement. “We learned how the police work out in the community,” said Andrea. “They’re involved in a lot more than you realize, and it was a good connection for us to build relationships with the officers.”
Another session featured the bomb squad and how they work to keep the public safe. Still another featured the motorcycle fleet.
But resident Tony Patterson had an unusual favorite. “The most exciting part was when they put us in jail,” he said. “They said they wanted us to see what it was like.” Overall, Tony said, “The Police Academy was a very good experience. You learn a lot.”
At the end of the course, Tony, Beverly, and Andrea all took part in the graduation ceremony and received a certificate of completion and badge.
“We joke around now that Tony and Beverly are our police officers,” said Andrea. “It was definitely worth it.”
At Morning Pointe Senior Living, we believe that aging, despite challenges, should be a time of continued growth and development rather than decline. Our communities provide seniors with a rich environment focusing on their needs and wants. Our programming connects to their interests while also introducing them to new possibilities.
Contact your local Morning Pointe community to discover how residents in your area are continuing to live vibrant lives through purposeful activities.
