Phyllis Abrams is happy to report she is in much better health now than when she arrived at The Fountains a little more than six months ago. “My legs are stronger, my balance is better and I can do a lot more,” she says. “All the exercise, particularly the swimming, has really helped me.”
Abrams, who is originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma, has lived all over the world due to her husband’s job in the oil business. “After he passed, both my daughters were in St. Louis with their families, so I came here,” she explains. When both children moved, she followed one to Colorado. “It got harder and harder to breathe,” she says. “I was on oxygen all the time and in cardiac rehab.” She returned to St. Louis and chose The Fountains for its large population of independent senior residents and numerous amenities. “The schedule of activities makes it like living on a cruise ship,” she notes.
Abrams says she always has been active; swimming and dancing were a big part of her routine when she was younger. “When I lived independently, I didn’t follow through as well with working out because I had to drive to the gym,” she explains. “Now, everything is right downstairs, so even on a cold day, I can’t make excuses!” She says it’s also helpful to have friends to exercise with and fitness instructors available for guidance. “I’m very impressed with the patience and expertise of the three women they have working with us,” Abrams says.
Her main forms of exercise are walking, step machines, water aerobics and swimming. “I loved tai chi when they offered it and will start that again when they put it back on the schedule,” she notes. Abrams says the community truly encourages residents to stay healthy and active. “They hold a lot of contests and tournaments, and while I’m never a medal winner, I participate.” A ‘fit menu’ offers seniors healthier options for dinner, which Abrams says makes it easy to choose tasty, good-for-you meals. “I’m not the most athletic person in the world,” she says. “My workout is much more relaxed than a lot of other residents here, but it suits me and it’s working!”
[the routine]
A great bonus to living at The Fountains is the selection of physical activities offered to residents. I met with one of the exercise counselors who put me on an individualized plan. She showed me how to use the step machines because they were part of my routine previously, and I’m on those two to three times a week. When it’s warmer, I take walks in the courtyard. One of my favorite things to do is swim, so three times a week, I attend water aerobics, where we perform various exercises for balance, strengthening and toning. The water classes are perfect for my back, and I never get short of breath. I also can go swimming whenever I want since the pool is always open.
Photo: Bill Barrett