Blog

Nia Dance Comes to Still Hopes

Join the Gentle Tuesday Evening Dance Class at the Shearouse Wellness Center.  Regain youthful vitality, form and function in an exhilarating hour of music and movement.  

Still Hopes is proud to present Nancy Whitlock, a certified Nia Blue Belt.  Nia combines nine movement forms to build stability, balance, endurance and flexibility.  The Nia class is adaptable for all ages and levels of fitness.   Our Tuesday evening class is designed for the young-at-heart (55+).

Tuesdays – 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.   $12 per class paid by the month.

For more details and registration information, e-mail Nancy at niacolumbia@gmail.com or call 803-779-2977.

Visit the Still Hopes website to see all of the wellness and fitness programs that are open to the community.  www.stillhopes.org/wellness

Still Hopes Brain Fitness Program on WISTV

Columbia TV station WIS News 10 presented the Still Hopes Brain Fitness program on their health segment this week.  Click here for the full story and video.

You really can Think Faster, Focus Better,  Remember More and  Drive Safer.  The PositScience® Brain Fitness Training Program is available through the Still Hopes Center for Wellness.

Contact the Still Hopes Director of Wellness at 803-739-5034.  Or visit our website for more information about all of the Wellness and Fitness Classes offered at Still Hopes.

Brain Fitness at Still Hopes

Think Faster.  Focus Better.  Remember More.  Drive Safer.

At Still Hopes we now offer the PositScience® Brain Fitness Training Program.

Yes, you can Train Your Brain!  You can also help maintain your driving independence with DriveSharp™. This program will help improve visual processing, sharpen visual precision and improve visual working memory.

Contact the Still Hopes Director of Wellness at 803-739-5034.  Or visit our website for more information about the DriveSharp™ course and all of the Wellness and Fitness Classes offered at Still Hopes.

Still Hopes Launches NEW Website

Still Hopes Retirement Community has launched a brand new website.

This cutting edge site has all the information anyone would want to know about Still Hopes in one convenient place.   www.stillhopes.org

“We are proud of our new user- friendly, information-packed website and look forward to extending our reach to the community and the world with social media tools, a Blog and photo albums on our Face Book page.” Jon Keith, Still Hopes Director of Marketing.

The new website is multi-faceted and interactive.  The website will be a source of information for current residents, future residents, employees and those who just want to learn more about Still Hopes.  We’re presenting everything from our new Google Calendar for fitness classes, to lists of on-site educational sessions, concerts and job opportunities. It’s all there.

Visit www.stillhopes.org where you can join our E-list, subscribe to email alerts from our blog page and become a fan of our Facebook page.

Annual Fund for Resident Assistance Provides Hope

The Still Hopes Annual Fund for Resident Assistance provides financial care for residents whose resources can no longer support their needs.  The donations made to this ministry provide everything from the cost of total care to special needs such as equipment, clothing, footwear or personal items.

Donations to the Annual Fund for Resident Assistance have enabled Still Hopes to respect individual circumstances and to honor the dignity of all residents.

Please visit our website to learn more about the Resident Assistance Fund and other Ways to Give to Still Hopes.

Still Hopes is a faith-based CCRC (Continuing Care Retirement Community) and a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit with tax exemption organization.

Our Residents Say it Best

Re: Pros and Cons of Retirement

Excerpts from “The Joys and Challenges of Retirement Community Living”  by Still Hopes resident Hazel Fitzsimmons. 

It has been statistically proven that seniors, who share their lives with others, live longer and richer lives than those who live alone.  I have the joy of living in a wonderful community [Still Hopes] located in West Columbia, just minutes from downtown with all of the amenities Columbia has to offer: churches of all denominations; theaters; concert halls; The Art Museum; Riverbanks Zoo; several shopping malls; the historic houses; beautiful parks; good hospitals and medical care and the list goes on and on. Having your own car is nice, but not necessary because transportation to most of these places is offered on our very own tour bus or van.

The food is excellent. It is purchased, prepared, displayed attractively and the dirty dishes are done for us when a meal is over. How is that for a plus?

The grass is cut, the bushes fertilized and trimmed; the sprinkler system works and the leaves are cared for in the fall.

I look forward to busy days filled with pleasant activities and worthwhile things; to expanding my horizons through reading, developing new hobbies such as watercolors and photography to say nothing of playing bridge. We are never too old to learn, to love, and to have fruitful lives and if all of this can be done better in a community with others then I would have to say that the pros in this case win hands down.

Excerpts from “The Joys and Challenges of Retirement Community Living”  by Still Hopes resident Hazel Fitzsimmons.  Click on the title to read the full story on BGTime.org.     The BGTIME program was developed to help bridge the divide between seniors and digital media.

Caregiver’s Support at Still Hopes

Still Hopes’ Respite Care options provide caregivers with short term breaks from the challenges of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s or dementia related illnesses. 

Caring for a loved one in your own home can present daily stresses that impact your health and wellness.  Respite Care gives you – the caregiver – a much deserved opportunity to focus on your own needs.  It also provides you the assurance and peace of mind that your loved one will be safe while you are away. 

Respite Care is available for overnight, weekends or short term stays up to two weeks based on room availability.

See our Adult Day Program details on our website.  Or call 803-739-5010 for more information.

State-of-the-art Fitness at Still Hopes

It’s never too late to “get moving” in the right direction.  Fitness Classes, Aquatic Classes (Water Aerobics) and Brain Fitness are all here!  Still Hopes has the finest fitness facilities and classes around.  All designed especially for those age 55 and better.

Check out the Wellness Classes available at Still Hopes. 

The Shearouse Center for Wellness is a 12,000 sq ft. state-of-the-art wellness facility with a 20ft.by 60ft. indoor heated pool for therapy and water aerobics.  The Center has state-of-the-art exercise equipment, designed for a wide spectrum of abilities along with a studio for classes.  Amenities include spa/therapy rooms for contract services such as massage, chiropractic care, nail care and other specialist care.  The center includes inviting areas for relaxation and socialization.  The Shearouse Center is staffed with a full-time experienced and credentialed wellness director and staff. 

Or you can take a walk on our beautiful Life Trails through the forest.    A half-mile of fitness trails wind through a beautifully wooded area and provide opportunities for healthy outdoor exercise, relaxation and contemplation. The trails are interspersed with nine exercise stations which address individual areas of muscle movement.  Join us for a walk around our beautiful campus!

Visit the Still Hopes website for details or contact the Director of Wellness at  803-739-5044.

Reaching Out – Giving Back – Helping Others

Still Hopes is known as a place of hospitality blessed with a beautiful campus and exceptional facilities. Sharing is a cornerstone of our overall mission.  Our employees, residents and trustees give back through their time, talents, and resources.

WE VOLUNTEER at the Columbia Zoo, South Carolina State Museum, Harvest Hope Food Bank, and our respective churches, just to name a few of a long list.

WE SUPPORT other nonprofit organizations including the Alzheimer’s Association and Palmetto Project. We support American troops through the Ships Project, clothe poverty-stricken children through Knit for Kids, and help families in need during the holidays through Families Helping Families.

WE DONATE to Harvest Hope Food Bank and local hospitals. We provide abused children with stuffed animals through Kids in Crisis. We offer meeting space to community groups such as Palmetto Senior Care, Women in Philanthropy, and the American Red Cross.

WE SPONSOR programming to better the community. We partnered with AARP and the Lieutenant Governor’s Office on Aging to sponsor Staying Sharp, a seminar on mental fitness.

WE TEACH programs that are open to the community.  Check out the Still Hopes Classroom or the Wellness Classes for more information.

Visit our new website and join our e-list.  We’ll keep you up-to-date about all the activities and programs at Still Hopes.

Emotional Attachment to Columbia Area Strong and Growing

According to the Soul of the Community Study:   social offerings (fun places to gather), openness (how welcoming a place is) and basic services (community infrastructure) are the most important factors in emotionally connecting metro-Columbia residents to where they live.

The rich lifestyle, relaxed pace and temperate climate make Columbia a leading U.S. retirement destination.  In 2009, the city was named one of Money Magazine’s “25 Best Places to Retire” and was one of  U.S.  News Group’s 10 “Best Affordable Places to Retire.”  And for the sixth consecutive year, Still Hopes received Columbia Metropolitan Magazine’s “Best Of” Award for Active Adult/Retirement Communities.

Schedule a tour today and see for yourself why the Columbia area continues to be the best place to retire in the south!  803-739-5040  or visit the Still Hopes website.