St. Leonard Wellness Teams Survey 880 programs through April to Find 95% Satisfaction

St. Leonard Wellness Teams Survey 414 programs thru February to Find 95% Satisfaction!

Summary of St. Leonard's 2012 Vital Life Wellness Program Satisfaction!

We measured 3027 events with an attendance of 14,500 with a resulting satisfaction score of 94%. This includes residents, staff, volunteers, and community members. Congratulations everyone!

Team Franciscan Center: Surprising Debra

Posting this picture avoids blackmail later....

Wellness Trends in Measured Survey Scores and Attendance

Our Team's Wellness Focus this Year

Team Franciscan Center: Exercise: Adding Years to Life or Life to Years?

In a 2011 study published in the Lancet, researchers found that those “who exercised for an average of 92 min per week or 15 min a day, had a 14% reduced risk of all-cause mortality (death by any cause), and had a 3 year longer life expectancy. Every additional 15 min of daily exercise beyond the minimum amount of 15 min a day further reduced all-cause mortality by 4%.”

This is a fine study, with a large population studied (over 400,000). This kind of study confirms what seems to make logical sense, if we’re active, we tend to function better, and in a very linear fashion shows we can add years to life.

What isn’t addressed, and in my opinion is every bit as important as life longevity, is quality of life, or adding “life to years.”

What we call exercise today, was for our ancestors movement out of necessity. Movement usually equated to staying alive. Today, we no longer have these concerns and exercise is very often compensatory movement, or movement to make up for a mostly sedentary lifestyle.

Because the clan no longer needs to move to live, and in fact, the group itself has been relegated to a secondary status to the individual, we now find ourselves trudging away on a treadmill, alone, with a headset to keep us company instead of family and friends.

The richness and depth of life, what I feel to be synonymous with wellness, is lost. Yes, exercising by yourself will add years to life, but will it add life to those years? We miss out on the vital and necessary social aspects of life that are the building blocks for wellness or wholeness.

As many of you know, our Vital Life program is based on this fundamental principle, socialization leads to fun and function, and delays frailty and failure. The great news is that by living and participating in the Vital Life, not only will you add years to life with our exciting exercise classes and facility, but you will add life to your years through the richness of our socialization based programs and philosophy. It’s a win-win!

Team Franciscan Center: Journaling to Wellness

If we agree with Socrates that "the unexamined life is not worth living”, it behooves us to periodically take inventory of our lives. What is working for us? What isn’t? What and how do I really feel about my finances, my overall health, my creativity, etc?

Journaling is one of the most effective means for self-reflection and integration. Journaling allows us to organize our thoughts, and over time, see meaningful patterns that might not be apparent initially.

When it comes to health and wellness, this can be somewhat trickier simply because we are not usually taught to examine our choices in regards to function and performance. In fact, in most cases, the culture tells us to do the exact opposite. Notice many current advertisements for heartburn medications that imply that you can eat whatever you want and when your body sends you signs of discomfort because you have made a poor food choice, you can erase all of that discomfort by taking one simple, magical pill and go right back to eating the same toxic mess again!

This approach, however, while simple, rarely leads to lasting personal change and growth. Only by participating with the whole of ourselves, or as they say, “the good, the bad, and the ugly”, can we move towards higher levels of meaning and function.

Using the Vital Life 8 ecologies or dimensions of wellness as a template for wholeness, journaling can be made more poignant and effective. Debra Stewart has created wellness starting points for each of the 8 ecologies that can serve as the kindling to begin journaling and self- reflecting about our choices in these areas. Eventually, with a little effort and practice, we can build a raging fire of personal transformation and change as we participate with our bodies and with life itself more fully.

I recommend taking these wellness starting points and put them into a binder along with spiral notebook paper. Take a few minutes to engage yourself and answer the questions relating to the 8 ecosystems of wellness. On the notebook paper write down any thoughts or ideas about specific strategies or goals for greater well-being related to each of the 8 ecosystems. Perhaps most importantly, don’t forget to write about how you feel about how you feel. In other words, how do you feel about your current state of wellness. I encourage you to be honest about how you feel. If you are doing terrible right now, say that you’re doing terrible, but include an affirmative corrective statement like, “Even though I’m terrible at controlling my sweet tooth right now, I know that I am capable of tremendous change and growth, and that change can occur in an instant and I am completely open to that change, whenever it may come.”

This is actually a fun process, and like most things, the hardest part is getting started. If you need help I would love to talk with you and guide you through this process. You can make an appointment with me any time to go over our Vital Life starting points and journaling. I look forward to helping you on this journey. Live well!

Dr. Jack Harless,

Manager of The Franciscan Center

Team Franciscan Center: Argentine Tango!

Dr. Jack Harless
Wellness Center Manager


In a recent study involving Argentine Tango and individuals with Parkinson’s Disease, some interesting conclusions were arrived at. The authors concluded that “the major purpose of this work was to compare a tango dance class, considered a novel movement intervention, with a standard community exercise class. The results illustrate improvements in all measures of falls, gait and balance confidence in those with PD in the tango group as compared with those with PD in the exercise group. Furthermore, the novel aspect of tango and the built-in non-exercise concept of dance made the exercise more pleasurable and as such, promoted adherence to the program.” 1.

I want to highlight a couple of points that have particular importance to The Franciscan Center and our Vital Life program. The researchers noted that when individuals affected by PD were introduced to a novel from of movement/exercise, and that the movement did not feel like exercise to the participants, they continued with the exercise over a longer period of time than the individuals who were doing a “standard” exercise class.

The lesson there for all of us is go out and try something new. Make new friends, learn new movements. Not only is the socialization fun, but there is growing evidence that learning new movements and being exposed to new environments helps the nervous system “re-wire” itself. At the very least, the evidence suggests that all of us, not just those with PD, are more functional and alive. In Vital Life terms, they were expressing more fun and function and less frailty and failure.

Our very reason for being at the Franciscan Center was summed up in this article involving people afflicted with PD, but it’s a valuable lesson or all of us. Try something new, meet new people, achieve a new level of fun and function at The Franciscan Center!

1. Hackney ME, Kantorovich S, Earhart GM. A study on the effects of Argentine tango as a form of partnered dance for those with Parkinson disease and the healthy elderly. Amer J Dance Ther 2007;29 (2):109–27

Vital Life Stories: Diane Owens

Construction Update: The Franciscan Center!

~photos submitted by project photographer Denise~

Team Spiritual Care: Angel Eyes

Sister Kateri Theriault Mission Integration

Just remembering that our guardian angels are always there is a good way to keep ourselves on the right path. We tend to behave better when we know someone's watching. And our angels are always watching.

— from Angels of God

Construction Update: San Damiano Residence!

~photos submitted by project photographer Denise~

December 2011 Employee Wellness Moments!

Physical Environment Write your fitness goals down for 2012 When the weather is gray and cloudy have a rainy day walkthrough of your favorite indoor spaces with a coworker Share your goals with a trusted friend or trainer Clear outdoor views and windowsills to allow light to filter into your workspace Discuss your goals with your medical professionals Have a winter survival kit on hand include things that make your smile or laugh Create a tickler file to review your goals every three months Create a desktop weather alert station Inventory your equipment or training center to see if you have access to the necessary tools to work toward your goals Check to see where winter safety supplies are stored in your area Social Spiritual Plan a departmental party and include another department Identify the guiding principles of your life Try a holiday theme party from a different culture Share your compassion, altruism, and empathy freely as it relates to your self-identity Discover how you can add socialization to your workout routines Temper any excess in your life with giving Include friends to help during difficult holiday tasks Discover moving meditation such as walking, dance, or Tai Chi Have "No Holiday Zone" breaks with friends for moments away from the holiday hustle and bustle Make time in your holiday season to connect with your higher power Nutritional Occupational Share with a trusted friend your nutritional goals As a group establish email, telephone, and social media etiquette Establish your parameters for holiday diet splurges Take time to thank another department Be picky with foods that are not normally a part of your healthy diet Wrap up the details of this year's work assignments together Bring healthier snacks to office parties Plan the new year's departmental objectives together Add more fun and games to holiday gatherings than appetizers As a team, redesign work that does not flow well Intellectual Emotional Travel smart this holiday and plan for a healthy get a way Request mediation for workplace bullies and difficult relationships Investigate a possible new tradition for the holiday Acknowledge your emotions about work, success, and failure Look for the triggers that leave you mentally exhausted this season Eliminate workplace coworker struggles by accepting others as they are Plan for mini mental escapes this holiday Evaluate your time management Reduce your TV time 10 minutes weekly Practice self-acceptance and forgiveness

The employee wellness ideas listed above are low cost/no cost activities that you and your employees can mix or match with previously submitted wellness ideas. These ideas can be used to create wellness moments that focus on the eight dimensions of wellness to enhance your Vital Life Community!

The Franciscan Center and the Vital Life Community Connection

The Franciscan Center is a wellness center that was designed to support and reflect the eight dimensions of wellness for populations 55 and over. The dimensions of wellness pivotal for this environment are nutritional, environmental, physical, social, emotional, spiritual, occupational and intellectual. This formula for supporting the entire wellness spectrum is successful as it is cast in an atmosphere of excitement for living and living well. The campus of St. Leonard was recently awarded certification as a Vital Life Community, which is a new wellness initiative that is based on the concept that the fun and function stage of life can be expanded throughout the life course. The Vital Life Community is a purpose-driven community that filters all positive aspects of the dimensions of wellness through a social construct. This assembly of initiatives and focus on socialization results in theory turned into practice as motivated teams and groups seek well-being together. In addition, every program at The Franciscan Center and throughout the campus is designed with research-based curriculum and skilled facilitators that help every individual within the team achieve their optimal wellness.

-Debra Stewart, Director of Wellness

Vital Life No: 4: A Friar's Experience

Fellow Residents and Staff,

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. What does Thanksgiving mean to you? For me, it means gratitude for my life and for all the wonderful people who have been a part of it. I am grateful for my parents and for the heritage that they bequeathed me. I am grateful for being a friar minor and for the call to meet God more intimately in the Franciscan tradition. I am grateful for my health, physical, psychological, and intellectual. I am grateful for my education and the opportunities which it has given me. I am grateful for the many wonderful people who have been a part of my life. I am grateful for God’s love as I have come to experience that love in the people and events of my life.

I was not entitled to any of those many blessings. I don’t deny that I have worked relatively long and hard and that I have done a reasonably good job, but the joy of resting in God’s love is a gift, not a reward. No one is entitled to a gift, for a gift is freely bestowed at the discretion of the giver. That awareness can be pretty deflating, even terrifying, when we allow ourselves to get caught up in our own egos. It can be liberating when we allow ourselves truly to hear the Gospel: God’s love knows no bounds. God does not weigh our merits and failures. Rather, God lavishly pours out God’s love on every one of us. As Saint Francis came to understand, all we have to do is let go of ourselves and accept the gift. That is cause for giving thanks, for loving others in return, and even for celebrating with turkey, cranberries, and mincemeat pie!

In the words of St. Francis,
Peace and every Blessing!
Loren Connell, OFM,
sacramental minister
November 8, 2011

Fitness Gurus No. 21: Athletic Foot Gear

The shoes that you wear for your fitness programming will depend on the class design and structure. Street shoes are often not appropriate for fitness classes or working around fitness equipment. It is important that the shoes that you are wearing for the sport or exercise that you are participating are safe, fit well, and remain comfortable throughout the workout. Wearing the proper foot gear for an exercise or sport can help protect you from, ankle, knee, and hip joint injury. Take an inventory of the movements required for your sport or exercise and talk to a trainer or research your shoe design needs with other experts. A shoe used for aerobic dance that requires pivoting and low impact movement will be different from athletic gear that may be needed for cross training, hiking, walking, jogging, or tennis. In general, the sports-minded athlete will find that to train long-term without injury requires the proper technique with the proper athletic foot gear.

Signage placed for The Franciscan Center!

~photo submitted by project photographer Denise~

Team Spiritual Care: Loving the Real You...

Sister Kateri Theriault

Mission Integration

Permission to Love God loves us for who we are and gives us the courage to change. When we are able to love the "real me" and accept our own idiosyncrasies, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. — from Party of One

November 2011 Employee Wellness Moments!

Physical Environment Have an indoor workout routine for changing weather conditions Check the smoke detectors in your home Map out your indoor walking paths for winter Check your snow removal supplies Review your medical tests and recommended immunizations Check your flashlights for fresh batteries Check your insurance open enrollment dates Refresh you roadside emergency kit Inspect your winter workout gear Check for combustibles near heating units Social Spiritual Invite someone new to share lunch or dinner Develop a plan to remain thankful year around Start planning your holiday social events Make your spiritual needs a priority in your life Reorganize and update your social contact list Discover your giving potential and make a plan to stay within your budget Write a thank you note to another department Take time to be thankful for your gifts and daily work Help another with one small task Research how your spiritual wellness impacts your overall optimal wellness Nutritional Occupational Plan ahead for unexpected detours concerning your diet this holiday season Winterize your workstation to avoid the winter blues Encourage a friend to be consistent with healthy eating patterns Examine a task to see if you can make it easier and safe Be kind to yourself when you splurge on holiday goodies Plan for your winter get-a-ways and retreats Plan a "get back on track" date for your diet As a team explore the latest information and technology in your field Try a new recipe for a favorite treat that is lower in calories Review your 2012 budget closely and give your staff time to make changes as needed Intellectual Emotional Research why exercise is good for the brain Reflect on your coping skills Research why adequate sleep is good for the brain Examine burnout issues concerning the dimension of wellness Research the best foods for the brain Know what motivates you and develop a plan to reach your goals and dreams Research why being social is healthy for the brain Examine fragile relationships and get help if needed Research why poor emotional wellness can impact your ability to learn Reflect on your behaviors and determine if they truly match your values and beliefs The employee wellness ideas listed above are low cost/no cost activities that you and your employees can mix or match with previously submitted wellness ideas. These ideas can be used to create wellness moments that focus on the eight dimensions of wellness to enhance your Vital Life Community!