Corporate Fitness and Active Aging

Every senior living community offers group fitness classes.  If you want to stand out from the competition, you have to offer more.

Good is no longer good enough.

So much in senior living is evolving, except for fitness.  The fitness industry itself is evolving, and rapidly, but many communities aren’t progressing to adopt new exercise equipment for older adults, updated staff-led services that increase resident participation, or smart data from the fitness program that can inform future decision making.

What about your community?  It’s likely that you are offering at least some group fitness classes that the residents choose from each week.  These classes in senior living, especially formats that specifically address balance training or brain health, are a must for any senior living community.  There’s a decent chance that your residents love their group instructors, and the report from your life enrichment director probably notes that the classes are well-attended and well-liked.

There’s also a strong likelihood that you haven’t looked closely at your exercise program recently as a place where the community could position itself as a leader in your market.  Good is no longer good enough.  Good is a starting point; it doesn’t mean the exercise program for your members is complete. 

It’s time to do more than group fitness.

When prospective residents walk into your community for a tour, they see a welcoming, warm lobby area with social nooks for sharing a cup of coffee and the latest gossip or viral YouTube video.  On the tour, you show them contemporary dining venues with menus that make their mouths water. You talk about updated apartments, technology tools that help them stay connected to their family and the larger community.   

As the tour progresses through the community, you eventually arrive at the exercise room. (Or maybe you skip the exercise area because it doesn’t contribute positively to the lifestyle you’re selling.) And it looks old, maybe like an afterthought. The equipment is donated or dated, the artwork is original to the wall, the small collection of dumbbells have cracked vinyl or rusted edges, and the information on the bulletin boards is no longer current.  Worst of all, it’s a ghost town; no one is in there.

It’s a disconnect for the individuals on the tour.  And while that disconnect is real for your prospects today, it will be even more jarring for future prospects and adult children who are the savviest health consumers we’ve seen to date. Certainly, you can’t update all areas in your community at the same time, and there are many priorities ahead of the fitness space(s).  But that doesn’t mean a revitalization of the exercise program should be entirely off the table. 

You don’t necessarily need massive capital budgets to make improvements in your community fitness center.  And you don’t need to blow your operating budget to provide vibrant exercise-related programming to community.  But if you want to start using elements of your senior living programming to combat someday syndrome at your community, you absolutely have to do more than offer group fitness classes.

Find out how to do better for your residents.

Your prospects expect more than just classes on the calendar, your current residents deserve better, and NIFS can help you get there.  Find out more about how the right staff, the right services and the right equipment can positively and profoundly impact the exercise program you're offering your residents. Click below to find out more.

We make no bones about it that our staff are the best in the business not only in their creativity but in their expert knowledge and appetite for continued learning. It takes this combination to make the most impact in reaching residents with engaging health and fitness programs in the senior living communities we serve. As NIFS was developing our Parkinson’s program, Bold Moves, we knew that equipping our staff with new certifications would not only boost their confidence, but the success of the program and we were right! Here’s some insight from three of our degreed fitness managers on how NIFS Bold Moves training aided them in elevating how they support the unique needs of their residents with Parkinson’s.

Becca G. – Bold Moves Coach in Indianapolis, Indiana

There was an abundant request at our community for a class for Parkinson’s Disease.  I researched some things on my own, but I felt like I needed more to effectively offer a class for PD.  The Bold Moves program helped me feel confident to lead class.  I feel like it gave more information about the disease, for example, how medication timing is imperative to consider when building an exercise program and encouraging participants to keep pushing. Prior to the Bold Moves training, I did not know to avoid cross over exercises, like the grapevine, or that PD causes impaired exercise-induced blood pressure levels.  After completion, I felt qualified to lead group classes and guide individuals in tailored exercise plans. Also, because of the education and training behind the program, the residents are ensured they are receiving safe, effective, and appropriate workouts from us.  I’m happy NIFS built the Bold Moves program with tools and resources to help us serve our residents with PD! It’s more than just the initial education, I have the sustained support and materials to manage the duration of this ongoing program.

Alyssa O. – Bold Moves Coach in Raleigh, NC

I feel the training was great because it educated us on the disease of Parkinson’s, the symptoms to be aware of, and walked us through several different exercises geared to manage those symptoms for maintenance or improvement in quality of life. It was very comprehensive in listing which exercises were better and why those exercises benefit this population of people.

They incorporated studies as well as example exercise programs for Parkinson’s that emphasized symptoms to look for when exercising this group of people. The training also guided intensity level and provided ways to structure the class so that it is conducted smoothly. The Bold Moves training was very helpful in my opinion!

 Charles B. – Bold Moves Coach in Atlanta, GA

As someone with a background in physical therapy, I already had some prior training and education for working with residents with Parkinson’s. However, Bold Moves training did give me a new list of Do’s and Don’ts for working with this population (avoiding grapevines and other advanced balance exercises while needing to implement exaggerated movements and elevate heart rates). The training also gave us the idea to install balance bars all along the back wall of our aerobics room, which has made our training much safer and accessible. I have 2 residents in wheelchairs and 3 in walkers who can perform standing exercises thanks to having these bars installed!

We are proud of our staff and their continued commitment to finding exercise solutions that work for all residents! For more information on NIFS Fitness Management services and our expert staff, contact Emily Davenport!

Barre, a fitness regimen, has recently gained a lot of popularity over the years. This low-impact exercise does not require any fancy, expensive equipment and people of all ages can do it. It is a workout that combines elements of Ballet, Pilates, and Yoga. It focuses on low-impact, high repetition, and small isometric movements to strengthen and tone your body.

I personally love barre and believe it is such a good workout. I try to implement it into my own weekly fitness regimen! When I started working at my community, I thought why not introduce Barre to our residents? It’s a fun and low impact workout choreographed to upbeat music, they might just like it. We introduced the class and added it the schedule and have gained a good group of “regulars” since then.

Here are a few reasons why I believe Senior Barre is a must try workout to add to your schedule:

• Appropriate for those of all ages: The small range of motion and low impact workout is a great option for those with limited mobility. Barre is modifiable for all fitness levels yet can still be challenging enough to push yourself further than you thought was possible.
• Improves strength and balance: Certain exercises may be done on one leg which allows balance and strength to be tested. A lot of exercises will require you to use multiple muscle groups at the same time while engaging your core. Barre also targets a lot of the smaller, intrinsic muscles in your body that are often ignored when performing other strength training workouts.
• Creates a sense of community: Going to a Barre group fitness class gives people an opportunity to see their neighbors and friends while still being healthy. Attending these classes help create a sense of support, teamwork, and commitment!
• Improves posture: The class spends a great deal of time focusing on proper spinal alignment form the top of your head to the tips of your toes. It especially includes a focus on the hips, spine, neck, and shoulders.
• Improves flexibility: You don’t have to be a flexible Ballerina to enjoy Barre, but it will help improve your range of motion. Maintaining good flexibility can help you stay mobile and participate in all different types of activities.
• Reduces anxiety or stress: Regular exercise can help divert you from thinking about what you are anxious about. Your body also releases endorphins during exercise which can help keep your mind sharp.
• Can be done at home: With everything going on with COVID and with a lot of gyms and studios shutting down or having extra restrictions, Barre is the perfect workout that can be done at home. It’s doesn’t require any crazy equipment and since most homes do not have an actual ballet bar, most exercises can be done using a chair. Also, if you don’t have a set of weights at home, you can use soup cans or water bottles. 

Barre’s functional training component can help give seniors the proper form to help them with everyday activities of daily living. It also has a great number of positive physical, mental, and emotional health benefits. There are so many fun and challenging ways to keep your body moving during these classes, so the next time you are thinking of changing up your fitness routine, try a Barre class!

Throughout the past year, everyone’s wellness routine has been thrown upside down at some point or another. Maybe you figured out what your ‘new norm’ looks like, you are not sure where to start, or you are somewhere in the middle trying to find that new norm. A lot of the residents at the senior living community where I am employed are unsure of where to start, specifically after the pandemic.

It felt like all at once, a handful of residents became aware of how far they regressed with taking the stairs, causing not only concern but also action. The residents were out at a Colts game or the symphony, had to take a set of stairs to their seats and came face-to-face with the harsh reality of how challenging the stairs were not only physically, but also mentally. We decided to add a “Stair Master” class to our group fitness schedule, which allowed the residents to learn proper biomechanics of taking the stairs, work on their capabilities twice a week, and have a support group that understood the struggles with the stairs. We had this class 2x per week for 4 months, each time focusing on the stairs in addition to strength, cardiovascular fitness, balance, and stability. Below are the three concepts we looked at each month to not only help evaluate if we were targeting what we wanted to target, but it was also used as an aide for residents to see their progress.

• Evaluation. There was no gold standard evaluation for out goals, so we made up our own evaluation. We wanted to overshoot what residents would typically have to do at an outing so regardless of how many stairs, they would be confident. The first Thursday of the month, we would perform 4 continual minutes of stairs and record the results. As the months went by, the residents had pride in how they felt as well as how far they had come along since the first evaluation.
• Intensity. Classes lasted 45 minutes, with a water break around the halfway point. We would consistently change when in the class we did the stairs, the duration spent on the stairs, and use work to rest ratios to help add intensity to the exercise without overloading the residents. If the stairs were added towards the end of the class, we found that residents were challenged more than if they were at the beginning of class. Overtime, going down the stairs presented a greater challenge, specifically mentally, and that allowed for our class to focus on overcoming mental barriers.
• Rate of Perceived Exertion. Once residents completed the 4-minute evaluation, we would ask them to rate their perceived exertion on a scale of 1-10. At the end of the 4 months, we saw the number of flights of stairs residents successfully performed did not increase exponentially, however their rate of perceived exertion consistently decreased.

How are you creatively adapting to the needs of your residents?

When thoughtfully planned and executed well, there are a variety of opportunities to generate revenue out of robust health and fitness programs in senior living communities. But you might be thinking, “I didn’t realize there was ANY revenue potential."

In terms of expenses, there is the initial startup cost of thousands of dollars worth of exercise equipment and the necessary square footage to house it. Then there is the maintenance cost on that equipment and a range of budgeting that needs to be considered for fitness staffing, ranging from a dedicated full-time employee (or multiple FTEs) to simply having group fitness instructors. Don’t get me wrong, fitness centers absolutely give back to the community from a marketing perspective. Consumers are demanding quality fitness programming in the senior living market, but calculating the true ROI is next to impossible.

Revenue Opportunities in Senior Living Fitness Programs

If you are looking for potential ways to get revenue out of your program, consider these opportunities:

• Fee-based personal training: Whether you are in a commercial fitness setting or private fitness studio, all consumers expect to pay for individualized one-on-one attention via personal training. Having select fee-based services that are tailored and custom to individuals will not shock residents that there is a cost associated with it. In fact, many older adults and their adult children are coming to expect that this service be available in a comprehensive fitness program, and they are willing to pay for it. Thoughtful consideration should be given to establishing competitive rates, allowing for trainer commission, and securing high-quality trainers, but this service can be a nice opportunity for communities to generate a revenue stream.
• Specialty group fitness classes: Requiring residents to pay for specialty group fitness classes like yoga, Zumba, or Barre is a fairly common practice. A quality instructor must be secured and paid for each class, and including a slight upcharge to the instructor rates is an additional means by which a community can generate revenue while also benefiting from having a well-rounded and robust group fitness schedule.
• Nonresident participation: Some communities explore opportunities to provide fitness center memberships to nonresidents—particularly marketed to those 55+. Sometimes this is for full access to the amenities and services, and sometimes it is allowing participation only in select programs like group fitness classes. Strong consideration needs to be given to rates, available space, and how this will impact your existing residents, but in the right situation with proper planning, participation from nonmembers can not only be a revenue source, but it can also help increase exposure of your community’s lifestyle to a broader market in your area.

Revenue Goals, Marketing, and Investing the Extra Income

When implementing some or all of these practices, consider a revenue goal for your fitness program and how you can creatively promote each opportunity to support that goal. The annual revenue generated is rarely a cash cow for communities, but it does create opportunities to further support your fitness program needs. The cumulative total at the end of the year may be enough to purchase a piece of equipment, offset the cost of your preventative maintenance service agreement, or pay for a new class on the schedule. Give some thought to how these revenue opportunities can help fund your fitness program.

Looking to take your programming to the next level?  We can help by simply consulting with you to tackle what areas you need help focusing on with your wellness program. Click below to find out more about NIFS Consulting Services. 

In every fitness center setting it seems that the goal is to provide the most up-to-date, “trendy” group fitness classes and personal training. And while I agree that trying to offer something new and exciting is very important, I also think that sometimes we need to bring fitness back to the basics.

This is very important at a senior living setting. Many of our senior living communities support active living for several hundred people and providing fitness services appropriate for every fitness level can be challenging. It easy to cater to the “most active” group of participants. But we wanted to make sure we were reaching as many different residents as possible, so our fitness center staff challenged ourselves to take it back to the basics by providing a personalized group training that focused on the “bare bones” of exercise. And let me tell you, it has been some of the most rewarding work I’ve done to date! 

While I can’t deny that fitness professionals get a thrill out of providing a tough workout in a high intensity class and hearing “that was hard,” I can honestly say that providing an appropriate workout for those who need to take it back to the basics of fitness is also just as thrilling. Being able to coach a member to stand up from his chair independently when he hasn't been able to in a long time can make your heart swell with pride for his accomplishment. 

Now I’m taking that “back to basics” challenge to you dear reader. If you work in a senior fitness setting, take a look at your membership. Start identifying the needs of your members who struggle with standing, walking, overall balance, basic strength, and most importantly their confidence! One of the criteria we used when we started evaluating who might benefit most from “back to basics” programming was to begin with members who tend to get a little behind in class and do not reap the full the benefits. 

Once you build that member list, start reaching out individually to target specific fitness and functional living needs. Then watch how your overall participation numbers grow and how the increased confidence of some of your more frail residents helps them gain additional strength for every day needs. This experience has surprised me; I didn’t expect that getting back to the basics would be so rewarding and exciting, but it has been an absolute joy. Have a similar story to share? Respond the comments below.

At this point most retirement communities have recognized that senior fitness programs are as important as having a great social program or food and beverage program. The impact these programs have on marketing is tremendous, and so it is no wonder that everyone is looking to have the most popular programs with the newest class titles. Now that exercise is a key focal point and the residents are in the community, take a look at your programs and see if they are doing the residents justice. 

Does Your Program Help Residents Reach Their Full Potential?

In the most recent ICAA Research Review, there is an article shining light on sarcopenia. Sarcopenia is the loss of muscle strength and mass due mainly to age. Simply put, as we get older we naturally become weaker. While reading this article I began to question how many programs in retirement communities truly push their residents to accomplish their full potential. 

Does your program challenge your residents to get down on the floor and back up again a few times during a class? No? Why not? Many of my residents are insulted when others expect that they can no longer get on the floor. I also have many who say they cannot get on the floor because then they won’t be able to get up. Over time our community’s fitness instructors and I have been able to prove to the residents that they can still get up from down on the floor and that it does get easier with practice. More importantly, being able to get up off the floor is vital to practice. 

According to the CDC, one out of three seniors will fall, and less than half of them will go to the doctor in regard to their falls. Now stop and think about all of those people that can’t get on the floor because they “won’t be able to get back up.” Statistics show there is a very high likelihood that they will land on the ground, and that is a terrible time to learn they truly can’t get up. 

Don’t Get Complacent

We, as individuals, have always had someone to help guide us, challenge us, and push us to achieve more, work harder, and be true to ourselves. When do we decide we no longer push someone? At what age do we decide that an individual should turn on the cruise control and just be? As a person of wellness, I don’t believe there is ever a time to show someone it is okay to become complacent. These individuals need to see that they are still capable of doing a great deal more. We need to be willing to work with our seniors both in classes and individually to help safely get them stronger—or at least maintain the strength they have—in order to help them not only live a longer life, but live a longer and more independent life. 

How do you challenge your senior living residents? When is the last time you asked them if they were being challenged enough? I bet you would be surprised at how many are asking for something a little more. I know I was. 

For more on why fitness is so important for seniors, see this post.