The fitness center at Foulkeways has been in existence for over 20 years. Carolyn Leevy, the director of Foulkeways fitness center said, “The main goal of the fitness center is to help residents maintain a life that is independent.” Foulkeways looks at independent living as not just applying to physical life, but also to social, spiritual and intellectual life. The fitness center is there to enhance these other components of independent living by emphasizing functional fitness. Besides strength and endurance, balance and flexibility are also important helping the individual to keep their level of and even improve personal and skilled care.
The fitness center is open every day, and half of the residents use it. Each resident who wants to participate gets a personal evaluation by Carolyn and after being evaluated is given a personal program designed specifically for the individual, stressing the fitness goals they want to achieve. There are programs to increase core strength, balance and osteoporosis. The Center is also equipped indoor 65' x 25' heated pool where people who may have problems with weight bearing can do things like water walking and water aerobics and exercises for people suffering from arthritis.
Carolyn Leevy sees the program as a big success because there are residents who began with her 19 years ago when she first started and are still going to the center. She says proudly of Foulkeways residents in her programs, “These residents work hard and they are very serious.”
Attleboro Retirement Village
Activities director Starla Schwartz Is excited about all the activities they have for residents at Attleboro Retirement Village. “Every day there is something,” she says. One popular program they have is Seniorcise with Eddi. Eddi is an exercise instructor who makes it fun for the post-62-year-olds that live in this independent living village. For those who want a more strenuous workout, there is Tiffany. Her classes are called Smart Moves. Tiffany is a personal trainer and exercise practitioner, who can tailor her program to meet the individual needs of the residents. When she works with someone, she can do things like measure a resident’s range of motion and have them work to improve it or help them build muscle in an area that may be weakened.
Workshops that residents can participate include everything from increasing strength and balance to getting more aerobically fit. There is a fitness room for individual exercise. In the fitness room there is plenty of equipment, including bicycles, treadmills, weight benches and weights, bands for resistance training and a workout bench. Swimming is done off the Attleboro grounds at the Newtown Athletic Club.
Starla, as activities director also makes up the calendars of activities, which include fitness classes and everything else from entertainers coming in, to bingo and trips. Fitness at Attleboro includes both the mind and the body.
Pennswood Village
Working on strength, flexibility and balance is a life long activity. How much better could it be than to have a state-of-the-art fitness facility within walking distance of your front door all included in your monthly fee. The Passmore Center has all the latest fitness equipment as well as an aerobics room, a 60-foot cool water lap pool and a warm water exercise pool with a soothing bubble couch. Fitness instructors are available to help create your personalized fitness programs and to answer your questions. Classes are designed to increase strength, balance and flexibility. Enjoy taking tai chi, aerobic and arthritis classes along with many water fitness classes, such as the healthy backs class, water line dancing, water volleyball, deep water noodles, water Pilates, and other things, including walks and bike rides outdoors. And, best of all, with the Pennswood Village fitness program, you may invite your family members to come join you.