New Fitness Center at Riderwood Gives Residents a Jump Start on the Holidays

I’m often amazed by the commitment of seniors to their daily exercise routines.  One resident of a retirement community told me this year “if you’re movin’, you’re livin’!”

As the holidays approach chock full of home-cooked dinners and sweet treats, staying in shape is a seasonal challenge that leads to many new year’s resolutions.

This year, residents of Riderwood have a leg up in burning off those extra calories.

On November 20th, the Erickson Living retirement community cut the ribbon for its third fitness center, this one located in the Montgomery Station clubhouse.

The studio features the latest in cardio equipment, including NuSteps, treadmills and an elliptical. Strength training is also included with chest press, lat pulldown, leg extension and leg curl machines along with free weights. iPod connections and two flat screen televisions provide a diversion for those in the midst of their regimens.

As with the other two fitness centers, the new location is conveniently open 24/7 for qualified members, and supervised training with Riderwood’s team of certified wellness coordinators is available during the weekdays.

The planning and development of the Montgomery Station fitness center resulted from a collaboration between residents and staff, led by Loris Errera, Assistant Rehabilitation Manager, and Dr. George Galasso, a member of the Resident Advisory Council.

“We tried to design a facility that would meet the fitness and wellness needs of the users,” stated Dr. Galasso. “A plan was initially developed and presented to residents. We received input and made certain modifications to fulfill their expectations of how the fitness center could best serve them.”

Even at a 120-acre retirement community, ‘location, location, location’ is an exercise influencer, observed Lindsey Drabczyk, the Lead Wellness Coordinator at Riderwood.

“Convenience is a factor that contributes to any individual choosing to exercise. Based on the attendance at the ribbon cutting ceremony, we fully expect our residents to take advantage of our Montgomery Station location to either start or enhance their exercise routines,” said Ms. Drabczyk.