By Program and Events Coordinator Jena Necrason
This quote by playwright George Bernard Shaw expresses something deeply connected to the joy we find in living and inspires us to keep our spirit of play as we move through the stages of our lives.
We hope that we can inhabit our body with an energetic mind that helps us fulfill our true potential. We hope to give our mind the gift of a body that is strong and resilient. The synergy of mind and body helps us continue to embrace wellness, even when the going gets tough.
Working as Program and Events Coordinator here at Wake Robin has taught me many new things about active aging. As part of the team who oversees all wellness programs and fitness spaces on campus, we keep asking two questions:
Is this an innovative way of looking at things?
How can we continue to push ourselves to embrace new and engaging trends in active aging wellness?
Residents working out on the new Keiser training machines
In December of 2019, Wake Robin opened a new Fitness Center. Our new space offers diverse options for residents to have their Wellness needs met right here on our beautiful campus. Our Strength Studio is full of state-of-the-art Keiser Strength Training equipment. Our Cardio Area includes numerous machines ranging from a NordicTrack Spin Bike with technology that connects the user to online workout sessions both at gyms and in spectacular outdoor locations around the globe, to recumbent bikes that support a more rehabilitation-focused workout or a low-impact exercise session.
We look for ways to offer continuing education opportunities as part of our wellness program. Interactive workshops that demonstrate equipment use, ideas for progression of exercises, and how to use newer-trend handheld equipment are a fun way to encourage confidence and motivate residents to use the new space. This initiative is key to offering residents the opportunity to see themselves as active participants, break down barriers, and find community around wellness. Our goal is to demystify the conversation, so our residents feel included and curious to know more.
Residents are excited to find, or re-connect with, their most-healthy self and this can lead to increased fitness levels, sharper brain health, and a boost in social engagement. Empowered by knowledge and basic building blocks, residents start to envision the Fitness Center as part of who they are.
This is an exciting time for Wake Robin. We are ready to meet the future in health and happiness and just as importantly, with a continuous spirit of play.
