Alyse Howard is the health club coach at Brookdale Glen Ellyn, a residential community offering independent and assisted living options for seniors. One of their many health-focused programs is a small health club with NuStep and HUR SmartCard strength training equipment. Health club members receive personalized circuit plans and trainer-supervised sessions.
Q: Your gym is small. What kind of impact does that have on your facility?
It is small. But, it is also a great contributor to our ability to help people age in place. We help residents increase or maintain their strength, stability, and overall independence. That means fewer falls, fewer complications, and fewer moves to skilled care facilities. That’s great for our residents and great for us. The HUR equipment plays a role in all of that.
“We help residents increase or maintain their strength, stability, and overall independence.”
Q: What motivates your residents to join your gym?
A: For most, it all comes down to a firm belief that “you use it or you lose it.” Aging in place is very important to our residents. Many are afraid of falling, so their focus is on building core and lower body strength. Often, our members come to us after a fall. Residents frequently join the gym to continue recovery after their formal rehab is completed. But, no matter why they start, they stay because they see results, they like the social interaction and they value the one-on-one trainer support.
Q: Tell me more about your one-on-one support?
A: A big part of it is developing personalized plans and re-assessing or adjusting them on the spot. I also demonstrate how to get on and off equipment safely, check postures and provide encouragement. Creating a safe and supportive environment helps people feel confident about being active. Members range in age from 65 to 103 and include people in wheelchairs, amputees, stroke victims. Despite their challenges, with HUR Smart technology and a little supervision, they can enjoy the health benefits and confidence that come from accomplishing a workout with a high degree of independence.
