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Fun and Imagination Along With Physical Benefits
You might be surprised to enter the Recreation Room at Stein Assisted Living and find a group of residents who appear to be playing musical instruments – except there are no instruments! In fact, the residents are engaging in an activity called “Front Row Orchestra,” one of 21 activities that make up the Ageless Grace® program, a seated exercise program that works the core and activates different organs and systems of the body. In “Front Row Orchestra,” participants are asked to recall the names of different instruments and demonstrate how to play them, combining memory, imagination and motion in an enjoyable activity with others.
A Wonderful Way to Get Moving!
Jackie Kott, ADC/AL, Director of Recreation at Stein Assisted Living, recognized the value of the Ageless Grace® program and brought in Roz Gerken, a trained educator, to implement it. The 21 tools of the program are based on the science of neuroplasticity—the ability of the brain to change structurally and functionally. Anyone, at any age, including those with physical disabilities and challenges, can participate at his or her own level of ability. Performing the exercises in a chair increases stability and range of motion, so the exercises are perfect for those who have weight issues, are in wheelchairs or have other physical limitations.
Re-Opening Pathways to Stimulate the Body
From birth through approximately the age of 21, the brain is busy creating a complex web of neural pathways. As we age, the skills that were developed through childhood games, sports and leisure activities are no longer practiced in adulthood. Ageless Grace® serves to re-open those pathways and stimulate new ones by having participants perform movements that are novel and creative. Utilizing a variety of props and music never fails to bring smiles to the faces of residents! The exercises activate not only the body’s core but also the respiratory, endocrine and digestive systems.
Participants Welcome!
Enthusiasm for the Ageless Grace® program is infectious. It is not uncommon to see aides follow along, joining in the bending and stretching exercises, along with office staff who may be wandering by. Everyone is welcome to join in! Each Ageless Grace® session ends with the educator making eye contact with everyone in the room in a closing ritual, wishing them a good day and recognizing each person, one at a time.
Ageless Grace® is a wonderful addition to the recreation activities at Stein Assisted Living. To find out more about this and other recreation activities for residents, contact Jackie Kott, Recreation Director, at (732) 568-1155, ext. 324 or [email protected].
The Oscar and Ella Wilf Campus for Senior Living is comprised of Stein Assisted Living, Jaffa Gate Memory Care Neighborhood, Stein Hospice, Wilentz Senior Residence, Wilf Transport, and The Foundation at the Wilf Campus. For more information, contact us at (732) 568-1155, [email protected] or visit us at www.wilfcampus.org.