Creating Your Personal Sterling Way Wellness Plan

When a resident moves into our community, he or she is given a wellness evaluation by our in-house Wellness Director. The evaluation includes, but is not limited to: a Balance Assessment, Flexibility Tests, Gait Analysis, overall Health Review, and overall summarization of lifestyle goals.

After the initial assessment is complete, a personal wellness plan is created for and with the resident, whether it is starting with the basic activity classes above or one-on-one training to work toward a more specific goal, including:

• Walking
• Reduction of Parkinsonian syndrome symptoms
• Stroke recovery
• Post-surgical rehabilitation
• Strength
• Balance

The resident’s Wellness Plan is communicated to and reviewed by the resident’s physician if appropriate. If home health is the initial recommendation, our wellness director is in communication with the Physical/Occupational/Speech Therapist. When the insurance coverage lapses, there is a smooth transition from the home health therapy to our wellness program.

If overall strength and balance is the goal, our residents will start with the one-on-one sessions with the wellness director. After short-term goals are reached through the one-on-one sessions, integration into our group health and fitness classes and water aerobics program is recommended.

Residents who need general maintenance of strength and balance are recommended to start with our chair classes (Sittersize, Chair Yoga, Chair Tai Chi) as well as our Water Aerobics Class. Residents are frequently reassessed for short-term goals.

Chair Yoga: “Gentle Yoga”

Offers you the ability to improve your health without needing to stand. You are supported by a chair so you can receive yoga’s healing and restorative benefits that have been known for thousands of years. Yoga clients can learn many kinds of yoga postures, breathing techniques, meditation, and ways of relaxation, with the aid of a chair.

Benefits:

• Relaxes your body and mind
• Improves musculoskeletal fitness
• Improves flexibility
• Elevates overall health and well-being
• Helps people with:
  • Hypertension
  • Anxiety
  • Chronic fatigue syndrome
  • Arthritis
  • Vertigo
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome

Water Aerobics

Workout provides a cardiovascular burn with light resistance. Water provides resistance against the body preventing any of your joints from moving too quickly. The buoyancy of the water helps to support a portion of your weight, reducing the load on your joints. Exercising in water makes you feel about 90% lighter, and water produces 12 times the resistance of air on your body.

Ideal for those with: Arthritis, Back problems, foot and leg injuries, and knee conditions.

Benefits:

• Helps prevent hyperextension and repetitive stress injuries
• Reduces blood pressure
• Improves artery health
• Increases circulation
• Raises metabolism rate

BioDex Balance Challenge

15-20 minute personalized sessions

Helps to increase control and balance. Program is individualized to help with balance issues such as, vertigo, extreme supination or pronation, weak ankles, little to no proprioception, weight bearing, total lower extremity joint replacement rehab, plantar flexion & extension and much more.

Machine assesses balance and fall risk acuity, tracks progress and conducts progress notes of patients.

Benefits:

• Improved balance
• Improved walking
• Reduces fall risks
• Reduces need for walker