The residents at Portland Pointe, a Springpoint affordable housing community located in Atlantic Highlands, say it all the time. But the records and statistics, comparing results over a three-month period, make it even clearer. They certainly do LivWell!
The LivWell program at the community is part of Springpoint‘s whole-person wellness approach, designed to support residents’ well-being across mind, body, spirit and community. Through fitness activities, social engagement and opportunities to stay active and connected, the program helps enhance residents’ quality of life, improve functional fitness, and reduce the risk of accidental falls.
“It has been a beautiful and rewarding experience for me,” said Jamie DeCaro, the group’s fitness instructor and licensed occupational therapist who oversees the program.
Classes at Portland Pointe are held twice a week, with three different classes offered on Mondays and another three on Thursdays. There are currently 15 active members in the program, and DeCaro said new members are welcome to join at any time. With the number of classes offered, individual attention is another asset of the program, as most classes average about four participants per session.
DeCaro said the program is assessed regularly to ensure residents’ needs are being met. The assessments compare results from May with scores in the same areas in September, examining the impact of the program across five areas, each with a specific target threshold.
For instance, the professional threshold for recommended exercise was a 30 percent increase. In May, 74 percent of LivWell members met that threshold; by September, that number had risen to 77 percent. Functional fitness also improved, with 64 percent of members achieving the target in May, compared with 77 percent in September.
The same was true for quality of life. In May, 73 percent of members felt the LivWell program had improved their quality of life. Three months later, that number had increased to 77 percent. Even more encouraging, 91 percent initially felt that their quality of life would improve over the next two years because of the program. By September, that figure had reached 100 percent, with every participant expressing a more positive outlook.
The only area that saw a decline was fall risk, DeCaro explained. Even when one member experiences a slip or fall, whether due to bad weather or an incident at home, it can affect the overall percentage. At Portland Pointe, 64 percent of members were initially assessed as having no fall risk. Three months later, that figure had dropped to 54 percent. DeCaro noted that the results have been recognized and addressed.
“The quality of life improvement from 73 to 77 percent was motivating,” DeCaro said, “especially since it had started so high in the first place. But even more pleasing was increasing from a very strong 91 percent to a full 100 percent! All of this demonstrates positive movement across each of the outcomes, with strong gains in functional fitness and long-term quality in particular.”
The figures also highlight the continued impact of consistent LivWell participation on residents’ physical function, independence and overall well-being.
DeCaro noted that she is happy to continue the program and share her passion for health and wellness, especially because she sees how happy and energized her class participants are.
“They have reported being in less pain and are able to move better, such as being able to walk to the grocery store. Everyone is here to lift each other up. There is no doubt the classes are a great way to socialize and move in a fun, positive environment.”
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The only area that saw a decline was fall risk, DeCaro explained. Even when one member experiences a slip or fall, whether due to bad weather or an incident at home, it can affect the overall percentage. At Portland Pointe, 64 percent of members were initially assessed as having no fall risk. Three months later, that figure had dropped to 54 percent. DeCaro noted that the results have been recognized and addressed. The only area that saw a decline was fall risk, DeCaro explained. Even when one member experiences a slip or fall, whether due to bad weather or an incident at home, it can affect the overall percentage. At Portland Pointe, 64 percent of members were initially assessed as having no fall risk. Three months later, that figure had dropped to 54 percent. DeCaro noted that the results have been recognized and addressed.
