Corporate Fitness and Active Aging

When designing a senior living fitness center, there are many factors that aid in the decision process when choosing equipment for our clients and their residents. We want to incorporate equipment that is cost effective, easy to move, applicable and safe for many individuals, and of course enjoyable. Here are five reasons why the NuStep is a staple in the senior living fitness centers managed by NIFS!

• Confidence Builder – We often have residents with limited exercise experience, or they may have joint pain that they feel limits their ability to exercise. The thoughtful step-thru design and swivel seat make the task of sitting and getting into position comfortable and safe for many users. The low impact motion is a great way for residents to move their upper and lower body to gain the confidence that they can exercise, and they feel better by doing it!
• Size of the NuStep – The size of models will vary depending on the year manufactured but, in most cases, a NuStep is about 3.5 ft tall x 5 ft in length and 2.5 ft wide. With these dimensions, it doesn’t take up too much space in your senior living fitness center. The average weight for a NuStep is two-hundred pounds. Once the machine is in use, it stays sturdy in one location for our senior living community.
• Ease of Use – NuStep cross trainers are beginner friendly and designed to be applicable to a wide range of individuals. Residents don’t even have to press buttons or try to understand complicated display monitors to turn it on or off. As soon as they start pumping their arms and legs, the machine turns on automatically. The NuStep then tracks helpful metrics for how long they have been on the machine, along with total steps if they are going for a particular goal.
• Intensity – The NuStep can cater to ranging levels of strength and endurance in residents. This is done seamlessly by participants using a green handle located on the right side of the machine to adjust the workload. NuStep intensity levels range from one through ten. Pumping at the high end of that range gives our advanced residents a more intense working to accomplish their goals and our beginner exercisers can continue to safely build strength and endurance by increasing the workload over time.
• Ability to Move/Fix – The mobility of the NuStep is very convenient. Wheels on one end make it easy to relocate if needed and since a variety of models do not require electricity, it can accommodate a variety of floor plans. The need for repairing the machine due to mechanical issues are quite low due to the durability. The most popular “fix” is to simply replace the batteries in order for the monitor to turn on so your residents have that feedback as they get their steps in each day.

We love seeing the confidence our participants gain by having an exercise option that meets their needs in a senior living setting and the NuStep continues to be one of the most accessible, durable, and loved pieces of equipment by our residents! We love it so much that we developed a whole program centered around the NuStep!

Pump it for Parkinson’s is a nationwide event on World Parkinson’s Day where we are putting NuSteps to work in senior living communities across the US! This day-long NuStep-a-thon on Tuesday, April 11^th will help raise awareness on the benefits of exercise for those with Parkinson’s. Communities will receive expert resources from NIFS on how to support their residents with Parkinson’s and there will be a chance to win a free NuStep T6 Cross Trainer! Visit our Pump it for Parkinson’s event page to complete your community’s free registration today and help us spread the word!

The National Institute for Fitness and Sport (NIFS) presents Pump It for Parkinson’s on World Parkinson’s Day, April 11, 2023. NIFS has partnered with NuStep inviting senior living communities across the country to take part in this event to raise awareness on the benefits of exercise for individuals with Parkinson’s. Pump It for Parkinson’s will be a day-long NuStep challenge for senior communities striving to achieve 30,000 steps on their NuStep.

Emily Davenport, NIFS Director of Fitness Center Management, said, “communities can rally their entire campus by bringing together their residents and employees to accomplish the goal!” NIFS will provide communities with a complimentary programming packet including tracking tools, promotional content, and educational resources they need to get their residents excited. The event’s goal is to accrue 1 million steps representing the 1 million people in the US living with Parkinson’s!

“Whether this event is a community’s first program dedicated to supporting residents with Parkinson’s or a fun add-on to existing offerings, we want to provide resources as they continue to help residents fight back against Parkinson’s,” said Davenport. Participating communities will also receive a Parkinson’s fitness toolkit of resources and videos they can use in their fitness center. Communities that want to get involved need to register here.

“We’re pleased to partner with NIFS and support their event, Pump It for Parkinson’s. And we’re honored that participants will be using NuStep cross trainers throughout the day to demonstrate the importance of exercise for people with Parkinson’s," said NuStep Vice President of Marketing and Product Development, Tobey Thelen. As an added incentive, thanks to NuStep and NIFS, communities may be eligible to win a NuStep T6 Cross Trainer for participating in Pump It for Parkinson's.

Nearly 10 million individuals are living with Parkinson’s Disease worldwide and each year 90,000 Americans are diagnosed with this degenerative condition. Three years ago, NIFS embarked on developing a comprehensive fitness program to meet the unique needs of residents with Parkinson’s Disease for their senior living community clients. From this, Bold Moves programming specifically designed for residents with Parkinson’s was born.

NIFS would like to thank strategic partners, NuStep and Wellzesta, for supporting Pump It for Parkinson’s and their help in creating awareness of the unique fitness needs residents with Parkinson’s Disease have.

To find out more about Fitness Center Management by NIFS, call (317) 274-3432, email Emily Davenport.

NuStep is a leading manufacturer of recumbent cross-trainers used in healthcare, senior living, and fitness settings worldwide.

Communities can learn more about this complimentary program and register for the event by clicking the button below!

Follow the event on our Facebook page: Pump It for Parkinson's

Falls are a big concern for senior living communities. Given the well-known statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it's easy to see why. The National Council On Aging provides compelling numbers as well. This is why we work so hard with our clients to establish robust, evidence-based, year-round programming that focuses on improving resident's balance and strength, as well as their self-confidence.  

One of the key elements for successful balance programming is drawing in as many residents as possible; we've found that the best way to accomplish this is through varied programming. It's not enough to simply put a balance class on the calendar. Communities have to take it one step further and offer other ways to interact.

NIFS Balance Redefined^TM programming offers everything from fitness testing to classes that teach participants how to safely get up from a fall. We've spent years evolving these services as we responded to resident suggestions and evaluated our program data.  Below are stories from residents whose lives have been positively impacted by the work our staff do.

Ms. Weigle

Despite losing her husband just a few days after they moved into the community, Ms. Weigle made a conscious choice to take that difficult first step out of their apartment to meet new neighbors, and within a few weeks someone invited her to try the Balance Class offered by the NIFS fitness center manager. She has been a faithful participant (and ambassador!) ever since and has expanded her lifestyle to include additional activities such as swimming, walking groups, gardening, and studying Spanish. 

Ms. Weigle takes her regular exercise so seriously that she’s told her family not to call in the morning on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays because she will be in the pool. When asked, she’s proud to share that through repeat balance testing with the NIFS manager, she is seeing her scores improve.  At 87 years old, she thinks becoming steadier on her feet has helped her in other areas of her health. In fact, in a recent doctor’s visit, she was praised by her doctor for exceptional blood pressure, and she was pleased to share that ankle pain which had long bothered her was no longer a problem. 

[Read more:  Ms. Weigle's full story]

Mrs. Chapin

When Mrs. Chapin moved to her community about ten years ago, she wasn’t new to exercise. With a COPD diagnosis almost 20 years ago, she started swimming laps, and even though she hated to exercise, she kept at it because she knew it was crucial to helping her stay well with a chronic disease. But when she and her husband moved into their community, she took a break from regular exercise to engage in so many of the other opportunities provided. 

She watched her husband’s health gradually decline, so she nudged him to join her for a Balance class, and they were regulars up until his passing last year. Through that loss, Mrs. Chapin felt the support of the members in her class, and was able to keep attending regularly. The social support in NIFS balance programming has been a significant and  positive as she draws her social network from that group. Mrs. Chapin’s annual senior fitness evaluation confirms she’s on the right track with maintaining her balance, but more important than the numbers is how Mrs. Chapin feels. She told us that at 88 years old, she feels steadier than ever and she’s thrilled to still be sewing quilts and clothes, as well as painting, and serving on several resident committees all of which wouldn’t be possible if she wasn’t in good shape. 

Mr. Sadler

Mr. Sadler never used to exercise.  But when he moved to his community in 2009, his decision to start taking group fitness classes and using the pool proved valuable to overcome health challenges that were just around the corner. After a knee replacement surgery didn’t go as expected, he had to have the surgery reversed and replaced the joint with surgical concrete.  Not only did that “fix” leave him unable to walk, he lost significant healthy muscle tissue as well. Following his release from physical therapy, Mr. Sadler was only mobile by scooter or wheelchair and he stopped attending an annual family beach vacation.

He knew his only hope to return to more independence, and maybe to enjoying that annual family vacation again was to get back to a regular exercise routine. After working closely with the NIFS team at his community, he was able to regain significant strength and balance through careful water training. Eventually, he got back to land-based exercise as well and at 87 years old, he has resumed driving and walks confidently with a walker. In 2015, he joined his family again at the beach for their annual vacation. 

[Read more: Mr. Sadler's full story]

Mrs. Boelter

Mrs. Boelter was physical active as a regular water aerobics participant before she moved into her community in 2013.  She was also an avid walker and all of that has continued with the help of the NIFS staff at her community. As her Parkinson’s disease progresses, she feels the importance of maintaining her activity level even more and shared that through regular personal training with the NIFS manager, she has more energy throughout the day. But most noticeably, she is more able to get moving in the morning compared to her previous routine.

Mrs. Boelter noted that although she’s had a number of falls over the past 20 years since she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, she’s had no major falls since she started working with the NIFS staff on her balance. She tells everyone at the community about the benefits of the classes and personal training; she’s a living testament to being able to maintain her independence with regular balance training offered at her community.

Mrs. Moore

Mrs. Moore has been active in the fitness center and with the NIFS staff at her community since she moved in 2004. More recently however, she participated in the NIFS Balance Challenge at the suggestion of the NIFS manager. Through a series of evaluations, education, and fun games, residents engaged in the Balance Challenge understand how to improve their balance as well as how to avoid and manage falls. 

New information on managing falls proved to be very timely for Mrs. Moore when she sustained a fall outside of the clubhouse. After she got her bearings, she was able to use skills she had learned from the NIFS manager during the Challenge to get up on her own without injury. She shared she’s been able to use what she learned through the program to stay active with gardening and to keep up with her grandkids too. She has also become an ambassador for all services connected with balance training at her community. 

[Read more: Mrs. Moore's full story]

It's really common for communities to have missed opportunities when it comes to providing comprehensive fall prevention programming. We can help you spot and fill those gaps to provide exactly what your residents need to feel steadier and confident on their feet. Click below for more information about a free consulting session with NIFS to jump start balance training at your community.

At the end of October, we'll be setting up shop at the LeadingAge Expo in Indianapolis where we'll be working with senior living community leaders to help them understand how they can start to build more thriving, active and vibrant senior exercise programs.  

Creating successful senior living exercise programs should be complicated, but I've seen so many communities struggle to create anything beyond their typical group fitness classes and hosting some personal training in their fitness space.  At our booth, we'll be showcasing these opportunities for senior living community professionals:

• Our fabulous fitness staff will demonstrate fun group fitness toys, like the resistance chair, that they put to regular use in the communities we serve.  Attendees can watch them work, or boldly give each piece a try themselves.
• We'll have information on how NIFS supports community construction projects with fitness center design and equipment expertise.
• Data from NIFS programs will be on display and attendees can learn how to get their own exercise program outcomes that make the job of community marketing and sales staff easier.

We are also launching our brand new workshop at the Expo.  "Exercise Through the Continuums" is a one-day workshop geared for Activity Directors who are interested in improving exercise options for residents in Assisted Living and Memory Care settings. Access our "save the date" page here to find out more.

NIFS is committed to helping senior living communities turn their fitness program from vacant to vibrant and we'll have plenty of information and resources at our LeadingAge Expo booth (#1025) to help you do just that. If you're not attending the LeadingAge Annual Meeting and Expo, or you can't wait until the end of the month, click here to find out more.

Download our Ebook on how you can take your community fitness center from vacant to vibrant, click below.