Communities

Affinity Living Group Launches Daily Exercise Campaign Utilizing National Institute on Aging Resources

June 5, 2019

HICKORY, NC–Affinity Living Group (ALG) has launched a physical activity and exercise program across its more than 120 communities this month, using the science-based information from Go4Life®, an outreach initiative developed by the National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health. The Hickory-based senior housing company will be tracking participation in its Go4Life® campaign this summer, leading up to National Go4Life Month in September.

“We are excited that ALG, a Go4Life® partner, is launching this national campaign in all of its communities,” said Stephanie Dailey, director of Go4Life® at the National Institute on Aging (NIA). “ALG recognizes that physical activity is key to the health and well-being of its residents, and we are delighted that Go4Life® resources will be the cornerstone of this innovative campaign.”

This week, ALG’s more than 7,000 residents began the daily exercise and physical activity campaign, while team members at the company’s headquarters in Hickory joined together with shake weights, resistance bands and strength-training teddy bears to show support.

“The healthier that we are, the better life we live,” said Julie Walker, Director of Dementia Care for ALG, who has worked to launch the campaign across the company. “As we age, we tend to lose our balance, our flexibility, and our endurance is not as great. By doing these choreographed movements, we can help our residents have better days, we can help reduce their falls, we can help them have more mobility and a better range of motion.”

The Go4Life® campaign focuses on four key areas—endurance, strength, balance and flexibility. NIA offers a guide to types of exercises in each of these areas, and ALG teams have trained community leaders on a variety of movement-centered activities as well.

ALG communities are also tracking resident participation in the daily exercise activities, using an application created specifically for the campaign. Throughout June, July and August, the designated Go4Life® leader at each community will be awarded a prize based on the highest number of residents participating for the month. In September, a “grand champion” will be named, and they will win a trip to Washington, D.C.

The goal of the incentives, Walker said, is to encourage the teams to get residents excited about participating in the exercise programs. Team members from the company’s home office will also be joining in and tracking participation with group exercises three days each week.

With more than 120 communities in 6 states, Affinity Living Group is the largest senior housing provider in the southeastern United States. Affinity’s mission is to provide a full continuum of housing and care services for older adults, delivered by a team of passionate and respectful professionals, at locations throughout the United States.

Related Articles

Back to top button