Team Assisted Care: Physical Fitness Fun and Function Model!

The goal of Team Assisted Care is to find alternative ways to exercise that are both fun and functional and Chair Zumba is a perfect fit. Chair dancing to the Latin sounds of Zumba music and the golden oldies can just get the feet tapping and moving in the most interesting patterns that strangely look like exercises for the hips, legs, and ankles. Team Assisted Care is comprised of radiant-beings who love to stay strong and to take advantage of every opportunity for being "fully human and fully alive"

A Place to Begin

Using the Dimensions of Wellness Rubric, Team Wellness now has a starting place to design wellness programs for their department. There are twelve members on this team and each member perceives their wellness differently, but as a group, a definite culture or pattern is established based on lifestyle and the demands of the job. The team captain will use this information to plan "low cost or no cost" moments of wellness throughout the month based on the results of this study.

Team Bella Vita Launches Their Vital Nation Program!

Team Bella Vita kicks off their Vital Nation Program with a Chinese New Year luncheon, which is the longest and most important festival in the Chinese calendar because it brings people together so that they can socialize and share each other's joy. This year, is the year of the tiger, and the tiger is an animal known for its adaptability to change and its strong leadership abilities. It will be interesting to follow this team as they help us move forward to become certified as the Healthiest Community in America!

Emotional Wellness Fun and Function!

Team Bella Vita explores the possibility of pet therapy for staff!

Team Bella Vita assisted another team member when she needed to go out of town and did not want to leave Jack, her beloved pet by himself, by offering to pet sit for a day. Jack visited at workstations, kept a sense of humor about his day, and as you can see, brought absolute joy to the office that day!

Team JBR Reporting In!

Team Joseph Bernardin Residence (JBR) Joins the Disney walk with 57 Members!

Rhonda Wooley, the manager of JBR challenged her independent living apartment residents to an indoor walking challenge to kick off the Disney Walk in her complex and the results were amazing! Rhonda is a fitness enthusiast and strives to be a role model for her residents by offering them different strategies for motivation and exercise adherence!

Exploring the Dimensions of Wellness Through Case Study

Case Study 3

Spiritual and Vocational Wellness Fun and Function Model

Joe Thibodeau works in spiritual care and he feels that he has come to a point in his life where he feels that his dimensions of wellness are balanced and that he really enjoys life and helping others. Joe began his working career as a salesperson, learning the art and skills of socializing and being a good listener. Driven to succeed at top companies such as NCR and AT&T he focused on supporting his family and possibly moving into retirement with ease. However, at the early age of 51, Joe became a cancer survivor and he began to re-evaluate his priorities.

Joe began taking classes in ministry and he is now working on his masters in lay pastoral ministries. He finds that those skills and competencies that he learned throughout his sales career have become very useful as he supports the people; he now serves at St. Leonard. He feels that it is important to find out where a person is and allow the interaction to flow on a level that is both comforting and nurturing. This is important in order for someone to find their own path and grow in their faith, and more importantly see the hope that this can bring. Joe loves his job and he feels that the path that has brought him to St. Leonard has only made him stronger and that by listening to his passion he can now honestly say, “I look forward to Mondays.”

Case Study 4

Intellectual Wellness Fun and Function Model

Bill Greger has led a life of leadership and lifelong learning with a passion to help others feel at ease, while they find their place in a system or job. Bill worked on a rescue squad from 1949 to 1985 with the last 7 years serving as chief. During that time, he helped disaster teams and safety programs get started at many of the major hospitals and events in the Dayton area. In addition, Bill worked at Wagner Smith for 37 years in electrical engineering, working on both private and government contracts. Bill often found himself in leadership roles because he possessed the skills of assessing resources and finding the right person for the job.

Bill continues to hold leadership roles at St. Leonard, for example, he has served on many of the planning committees, and the resident council and he now serves as the commander for the Veterans’ Service Organization. Being able to contribute in the various fields that he has worked and served has required that Bill keep his brain and analytical skills sharp and he does this through self-study and interacting with technology. He learned the computer and its capabilities for mathematics through self-study in 1987 and now he is farming on Farm Town in Facebook with his family, which he feels is a fun way to keep these skills active and sharp.

Disney Social Walking Program

Fun and Function Model!

Guidelines:

Destination:

Disneyland California, Anaheim California Walking Distance 1,915 miles

Measurement:

Measured walking routes indoors and/or outdoors

Walking Math Facts route or using Pedometers

Number of steps from a chair or treadmill miles

All Walking Counts!

Walking at home or walking at work

Walking during shopping or during errands

Walking to the dining room and other main locations

Walking Conversions When Submitted

Walking with a walker, miles are doubled

Marching in place using 100 steps are counted as a mile and are tripled

Self-propelling using a wheelchair, miles are quadrupled

When and where do I submit my miles walked/stepped or wheeled?

Debra Stewart 439-7117, stewartd@stleonard.net or campus mail

Submit mileage at the end of each month

Social Walking Program Progress Maps Locations

Chaminade Courtyard Dining Room and Unit 2 of the Health Care Center

Tracking the Progress

Disney Walking Ticket!

We have Completed Steps 1 & 2!

1. We have Formed a Community-wide "Social Walking Program"


2. We have Started to Form Performance Groups

We are now a Vital Life Beta Community!

Follow us through our next exciting steps

as we move together through

the Vital Nation Certification Process

of becoming the Healthiest Community in America!

Thoughts Concerning Spirituality and Spiritual Wellness

From the Desk of Sister Kateri Theriault

Spirituality has to do with one’s inner core; that deepest inside of themselves where someone greater than themselves speaks to their heart; where their sense of right and wrong is known; where they are in right relationship with themselves and all of creation around them. It is actually the essence of who one is. It has not so much to do with practicing a formal religion, though one’s formal religion will affect one’s spirituality, as it does with knowing there is a higher being, God, and respecting that higher being and living in right relationship with all created things – people and all creation because they are a reflection of that God.

Spiritual wellness means that I live according to that deepest part of myself that acknowledges a higher being and being in right relationship. The most simplistic definition is the Golden Rule, but that’s only the beginning. It’s going beyond that in terms of how I treat myself and others: how I think and talk about them; how I treat them... It implies having a comfort with and paying deliberate attention to one's own spiritual growth.

February Employee Wellness Ideas: Social Moments

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These are low cost/no cost wellness ideas that your employees can mix/match or use to create social wellness moments with other employees or departments within your organization.

January Employee Wellness Ideas: Social Moments

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These are low cost/no cost wellness ideas that your employees can mix/match or use to create social wellness moments with other employees or departments within your organization.

Team Bella Vita Reporting In

Lindsay Williams is captain for the team called Bella Vita, which consists of employees and management from administration, spiritual care, marketing, foundation, education, and the human resource departments of St. Leonard in Centerville, Ohio. The team selected the name Bella Vita, which means beautiful life in Italian because they felt that this is what it must feel like when one achieves optimal wellness. The Vital Nation definition supports this analogy as when “people enjoy a vital life they have remarkable energy, a liveliness, or force of personality, who enjoy a state of being healthy in mind, body and spirit” (VN).

Recently, Lindsay has held meetings with her team to discuss wellness ideas for their office areas to help her team members keep a constant state of mindfulness concerning St. Leonard’s initiatives to become the “Healthiest Community in America.” Lindsay desires to spotlight the skills and competencies of her team and to provide lots of interactions so that people are not only known for their job title, but for who they are and how their hopes and desires can be shared or realized within a supportive nurturing network of friends and co-workers. Lindsay has already organized a fun and successful Chinese New Years office party, and she is now thoughtfully putting together a “value-jar” for each member of her team so that others can contribute heartfelt notes of how each person on her team is valued in the workplace or as a friend. Lindsay is off to a great start in the fun and function model of Vital Life and her team is supporting her efforts and excitement!

Dimensions of Wellness Self-Assessment Step Two

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Dimensions of Wellness Assessment Step One

Evaluate Your Vital Wellness

To be well rounded in the Vital Life Wellness Program means being involved and personally and socially growing in these "8 Life Ecologies" (Bill Witte).

St. Leonard Case Studies

St. Leonard is a not-for-profit, senior living community and is directed, governed and motivated by Christian principles and the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services. St. Leonard is a wonderful community of like-minded people, where the residents and staff support one another and strive to lift each other up on a daily basis. The St. Leonard mission and philosophy statements are based around this culture of caring and compassion. The mission statement of St Leonard reveals this by stating that “responding to the Gospel of Jesus, St. Leonard assists seniors of all faiths to achieve their highest level of independence.” In addition, the values and philosophy statement declares that we are committed to providing quality of life and care to those we serve and to our employees as expressed in the philosophy of Franciscan Services Corporation promoting the Franciscan values of Reverence, Service and Stewardship.

The purpose of the “Vital Nation Community Concept is to reverse the alarming trend of health and wellness declines in America by taking proactive measures for better holistic wellness.” As we begin to employ this philosophy, we find that it also supports St. Leonard’s mission and values of assisting seniors to achieve their highest level of independence. According to Bill Witte of Vital Nation, “the Vital life Community is an affinity community (purpose-driven) composed of residents sharing as their primary reason for being, the maximization of their potential of life, through the mutuality of highly socialized community living which focuses on the nurturing of the individual and collective “mind, body and spirit.” "The proposal is-“that only if we are fully human and fully alive-can we make the transformation from “humans-doing” and become “humans-being”” (Witte, 2010).

The first phase of the program is to find out where we are in the development of the strategy, goals and objectives for becoming the Healthiest Community in America. Within this blog, we will share the stories of St. Leonard’s residents and employees in brief case studies that will give us opportunities to learn from each other and to appreciate and honor everyone’s journey toward becoming “humans-being”

Case Study 1

Social and Emotional Wellness Fun and Function Model

Jean Sykes has led an incredible life of adventure with a consistent pursuit of her dreams and goals at the level of where fairy tales begin. Upon arriving in New York City at the age of 20 in February of 1943 to pursue a life on Broadway, this young woman had just finished two months at the Kitty Hawk Room at the Biltmore Hotel in Dayton, Ohio. She had clutched in her possession a letter from the orchestra leader to give upon arrival to the Dorsey Brothers Publishing company. The publishing company sent her to audition down the hall where she auditioned again at nine o’clock and by eleven, that evening she was hired to sing and perform comedy at the Eighteen Club on 52^nd street. Jean’s style was Broadway tunes and popular songs of the time and her stage name was Jean March. She met and preformed with stage giants such as Jackie Gleason and Milton Berle and learned the finer points of comedy and cabaret improv.

Jean Sykes now resides at St. Leonard where the theme is to Live now and Age Later and Jean is a wonderful example of expanding her social and emotional wellness into the fun and function model of her design. Jean surrounds herself with music professionals and performs for the residents and staff at St. Leonard regularly. She has connected with Jim Smith a well-known guitarist who is a professor at Central State and teaches classes at the University of Cincinnati. Together they formed a group known as the Jim Leslie Trio and through their performances, her audience calls her timeless as she performs with her passion and talents. She is very thankful for Jim Smith as he helps to prepare the singer persona to organize and prepare the stage presence. Jean has led an extraordinary life and now she continues to pursuit her dreams and goals and although they are different than when she was twenty they support her social and emotional wellness in the manner that she desires and that gives her fun and function.

Case Study 2

Social and Emotional Wellness Fun and Function Model

Tina Looney learned the art of friendship at the age of ten years old from a church youth group. This preteen group grew up and did everything together and that included the usual teenage trials and tribulation. The lessons learned in keeping the group together and united was that to get past obstacles one needs to avoid shame and to be non-judgmental. In those early formative years, Tina learned that people are “stronger as two people rather than one.”

Today, Tina’s office has a steady stream of people coming and going most of which is work related, however, some are residents, and employees who just wish to stop and chat. Tina has a wonderful way of validating people’s feelings and helping people find their true self before they are lost in the roles of work, parenting and school. According to Tina, building friendships require focusing on the positive to help people feel lighter about the difficulties of life. Striving to light the way for others in their pursuit of social and emotional wellness comes with a free price tag as long as you “pay it forward” and “be sure to be there for someone else” (Tina Looney).

St. Leonard's Social Walking Program

James Kevine of the Mayo Clinic comments, “getting out there and taking a walk is what it's all about," and according to the Mayo Clinic “walking is a legitimate, worthy mode of exercise for all people.” The St. Leonard social walking program is walking to Disney in 2010 and with almost 800 residents and 400 employees; the “rules of the road” have been modified to meet every need. Of course, measurement is the first step so that everyone can create their own milestones and/or strive to keep pace with other walking teams. The main walking paths within the buildings were measured so that walkers can do their own Math Facts walk and pedometers have been ordered for those people who are walking most of the day, outside or intermittently throughout the day.

Walking maps are being erected to serve as visual reinforcement or perhaps a mode of accountability so that everyone is connected to the fact that this is a community wide event. Being part of the Disney social walking program helps to motivate others while also keeping the walker focused on their personal wellness plan. Information about walking is also being distributed so that all walkers can understand the many points of value that walking has, when added to a personal wellness plan. This information also helps teams and individuals better understand the need for moderation as walking can be a mild, moderate, or vigorous exercise depending on the health of the person or the style of walking exercise that is followed for this program.

The adaptations to the program provide avenues to be sure that everyone can participate in this social walking program. For example, walking on and off campus counts towards miles walked as does walking to and from regular activities of daily living, which means that all walking counts. Employees are given five points for participating and these five points add to their service excellence points, which is a rewards programs for employees who work at St. Leonard. Persons who use a walker can double their mileage and those who self-propel from a wheelchair can triple their walking miles before turning them in at the end of each month. Participants can also march in place from bedside or chair-side and these marching steps are quadrupled before tallying the final miles walked at the end of each month.

The goal as we take baby steps to becoming certified as a Vital Life Community is to engage the employees and residents in a program that is simple and yet so valuable for beginning a program for exercise adherence, to move away from fraility and failure toward a Vital Life of fun and function.

St. Leonard Votes to become a Vital Life Community!

On Jan 12^th 2010 the residents and staff of St. Leonard voted to become a Vital Life community and the Board of Trustees has also made this commitment by adding this process to our short and long-range strategic planning. This is exciting for all of us because together we will provide the St. Leonard community the tools necessary for developing a meaningful personal program for wellness. Bill Witte, CEO of Vital Nation informs us that this is important because “it’s about realizing the ultimate potential you have residing within your genome identity” Moreover, Witte states that “as such, your optimal wellness potential is unique to you and is like no other.”

There are defined steps in this certification process which will also hold us accountable to our best practices concerning wellness program development. We will be holding monthly meetings for updates and dissemination of new knowledge and learning concerning this process and we invite you to come and contribute. Our first step is the social walking program that everyone is so excited about and just in case you are unaware, we are walking to Disneyland in California, and we have provided many possibilities for participation. If walking or wheeling is in your wellness program please join us as your miles will help St. Leonard motivate those who are on the journey, and yourself as you join us in the fun and function model of our social walking program.

Bill Witte Visits St. Leonard

Bill Witte CEO of Vital Nation visited St. Leonard to help guide their Vital Nation certification process. He spoke gently and frankly with the wellness advisory team, department heads, employees and residents about the alarming statistics of health care costs, health care decline and general apathy toward wellness in society today. He added that a substantial difference in health is possible when a community focuses on the eight "ecologies of life" with the guiding focus on socialization. Bill Witte informed us "of the eight components of the personal Vital Life Wellness Spectrum, we believe that "Social" is the most important."

Vital Life is a commitment to wellness through acts of vitality within a social community, and opportunities for socialization are paramount for the success of any Vital Life community. In fact, the Vital Life Community methodology strives to achieve community programs that acknowledge each sector of the wellness spectrum through socially engaging initiatives. Studies have shown that loneliness triggers depression, and depression can give rise to poor heath. A Vital Life Community promotes lifestyle amenities and social programs to ensure the health, happiness, and vitality of residents (Witte).

St. Leonard becomes a Vital Nation Community!

This will be our headline soon as we have been invited to become a member of Vital Nation’s Beta Pilot Innovator Community research project. This first generation certification process will offer us the tools and knowledge to become known as one of the Healthiest Communities in America. Vital Nation’s concept supports and enhances all eight dimensions of wellness, and in addition, they promote the belief that “Vital Nation nourishment and sanctuary in all dimensions are crucial for maximum realization of health and wellness.” Bill Witte CEO of Vital Nation states that this “supportive ecology can only come from, and be provided by the community; therefore, only from a well community and all that it embodies can a well-person thrive.”

Mission

This not-for-profit, senior living community is directed, governed and motivated by Christian principles and the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services.

Mission - Responding to the Gospel of Jesus, St. Leonard assists seniors of all faiths to achieve their highest level of independence.

Values and Philosophy - St. Leonard is committed to providing quality of life and care to those we serve and to our employees as expressed in the philosophy of Franciscan Services Corporation promoting the Franciscan values of Reverence, Service and Stewardship.

Vision - St. Leonard is committed to being the mission-driven provider and employer of choice for contemporary senior services within the greater Miami Valley.

Faithful to the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi and the Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio, Franciscan Services Corporation promotes these core values that are applicable to personal attitudes and actions, to relationships and coworkers, and to the service rendered to others:

REVERENCE

We believe that each person is created equal in God's image and likeness. Thus we treat each person with respect, justice, and dignity.

SERVICE

We believe that each person is called to achieve full potential of mind, body, and
spirit. To enable the fulfillment of that potential, we pledge to render service to all with sensitivity, compassion, and commitment.

STEWARDSHIP

We believe that we share responsibility to fulfill our specific role and to promote the
proper utilization of the environment, of goods and services. This enables us to maintain quality relationships and care in our ministry.

Debra Stewart MBA, MATLT, ACC, AL, MC, AD, E, CDP
Director of Wellness
St. Leonard


Debra Stewart has over 14 years of health, leisure, and fitness experience in all levels of care for the senior adult population. She currently serves as Director of Wellness for the campus of St. Leonard which is home to over 720 senior adults. Debra is a Dementia Practioner, A certified personal trainer, a professional senior fitness trainer, and an Activity Consultant Certified, and her goal for the senior population is to help seniors find holistic balance.

Debra has a Bachelor of Science degree, and holds a Masters of Business Administration, and a Masters in Teaching and Learning with Technology. She is a Master Instructor of Tae Kwon Do, and is a Tai Chi instructor for seniors and an instructor of yoga. She volunteers as an instructor for Sinclair College Lifelong Learning program and teaches balance and conditioning programs for seniors throughout the community in civic and senior centers.

Bill Witte and Debra have had many conversations about Vital Life Communities, and her passion for senior wellness and proactive approach have made this union a fantastic one! Currently, she is implementing several new programs at Saint Leonard which are going over with great success! She looks forward to writing about her experiences on this blog.