Mildred Shellenberger uses an outdoor wellness stations along the walking path at Landis Homes.

By ROCHELLE A. SHENK, Correspondent
Lancaster New Era

LANCASTER COUNTY, PA -
The one-mile loop walking path at Landis Homes meanders through the retirement community’s campus near Lititz.

But as of last month, it offers fitness-conscious residents more than just a place to walk.

Five outdoor wellness stations have been installed along the path, with more coming in the future.

“Physical activity plays a significant role in the pursuit of overall health and wellness, and walking itself is the number-one fitness activity of older adults,” said Bob Dressler, fitness coordinator at Landis Homes, which offers independent and assisted living and nursing care to about 650 residents.

“The wellness stations provide a way to turn a walking routine into a total body workout,” he said, adding the stations offer enjoyable strengthening, flexibility and balance activities.

The five LifeTrail wellness stations are interspersed throughout the walking path and are located just off the path, which is maintained during the winter.

“They’ll be accessible year-round since we maintain the paths in the winter,” he said.

Lewisburg-based Playworld Systems, a creator of outdoor fitness equipment, developed LifeTrail with gerontology, kinesiology and recreation experts from Penn State University, according to information on its Web site.

Each station is an individual kiosk with three sides &tstr; two with equipment and one that provides educational information and an inspirational message.

The educational information includes information about posture, healthy eating and nutrition, and Tai Chi. The equipment may be the same on two sides of a station so that two people can use it at one time. Or it may be installed at a lower height for wheelchair access.

Each station focuses on a different area of the body. The stations include a lower body warm-up station, which gradually warms the muscles to reduce the risk of strain and prepares the heart for further exercise; the bench stepper, which increases leg strength and balance; the torso stability station, which has two exercises to strengthen the lower back and abdominal muscles; the upper body warm-up station, which increases blood flow to the arms, shoulder joint, chest and upper back; and the upper body stretch station, which is designed to improve upper body strength and stretch the muscles between the shoulder blades and back of the neck.

Dressler conducted a hands-on session to familiarize residents with the equipment during Landis Homes’ Healthy Aging Day last month.

The session focused on not only how to use the equipment, but also on some fitness basics, such as knowing your body and your limitations, stopping when something becomes painful, and knowing the warning signs of dehydration.

The initial information session was attended by 45 residents and 31 staff members. Dressler will be repeating the session several times in the next month.

“When residents see our staff using the walking paths or the LifeTrail stations, it sets an example and shows them that fitness and wellness are important at any age,” he said.

By the end of the year, an additional five wellness stations with different equipment will be installed along the Landis Homes walking path.

The LifeTrail wellness stations were a gift from the Landis Homes Auxiliary through the proceeds of chicken barbecue sales at last year’s Landis Homes Fellowship Auction.

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