Vi Stoltz is stepping into her ninth decade of life — and she’s hungry for more. “I believe I can do anything,” Vi said, with a simple shrug and smile in the hallway of Westhills Village Independent Living. “Why not?” Vi has lived at Westhills Village for seven years and is the face of what experts would call aging well — hitting on a triad of elements to maintain her health including physical activity, good nutrition and socialization. It’s all about brain health, said Erin Smith, who has served as the Community Life Director at Westhills for 14 years. “Two elements really go hand in hand: exercise and nutrition,” she said. “Those really are the two things you can control to help your brain health.”
Simply being around other people can help too. Vi exercises and volunteers nearly every day of the week. She helps with exercise classes and birthday parties, started the village newsletter and is involved in a writing group, senior Toast Masters — a public- speaking club — and a scrabble group.
Blossoming
The excitement of her upcoming birthday party mimics the energy of a youngster. “We’ve ordered 13 dozen bundt cakes and my family is coming,” she said, before joking that if 100 people don’t show up, she’s “gonna raise a fuss.” Not everyone has to do as much as Vi, Erin said, but a little bit every day can make a difference in quality
of life long-term. She has continually witnessed the positive effects of residents pursuing health. One woman moved into the Village after her husband passed and immediately locked into the exercise classes to help her heal.
“She just blossomed,” Erin said. “She used to exercise, but she got here and really did a lot more because it was at her fingertips. Her love of healthy living helped her cognitive reserve.”
The Way We Live
Several residents gathered at the Village on a recent morning to take an exercise class hosted by Jan McGrath, owner of Pilates Whole Body. She created a NeuroPower exercise system (see next page) and does both in-person and zoom classes. The movements are small, slow and steady, but important.
“It’s about reconnecting the body and the brain so they know what to expect when they have an unsafe situation,” Erin said, which could include something like stepping off a curb or getting thrown off-balance. Jan said linking class movements to everyday life is essential, especially for older adults. “I use simple, neurocentric exercises designed to strengthen the brain-body connection — like safely getting up from a chair, reaching overhead, turning quickly, or walking on uneven ground like grass or gravel,” she said. “These are real challenges many face as they age.”
Phyllis Walters has lived at Westhills for three months. She has exercised regularly for years, but she has seen an improvement in her macular degeneration after participating in Jan’s class. “My peripheral vision is better,” she said. Erin said healthy lifestyle changes at an early age, even for someone with a genetic disposition for Alzheimer’s or dementia, can change the trajectory of their health when they are elderly. “It’s like Type II diabetes,” Erin said. “The way we live our lives can ward off some of the dementia symptoms.”
Just Keep Moving
Social activity stimulates parts of the brain that even diet and nutrition can’t touch, which is why living in a community during an older age is a benefit. In a long-term study by the National Institute on Aging, researchers analyzed data from more than 7,000 participants age 65 and older and found that high social engagement, including visiting with neighbors and doing volunteer work, was associated with better cognitive health in later life.
Jeanne Kirsch has lived at Westhills for a decade. “This community is unbelievable,” she said. “If I’m struggling with depression, I just get out of my room. I attribute the shape I’m in to this place and all that is offered.” Erin just wants to keep residents moving, and encouraged. Westhills also offers a swimming pool, dance classes, billiards and an annual class called Boost Your Brain. “Our brain health can be worked on from a very young age, there’s no wrong time to start and it’s never too late to start exercising,” she said.
Vi is game for it. No excuses, she said. “You can do anything here,” she said. “If there isn’t anything you like to do, then start it.”
Brain Health Benefits
The brain never stops learning, it just needs the right input, explained Jan McGrath. Jan has created a NeuroPower exercise system that she teaches at Westhills Village to help residents reduce pain, improve movement and rebuild confidence.
Jan specializes in neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s built-in ability to rewire, adapt, and grow at any age. “Yes, the aging brain is more prone to decline, but it’s also full of untapped potential,” she said.
Use It or Lose It
The brain is a ‘use it or lose it’ organ, she explained. “With the right targeted easy brain-specific exercises, you can train it to move better, feel better, and live better. This is the way to future-proof your brain and movement quality.”
During a recent class, Jan encouraged residents to move through exercises at their own pace, including mini squats to test knee strength, walking in place with the head turned to the wall or standing and placing one foot behind to tap their toe.
Mary Burnett has scoliosis and Jan’s teaching has made a difference. “One of my sides is weaker and I can already tell a difference,” she said. Many traditional exercise programs focus on movement from the neck down, on muscles and joints, Jan explained. “They treat the symptom, but miss the real driver — your brain,” she added.
Brain-first
A “brain-first approach” focuses from the neck up and puts the brain in the driver’s seat, where it belongs. “Imagine your brain as the conductor of an orchestra — when it’s tuned and focused, your body moves with effortless grace and confidence,” Jan said.
Those brain signals can become fuzzy, especially as you age, making balance unstable and movement painful. “Too often, we wait until we’re seniors to pay attention to brain health — but the truth is, the best time to strengthen it is now, before decline sets in. Training the brain sharpens those signals, helping your muscles respond quicker and smoother. This isn’t just about relieving pain — it’s about improving your stability, preventing falls, enhancing movement quality and overcoming the fear of falling that keeps so many people sidelined.”
Jan said she’s passionate about her work because she knows it’s making a difference. “My goal is simple: to help every person regain their freedom of movement — free from fear, hesitation, or doubt,” she said. “People can move through life unanchored by pain or the fear of falling. They gain real, lasting independence — and the courage to fully embrace life at any age.”