Friendship Village Sunset Hills was recently awarded the 2023 ICAA NuStep Beacon Award, identifying it as one of the top 25 “Best in Wellness” senior living communities in the country. The award is a joint initiative between the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) and NuStep, a prominent manufacturer of recumbent cross-trainers. “The ICAA is dedicated to improving the way people age and helping seniors embrace healthy activity,” wellness coordinator Colleen Pratt notes. “The Beacon Award honors communities that embrace an environment of wellness. At Friendship Village, we have a dedicated focus on keeping residents physically active.”
The 2023 ICAA NuStep Beacon Award is not the first time Friendship Village has been recognized for its wellness programming. In 2022, it won the McKnight Excellence in Technology Award for its partnership with VirtuSense Technologies to use balance assessments to reduce falls across the community. “When a resident moves in, we do a balance assessment to pinpoint what their specific needs are,” Pratt notes. “The results determine how we recommend they engage with our wellness programming. They may be cleared to take any class we offer, or it may be determined that they need to work with our therapy department to help them stabilize.”
Balance assessments are just one facet of what makes Friendship Village’s wellness programming so personalized. Pratt notes that the community offers a wide selection of classes and activities. “We have everything from basic seated and standing strength classes to just plain fun offerings like line and maraca dance classes,” she says. “Our balance classes are important for residents as a simple fall can have life-changing ramifications.” The community offers one-on-one training as well as group classes, or residents can exercise on their own in the gym or at the pool. For those who might enjoy a less structured option, Friendship Village also often does walking challenges to keep people active.
Friendship Village is dedicated to empowering every resident on their wellness journey. Pratt notes that the wellness department meets with each individual to determine their best options from both a health and entertainment perspective. “We make fitness fun,” Pratt says. “Residents can play croquet and chair or water volleyball. Our communities also regularly have bocce ball tournaments, and we have a cornhole competition that doubles as a fundraiser. We plan visits to parks and destinations like the Saint Louis Zoo and Westport Social. Our goal is to meet residents where they are so they can continue to enjoy life for as long as possible.”
For more than 40 years, Friendship Village Senior Living has provided faith-based services at both its locations in Sunset Hills and Chesterfield. Pictured on cover: Residents enjoy a variety of programming to stay active and engaged. For more information, call the Sunset Hills location at 314.270.7700 or the Chesterfield location at 636.898.8500 or visit fvstl.com.
Cover design by Julie Streiler
Cover photo courtesy of Friendship Village Senior Living
Pictured at the top: Friendship Village residents enjoy many opportunities to socialize.
Photo courtesy of Friendship Village Senior Living