With the new year in full swing, many resolutions are quickly fading away as motivation wanes and Valentine’s Day chocolates appear on supermarket shelves. But for the residents of The Buckingham, an SQLC retirement community, a new cutting-edge health and wellness center is making it easier to stay active. When Jill Bott makes her daily trip to the wellness center, she finds a place where she can enhance her health and well-being in a peaceful, encouraging environment. The premiere wellness center boasts two floors dedicated to the enhancement of residents’ overall health and fitness. Whether through the use of state-of-the-art equipment or participation in one of the many fitness classes available, residents have a multitude of options to choose from to create their own individual fitness regimens. For Bott, having the ability to tailor her activities to fit her schedule and personal goals means she can find the motivation she needs to stay active and pursue a healthy lifestyle at any time.
“I’m in the wellness center just about every day,” said Bott. “The time I spend is never wasted, as I am constantly pushing myself to improve. Being able to come to the wellness center and find peace is something I enjoy every time I walk in the door. By exercising regularly and staying active, I’ve been able to improve my balance and flexibility. It’s so good for all of us to exercise when we can, especially because there’s so many different options to choose from, and everyone can benefit in some way. The wellness center here at The Buckingham is an excellent resource that provides us with a multitude of convenient options.”
Under the watch of Carolyn Teague, fitness specialist at The Buckingham, residents find the encouragement and motivation promoted by Masterpiece Living® philosophy, they need to make choices that not only benefit their bodies, but every aspect of their lives.
“We want the residents to come to the wellness center and find an activity or a program that they can become passionate about,” said Teague. “It’s important to remember that exercise isn’t just a stimulation for the physical, but the mental, emotional and spiritual as well. Whether a resident finishes a three mile walk or 30 minutes in a bench blast class, we want each person to walk away feeling empowered and capable of doing anything. What makes our health and wellness center so special is that it allows residents to find their inner strength and fortify their dedication to bettering their physical health.”
For resident Dick Humphrey, his almost religious dedication to an active lifestyle began nearly 40 years ago after major heart surgery. Since then, Humphrey is much more aware of the steps he can take bolster his health. Since his retirement, Humphrey makes an effort to visit the wellness center every day. Whether he stops in for 30 minutes on the treadmill or various intervals of weights and other equipment, it’s never time put to waste.
“While I was committed to exercise long before coming to The Buckingham, I’ve found that I can truly benefit by taking advantage of the available amenities,” said Humphrey. “I’m mostly self-motivated when it comes to exercise, and it’s good to know that I’m encouraged to do what works best for me. I still follow a lot of the same regimens and workouts I have for years because they give me a lot of flexibility to do what I like at my leisure.”
Residents will soon find the wellness center to be the center of activity for the upcoming “Living It” program, a month-long initiative that will focus on inspiring senior residents to live a more engaged and active lifestyle. The four-week campaign will center on The Buckingham’s Masterpiece Living® program philosophy, which embraces a wellness-minded attitude and encourages learning throughout the aging process, focusing on an individual’s key development areas – physical, intellectual, social and spiritual.
“We’re proud of our wellness center and the ability to offer residents a quality space where they can come to strengthen themselves,” said Julie Fenske, executive director of The Buckingham. “With the start of our upcoming ‘Living It’ program around the corner, we’re looking forward to seeing residents come to the wellness center and find something new that will build their overall health and wellness at our community.”
