Galloway Ridge has won the 2020 ICAA NuStep Beacon Award, which recognizes and honors the Top 25 ‘Best in Wellness’ senior living communities in North America. Galloway Ridge is among those recognized as best-in-class for successfully fostering a wellness-centered environment to benefit all who live and work in their community. The award was created as a joint effort between International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) and NuStep, LLC, a major manufacturer of recumbent cross-trainers used in healthcare, senior living and fitness, already mentioned above.
The ICAA is responsible for leading, connecting and defining the active-aging industry. CEO and founder Colin Milner says, “Senior living communities have long been aware of how important wellness is for the health and well-being of their residents, but in recent years, wellness has evolved from being a programming option to becoming a way of life” This evolution, says Milner, is also reflected in a survey recently conducted by the ICAA. The survey found that 59% of senior living communities state their business model will be wellness-centered with care services by 2023. Galloway Ridge has successively partnered with its residents and staff to create relevant, meaningful opportunities and inspire participants to improve their quality of life.
Wellness is typically defined by seven key dimensions: emotional, physical, intellectual, social, spiritual, vocational and environmental. When each of these dimensions is equally nurtured and prioritized, it can enhance a sense of well-being among residents. It is this commitment and acknowledgement of how important wellness is for older adults that elevates resident health to new heights.
“Our ability to maintain a community of wellness has been challenged more this year than ever before. With Covid-19 requiring extreme levels of safety precautions, Galloway Ridge has had to push outside the box to ensure a high level of wellness, even when our typical strategies no longer apply. From a place of creativity and determination, we have risen above the challenges to provide a variety of ways to continue to engaging our residents,” Cori Cansler, the Director of Resident Enrichment, explains. “We strive to create opportunities to prioritize health, encourage learning and ensure that an individual’s experience at Galloway Ridge is one of positivity and growth. We want everyone who walks into this community to leave happier and more fulfilled than when they came in.”
As the older adult population continues to grow and more individuals seek a better, longer life, where they choose to live is becoming increasingly important. How communities structure their wellness culture can have a significant effect on health and longevity. It’s more than just practicing wellness; it’s about having it permeate all aspects of life. As winners of the Beacon award for the second year in a row, Galloway Ridge continues to lead the way.
