Residents at three Triad locations inspired by "100 Ways to Wellness"
GREENSBORO, NC (October 21, 2009) – Residents of three Triad senior living communities were recently introduced to a new program that included a checklist of 100 wellness activities, and the challenge to complete each within six months. The program, which has been honored with an Industry Innovator Award by the International Council on Active Aging, was developed by Kisco Senior Living communities in Greensboro and Winston-Salem as part of Kisco's unique The Art of Living WellSM culture.
The "100 Ways to Wellness" program was developed as an initiative to encourage community residents to stay active physically and mentally. According to Leigh Grimes, wellness director at Greensboro's Heritage Greens and one of three area wellness directors who collaborated to create the program, developing activities that engage seniors goes beyond exercise. "As wellness directors, we don't simply entertain our residents. It's our job to encourage the residents to be active members of the community and to provide opportunities for them to pursue their passions."
Through the program, residents were given journals that contained a list of 100 wellness activities. The residents were then asked to try to complete as many activities as possible in a six-month timeframe and to document their experience by writing in their journals.
Allison Pait, wellness director at Abbotswood at Irving Park in Greensboro, says the program inspired community residents to rise up to meet its challenges. "This program's tagline was ‘Dare to Make a Change,’ and it challenged our residents to step outside of their comfort zones and try things they had never dreamed of doing. The participants felt a great sense of accomplishment and pride in meeting these challenges."
Each of the 100 Ways to Wellness activities were designed to encourage residents to eat better, stay active, volunteer and to make environmentally friendly choices. Nicki Grudzinskas, wellness director at Heritage Woods in Winston-Salem, says that the program has made a lasting impact on its participants. "Residents became engaged in activities like writing to their congressman about important issues, learning to use e-mail, planting vegetable seeds and using coffee mugs instead of Styrofoam. The program really sparked new interests among our residents and we've seen an increase in awareness of various Green issues and greater participation in everything from computer classes to various community committees."
The International Council on Active Aging is an association that supports professionals who develop wellness programming and services for age 50-plus adults by providing education, resources and tools for promoting active aging. The annual Innovator awards honor excellence and creativity in the fields of health and wellness and are featured each year in the Journal on Active Aging. Award recipients each receive a crystal award of recognition, a one-year ICAA facility membership, and three full passes to the ICAA Conference 2009, which takes place December 3–5 in Orlando.
