To make their New Year’s resolutions worthwhile, residents at Presbyterian Village North, a nonprofit senior living community in Dallas, are partaking in Texercise, a 12-week statewide health promotion program of the Texas government. Texercise encourages individuals and communities to incorporate additional healthy lifestyle habits such as physical activity and improved nutrition into their daily routines. The program starts this month and more than 60 residents have already signed up. Texercise not only encourages activity in older Texans, it also provides educational sessions on physical health and nutrition. The program will include new fitness classes, educational activities and social events. Shannon Radford, wellness director at Presbyterian Village North (PVN), will lead the program and has tailored it to the needs and interests of residents at the senior living community.
“It is imperative to exercise throughout your entire life, even in retirement,” said Radford. “According to the National Institute on Aging, staying active as you get older can help you keep and improve your strength so you can stay independent, increase energy and improve balance. In addition, physical activity can prevent or delay some diseases like heart disease, diabetes and osteoporosis and reduce depression. We are excited to extend this opportunity to our residents to help them enhance their healthy fitness habits and learn more about all aspects of wellness. This program is excellent because it will give them goals to work toward with the support of neighbors and friends.”
Radford worked with fellow team members at PVN to develop the program. Two new classes initiated by Texercise are “Tex for 20,” which combines 20 minutes of physical activity followed by a discussion on health, and “Fit for the Health of It,” an educational series featuring informative topics covering heart health, stress management, nutrition, exercise and more. The community is introducing new classes such as a Pilates mat class, “De-Stress Yoga” and “Relax and Unwind,” a class focusing on visualization, aromatherapy and quieting the mind and will also continue to offer its regularly scheduled classes.
“All participants will receive incentives for partaking in the exercise and educational classes,” said Radford. “The State of Texas provides pedometers, t-shirts, water bottles, exercise kits and more to older adults as they reach goals they have set throughout the course of Texercise. Residents will sign a pledge at the beginning stating their desired fitness goals. This pledge will serve as a daily reminder of their commitment. To celebrate the completion of program, we will host a big party with a fun walk, band and refreshments. We are calling it “Any Way Any K,” meaning that residents can complete any number of kilometers, by running or walking, to celebrate their fitness achievements.”
“We are delighted to participate in a program that is sure to change the lives of older adults all over Texas. Wellness is a huge component of the amenities offered at Presbyterian Village North,” said Ron Kelly, executive director at PVN. “We recently broke ground on an expansion project that will feature a new lifestyle fitness center. It will be the jewel of the campus, offering an additional swimming pool, Jacuzzi spa, locker rooms and an expansion of the group exercise area. This building will have a spa suitable for massages and other spa-like activities, a clinic for physicians and other clinicians and a café that will boast a light and healthy menu. The new lifestyle fitness center is expected to open in 2016. Our team works diligently to provide the best wellness amenities and programs in North Dallas.”
ABOUT PRESBYTERIAN VILLAGE NORTH
Presbyterian Village North, a Presbyterian Communities and Services community, is a faith-based nonprofit continuing care retirement community for active adults aged 62 or older offering independent living, assisted living, short-stay rehab services, skilled nursing and certified memory care. Nestled among 63 acres of wildflower gardens and putting greens in North Dallas, independent living residents may choose from executive homes, patio homes or garden apartments. Assisted living residents enjoy private apartments, and private and shared suites are offered for licensed nursing care, rehabilitation therapy, memory care and hospice care. Amenities include an 1,800- square-foot wellness center, computer center, billiards room, salon, meeting rooms, woodshop, library, business center, sewing center, pottery and craft center, fulltime chaplain and weekly worship services and a 250-seat performing arts center. In 2011, Presbyterian Village North opened the nation’s most innovative therapy pool, the HydroWorx 3500, with underwater treadmill, gait monitoring and massage jets, as part of its comprehensive wellness program. The retirement community was named one of the nation’s best for 2013 and 2014 by U.S. News & World Report and Medicare, which ranks it 5 star. For more information, please visit www.prescs.org.
ABOUT PRESBYTERIAN COMMUNITIES AND SERVICES
Presbyterian Communities and Services, located in Dallas, is a faith-based nonprofit organization comprised of U.S. News & World Report-recognized continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs)—Grace Presbyterian Village and Presbyterian Village North—and the leading hospice services of Faith Presbyterian Hospice. The organization fulfills its mission of empowering individuals to live their lives to the fullest by providing a standard for excellence, premier training, quality services and compassionate care. With a 79-year shared legacy, Presbyterian Communities and Services was established in 2008 to join the two CCRCs and hospice organization. For additional information, please visit www.prescs.org.