Every Year we set resolutions for ourselves and we usually tend to lose the drive to achieve them after a couple of weeks. Last year I made fitness and making healthier choices a goal, and I realized I couldn’t achieve that alone after the first couple of months into 2017. So I decided to invest in trainers to achieve my goals and its been a slow process but going into 2018 I am super happy to be 15lbs lighter with less fat and more muscle, having cut back on poor diet choices that are now easy for me to keep up on a daily basis.
This year I want to take my goals from last year further and not only focus on my health but those of my parents and grandparents. A couple weeks ago I had the pleasure of visiting OptumCare® clinic and finding out more about their philosophy for providing great care and services to their patients. What I found most impressive was OptumCare offers a free community center for patients and non-patients for the 55+ community.
The community center offers a wide range of physical and mental activities like dance class and pilates, art, stretching, computers, board games, and social activities. I love the fact that the environment feels much more like a home than any traditional community center, they offer waters, snacks, and coffee to anyone who visits.
Each community center offers a full calendar of events Monday–Friday. You’ll find:
- Fitness classes like yoga and line dance
- Presentations on diabetes, hearing loss, healthy minds, Medicare and more
- Fun activities like art classes, movie afternoons and parties
During my tour of the community center in Goodyear, AZ I got to peek into their gym and state of the art equipment. I was so impressed by how well thought out the center was and how focused they are on keeping their members safe, healthy and happy! Each machine was digital and members had a personalized chip they insert before using a machine which would indicate the appropriate weight/resistance to each members needs. They also offer onsite care with a nurse and exam rooms.
I was lucky enough to catch the end of their Brain Savers’ class and I really loved how they focus on keeping the mind active along with the body, After discussing exercises of reducing stress the instructor prompted the members to get up and line dance! I would have to say one of the first things I noticed was a positive energy and how happy all the members were and how friendly the staff was from the moment you walked in.
It was really awesome how welcoming everyone at the community center was on my visit. I heard so many amazing stories about how becoming a member helped with either grieving a loss or staying healthy. I had a woman tell me after losing her husband she lost herself and became really introverted. She also went on to say that when she first came to the center she was really hesitant and wasn’t even sure she would enjoy it and since then has been coming back and has found herself again!
This really hit close to home for me as I have a grandmother who is single and often home alone and we struggle with how this can affect her health and well being. I was so excited to discover OptumCare® Primary Care and OptumCare Community Centers and getting to see how well off their members were really got me hopeful and excited for my loved ones!
I decided to join the members of their Pilates class and although I knew it would be targeted for the member’s needs and have age appropriate modifications, I felt the burn and the stretching!
The instructor did a great job explaining the positioning and creating a fun environment for everyone.
OptumCare® Community Centers also offers support for caregivers. As rewarding as it is to care for our loved ones it can often be challenging and that’s where OptumCare®comes in, they offer classes for both caregivers and patients:
- Alzheimer’s support group
- Long-term care planning
- Stroke prevention
- Nutrition 101
- Healthy living with diabetes
- Healthy cooking made easy
Nothing aids in healthier lifestyle than having a full calendar of both physical and social enrichment. That’s why I am making it a goal to not only further my own health goals but those of my older grandparents and parents. Healthcare is so much more than just a visit with your physician, and OptumCare® gets that!
I want to thank the staff and members of OptumCare Community Center Goodyear for making my visit so welcoming and memorable!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of OptumCare. The opinions and text are all mine.
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