In Indianapolis, Indiana, Marquette Manor residents participate in "Muscles In Motion" program. We are proud to highlight Marquette Manor´s executive director, Jonathan Cook for his commitment to wellness! Mr. Cook explains his program for us, and elaborates on how the resident participation continues to exceed expectations.

"It all started last Summer (2006) as we were preparing the community for a significant expansion. We wanted to really make health and wellness a cornerstone of Marquette Manor´s identity. The expansion will include updated fitness facilities to compliment our already vital wellness program. We have contracted with NIFS (National Institute for Fitness and Sport) to staff and manage our wellness center. They have staffed the center with one full-time employee who orients residents, teaches fitness classes, keeps fitness records, coordinates healthy dining sessions and works with administration on the "Marquette Manor Muscles in Motion" program.

The Muscles in Motion program was designed to motivate our residents to get their friends and peers involved in the fitness program. It has been a huge success so far. We measure resident visits as follows: one visit constitutes a 20 minute session in the center, exercise class or mind stimulation game or puzzle. We are only five months into the program and we have gone from 647 fitness visits in July to 1008 visits in October.

To generate interest we have started a very basic incentive program. The three residents with the highest point totals in a month receive a 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prize each month. First place is a very nice Land'sEnd jacket with a MM Muscles in Motion logo. The second and third place are two Land's End shirts with the same logo. Additionally, the winners are recognized each month at the resident association meeting and the first place winner is presented with two plaques. One for them to keep personally. The second goes on the wall of fame outside the wellness center. Lastly, residents may only win once in the six month time frame as to give others opportunities to win. All winners will be eligible for a grand prize at the end of six months before we start the program all over again. It is our goal to tweak the program every six months and present new challenges and keep the program fresh. As of right now we 28% of our residents participating in the program.

Our next steps… We will be evaluating software to make it much easier to track resident progress and involvement. We have been given three types of software that may meet our needs. I will update the site with any progress in this area. As we tweak the program we are going to offer better incentives for getting residents to not only participate but bring their friends. If anyone has specific questions please do not hesitate to give me a ring.”

Jonathan Cook
Executive Director
Marquette Manor
8140 Township Line Rd.
Indianapolis, Indiana 46260

Lanier Village Estates in Gainesville, GA hosts a magnificent train room, which is enjoyed daily by residents and visitors alike. Donated by residents, the train village project continues from year to year, and is always a joy to behold.