Garden Spot Village Introduces “HealthAbility” For Residents

Free program provides coaching to help participants reach their personal goals

NEW HOLLAND, Pa. — Dec. 10, 2009 — Why wait until New Year’s to make resolutions? At Garden Spot Village, residents who want to make positive changes in their lives can get help with setting their goals—and staying focused on them—thanks to an innovative new program that the retirement community is now offering. Through the HealthAbility program developed by Sodexo Senior Services, Garden Spot Village residents get the support of a coach who can help them stay on track—whether they want to read a new book each week, walk 10,000 steps a day or just be able to touch their toes.

“This is a wonderful thing for Garden Spot to initiate for us,” said Carol Wendel, 75, a six-year resident of the community who is involved with HealthAbility as a participant and as a coach. She also represents residents as a member of the community’s multidisciplinary Lifestyle Team, which planned and implemented the program.

“As we age, it’s vital that we maintain a lifestyle that has purpose and remain independent for as long as we can,” said Wendel. The program, “helps you set your goals and provides the support to help you reach them.”

Those goals might involve any of the eight dimensions of wellness: physical, nutritional intellectual, spiritual, environmental, emotional, social and community. The program provides recommended guidelines.

“There are always areas in our lives in which to learn or further develop, and HealthAbility encourages residents to intentionally ask themselves what they want to do and how they want to grow,” said Jenny Bare, continuing care social worker at Garden Spot Village and the HealthAbility coordinator. The coaches received training to help residents identify their specific individual areas of focus. “The training provided tools to use to help residents clearly define their goals, which are more effective when they are specific and measurable.” 

For example, some of the areas Wendel chose to focus on are exercise and nutrition. She goes to church regularly, attends Bible study and volunteers with the community’s Caring Connections, so she felt her spirituality was already strong.

“I took my weaker points,” she said. She also knows she needs to ask for support when she’s feeling down. “It’s all part of putting this pie together.”

Elizabeth Martin, who celebrated her 100th birthday on Nov. 2, was one of the first residents to sign up for the program.

“My lifestyle goal is to have better balance, so I thought HealthAbility might be for me and signed up to complete the fitness assessments,” Martin said. “Staying active at 100 years old is more important than ever.”

Bob and Ruth Bunton, 70 and 68, also signed on as participants immediately.

“HealthAbility has given both us more awareness of our whole person and the conscious choices we make in our daily lives to be healthy,” the couple said. “We want to continue to be self-reliant and active as we age together.”

HealthAbility attracted Garden Spot Village management because the program looks at the whole person, and is not a “one-size-fits-all” approach.

“It’s not just a ‘do more exercise’ program,” said John Farber, Garden Spot Village’s chief operating officer, who was instrumental in bringing the program to the community. “It drives down to residents’ individual abilities to sustain wellness or to get well. No matter what their abilities, we can meet them where they are and offer tools to improve their wellness.”

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