If the sun is shining outside Helen Yano’s apartment in Kapolei, it’s a good bet you won’t find the retired teacher sitting around indoors.

One morning she’ll take part in a low-impact cycling class; the next day it might be Zumba, golf, a leisurely walk — or even balloon volleyball. In the afternoon, she might hang out with friends making bead bracelets and necklaces, play some ukulele kanikapila-style or press her luck with some Texas Hold ‘Em.

“I don’t want to sit on a sofa and watch television all day,” explained Yano, 87. “You’ve got to keep moving. I never rest during the day here.”

“Here” is ‘Ilima at Leihano, a senior living community located on 3.8 acres of land in Kapolei that currently serves 73 residents. Part of Yano’s rent includes access to a full slate of programs and services designed to engage seniors and match their lifestyle with appropriate activities.

FOR MANY years Yano stayed busy as an elementary teacher at St. Anthony School in Kailua in the 1960s and ’70s, and again from 1995 until her retirement in 2002. She raised two kids with her husband, James, who worked as a hospital administrator at St. Francis Medical Center.

She took aerobics classes at gyms like Punahou Spa and 24-Hour Fitness. The couple also began playing golf together as they got older, but eventually, as her husband’s health declined due to Alzheimer’s, caring for him became her focus.

About six months after her husband’s death in 2016, Yano was among the first dozen residents to move into ‘Ilima at Leihano last year. She was impressed by the variety of activities available and the freedom to pick and choose among the offerings.

“At the time of my retirement, I felt I needed development spiritually, physically and mentally,” Yano said. “And that’s what I did. I exercised, did a lot of reading and crossword puzzles, and then there was socializing and being active in church. Then I had to take care of my husband.”

Being at ‘Ilima at Leihano has allowed her to refocus on making sure she maintains a healthy, balanced lifestyle, Yano said.

“Of course, we all know how important exercise is to us. For me, I think I need the exercise because we eat so well here! So it’s to help keep my weight down.

“And during the summer, the pool is perfect. It’s so shallow, all I do is my water exercises. And we do have a whirlpool and sauna that we’re able to use,” she said.

‘Ilima at Leihano executive director Mark Tsuda immediately noticed Yano’s enthusiasm and recruited her into service as a resident ambassador, welcoming new residents.

“Mrs. Yano is so outgoing and so friendly,” Tsuda said. “She’s so, so helpful, particularly when we have new residents. If they’re a little nervous, she’ll sit with them for meals and introduce them around.”

Yano said her 5 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren are relatively frequent visitors, and that having regular intergenerational socialization another thing that keeps her active. While being physically active is key, she said, it’s just as important to maintain a schedule of activities that are mentally stimulating.

“We made a printout of the phone numbers for each of the malls and all the new stores to go with a map. These are things I do normally and would have done at home (before moving to Kapolei),” she said.

“We’ve done early morning breakfasts, getting the old and new residents together and telling stories,” said Yano. “It’s so neat to see because they’re all so different. And I think I’ve learned how to respect people for who they are.”