MANATEE, Fla. (AP) - Some of the roughly 50 residents of the Windsor of Bradenton’s assisted living community started walking Wednesday toward Times Square in New York City, where they hope to arrive just in time to see the ball drop for 2017.
Don’t panic.
These elderly residents, who average about 79 years of age, aren’t really leaving their facility across from State College of Florida and hiking north on busy Interstate 95.
Equipped with pedometers on their hips, the residents and their staff leaders plan to log every step they take from now until Dec. 31 in Bradenton - including just walking to the Windsor dining hall and the Windsor parking lot - in the hopes that their combined steps will add up to the 1,163-mile trek to New York.
A dozen residents and staff, led by 95-year-old resident Lucy Iasevoli, got the program underway Wednesday with a stroll through the Windsor parking lot, on the sidewalk on 60th Avenue West in front of their facility, then back inside - maybe 200 steps each or so.
“It felt good,” Iasevoli said.
Iasevoli is Windsor’s “ringer.”
“Right after my breakfast, I walk all around the premises,” Iasevoli whispered.
The whole idea of a virtual walk to Manhattan and then a huge celebratory party if they make it was hatched by Kindred at Home, the largest provider of home health, hospice and community care services company in the nation, said Stacy Bromell, area vice president of specialty sales for Kindred.
Kindred at Home not only provides the program free to any senior center as a “community give-back” but also comes to the facility to educate the staff on how to do it and help the residents prepare for it.
Bromell was one of a handful of Kindred at Home employees at the Bradenton rollout, including Jennifer Richardson, David Ostroski and Bijou Ikli.
“I love the whole idea of it,” said Faythe Askew, Windsor’s life enrichment coordinator. “Getting the residents to exercise is one thing, but to actually have them prove the program is working by taking their step record to their doctors and being able to tell them they walked miles is also great. I’m excited to see the ones who aren’t participating start participating because they will be more active.”
Windsor’s seniors will each be on a team of four or five people, and the team with the most miles logged will get special recognition, said Debbie Luther, resident director at the Windsor.
“Each staff member at the Windsor will have a team and will walk along with the residents daily,” Luther said. “We are planning a ball drop of our own and a big party when we reach our goal.”
Although last week marked the first launch of Step On It! in Bradenton, it is available for any assisted living, independent living, senior associates or senior care center, Bromell said.
Starting a walking program for 79-year-olds who have not walked regularly is not something to be taken lightly.
Seniors often fall.
Windsor residents assembled in the dining hall at 10:30 a.m. to get a pep talk from Luther, Bromell and a guest speaker, retired NFL coach John Guy, on how to best go from being couch potatoes to spitfires.
Guy urged the residents to place their walking shoes and walking outfits near their beds the night before so they have no excuses about getting their gear.
Bromell talked about five ways to avoid falls.
The five are “move regularly to keep muscles strong, wear shoes that work, get to know the side effects of your medicines, have your vision checked and make your home safe,” Bromell said. “It doesn’t have to be an expensive pair of shoes, just a comfortable pair that you can walk in.”
The average number of daily medications that 79-year-olds take is 12, Bromell added.
“If you take more than four medications a day, the research shows there is a higher rate of problems with balance,” Bromell told the crowd. “So, you want to make sure you understand your medications. Know the side effects. Take the medications consistently and review the medications with your physician. If you have a new medication, make sure you understand it.”
Since seniors get their eyeglass prescriptions changed often, the new eyeglasses might change balance, Bromell cautioned.
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Information from: The Bradenton (Fla.) Herald , https://www.bradenton.com
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