After her second knee replacement last March, 79-year-old Kate Kemp was relying on a cane to get around and could barely make it from one piece of gym equipment to the next at the Shalom Village Fitness Club. “Greg, the manager of the club, was so encouraging when I came back,” said Kemp. “He told me stories of people who were similar to me and how they had persevered. He assessed my program and made some suggestions and is still making suggestions. I needed that kind of personal touch and now I’m almost back to my pre-surgical state.”
It’s experiences like Kemp’s that helps set the Shalom Village Fitness Club apart from other health facilities–that and the fact that it’s specifically geared to those over the age of 65.
“Our Keiser equipment is all push button which increases and decreases the weight, so it’s easy to set up and adjust,” says Greg Almas, head coach of the club and the trainer who helped Kemp post-surgery. He adds that the machines also keep track of repetitions the user has completed.
Other pieces of equipment, like the recumbent stepper, are ideal for users with knee problems, along with conventional exercise machines such as treadmills, cross trainers and parallel bars for those who need support walking.
The fitness club is part of the Shalom Village seniors community – which is comprised of independent living apartments and a long-term care facility. Seniors living in Hamilton and who are over the age of 65 can also join the fitness club for a monthly fee.
Get breaking National news
READ MORE: Haven’t exercised in decades? Here’s how to get active as a senior
That fee also includes personal support. Rather than paying $80-$100 for a personal trainer at traditional fitness facilities, members can work one on one with staff and receive program assessments as part of the $40/monthly fee. A fee that’s being waived in June for Seniors Month.
There’s also proof in the numbers about the importance of staying active. A three-year study of the Shalom Village Fitness Club conducted by Dr. Vanina Dal-Bello Haas of McMaster University found that after five years of membership, there was a decrease of nearly 30 per cent of members needing a walking aid. The study also showed that the longer the member stays in the program, the less their chances are of a fall.
“It’s about maintaining as much mobility as possible,” says Almas. “Typically, the people who come to see us have two comorbidities so staying active will help their blood pressure, their physical coordinating function and allow them to keep doing daily tasks. Gardening or housework for example require balance and coordination. The more sedentary you are, the higher degree there is for things to go wrong with your body.”
And that’s just the physical part. The Shalom Village Fitness Club also recognizes that socialization is just as critical for seniors. “As people get older, and especially with the pandemic, they become more socially isolated,” says Almas. That means that members may find staff helping them make social connections with other members or even encourage them to visit the kosher cafe down the hall after they’re done working out.
As a result of these social connections, many monthly members from the community become Assisted Living residents when they decide they’d like a little more help with daily activities like laundry, or housekeeping. Their familiarity with Shalom Village, combined with the friendships they’ve made, allows for an easy transition as they move closer to care, while still living life on their own terms.
WATCH: Alberta senior leads others on fitness journey
For Kemp, while she started out participating in group classes that have since been on hold due to the pandemic, she was surprised about the social aspect of fitness. “I really didn’t think I’d come for the social interaction–I thought it was all about the physical side,” says the now 80-year-old who tries to make it to the facility two to three times a week. “After you start becoming involved with the others, you look for them to be there and encourage each other to be there. It’s quite an interesting experience what happens between the group there.”
If you or a loved one would like to learn more about the Shalom Village Fitness Club or accommodations, please visit here.