Washington, IA (June 20, 2016) – The United Presbyterian Home is proud to announce their participation in The Longest Day. This is an event to honor the strength, passion and endurance of those facing Alzheimer’s disease. From sunrise to sunset, each team will complete an activity to raise awareness and funds for the care, support and research efforts of the Alzheimer’s Association. The activity chosen by the UP Home was ‘NuStepping.’ NuStep® is a recumbent cross trainer that combines lower and upper body movement for full body workout which allows people of virtually all ability levels to use this machine.
Four UP Home residents have taken charge of planning this event, getting donations and spreading the word. Dorothy White, Pat Jenkins, Lois Swank and Melva Mineart have all been directly affected by Alzheimer’s in their life with family members and feel honored to lead this event on the UP Home campus for the third time.
Wellness and Fitness Director Amy Kleese has been at the UP Home for almost 18 years and I has witnessed most of these ladies on the team entering campus with their husbands at various stages of Alzheimer’s. “I have had some of their husbands in exercise classes or personal trained them in the fitness center. Personally, I had to learn how to change my personal training and group fitness class cues and teaching style. I find myself working with more people all the time with Alzheimer’s and my hope is that we’re making a difference for them by keeping them strong and finding joy during the moments they are exercising with us and their friends. I also have come to realize just how important exercise is for the caretakers of those with Alzheimer’s. It is a way for them to have stress release; fun with peers and most importantly stay healthy,” said Amy.
The UP Home is holding their Longest Day Event on the summer solstice, Monday, June 20, 2016. All of the NuStep’s from around the facility will be in the Large Exercise room from 5:30 a.m.- 5:30 p.m. for residents, staff, friends and family to participate. The team has set a goal of $12,000 to raise for the Alzheimer’s Association and as of Wednesday, June 15th they have raised just over $6,000.
In addition to raising funds for a great cause, NuStep, Inc. has joined the cause and will donate a recumbent cross trainer to the top three teams that raise the most funds. The top three prizes range in value from $3795 – $5995. In 2014 and 2015 the UP Home has been a winner of a NuStep. To Date the UP Home team has raised over $21,000 over the last three years.
“As the years go by, some of the ladies have moved their husbands to our skilled nursing facility and three have lost their husbands to this disease and have become widows. Together they continue to support each other, fight the disease that has taken so much from them and make a difference for others affected by Alzheimer’s,” said Amy.
Visit www.alz.org/thelongest day to learn more or call the UP Home at 653.5473 to schedule a time to ride a NuStep on Monday, June 20th.