Soothing music fills the room as Waldo Cecil lies beneath a soft sheet. Cocooned in relaxing smells and dim light, the Tower at The Oaks resident has come to the Tower’s luxurious Spa & Wellness Center for a massage, manual manipulation of soft body tissues that will loosen tight muscles, help him relax and sleep well.
Massage therapist Tina Craig first rubs Cecil’s back and shoulders using long gliding strokes that replicate the movements of the circulatory system. This Swedish technique offers benefits for issues other than stiffness or muscle aches and pains, increasing circulation and flexibility, enhancing the immune system, improving concentration and mental clarity and helping with injury rehabilitation.
That Cecil can walk out of the door of his apartment and to the Spa & Wellness Center for such pampering without ever leaving the Tower is among resort-style amenities that sets The Oaks of Louisiana apart from other senior living communities.
The salon is designed to pamper, offering services equal to those in the city’s leading spas.
Cecil’s wife, Nancy, enjoys facials and like her husband says the ability to take advantage of such salon services without leaving home is “fabulous!”
“To have at your disposal that care and attention by professionals is quite an asset,” she says.
While facials are relaxing and she feels wonderful after, Nancy Cecil says taking care of one’s skin and developing a skin care routine is important. “Skin is one of the largest organs our body has. Good skin care can slow down the harmful effects of time and the environment.”
Massages, facials and other salon services such as manicures and pedicures are offered by the Spa & Wellness Center to assist residents in maintaining an optimal lifestyle, says Holly Sanders, manager/senior wellness coordinator. While these services may seem like a decadent luxury, health professionals recognize the benefits that spa services provide, especially to senior adults.
“We want residents to feel refreshed, relaxed and rejuvenated after they visit the Spa & Wellness Center, whether they have been soothed by a relaxing facial, massage, manicure or pedicure,” Sanders says. “At the same time, we know that spa services can improve senior healthcare in a variety of ways. It helps senior adults look good and feel good and helps them live healthier, happier lives.”
Pampering plus benefits.