Seniors learn to stay active
Chestnut Knoll celebrates participants of FOX Rehabilitation Optimal Living Program
Chestnut Knoll Personal Care and Memory Care is committed to the overall quality of life for residents and has seen spectacular results and improvement in residents’ function, thanks to FOX Rehabilitation. Chestnut Knoll recently celebrated participants in the FOX Optimal Living Program, showcasing residents and all their achievements and to show friends and family members how this program really can add not only years, but also quality and independence, to a senior’s life.
Since 2013, Chestnut Knoll has been offering its residents therapy and wellness services provided by FOX Rehabilitation in in a program aptly named the FOX Optimal Living Program (FOL). This groundbreaking concept in healthcare is designed to help each resident achieve his or her personal goals of optimal strength, mobility, balance and overall quality of life by providing all residents with an evidence-based continuum of therapy and/or wellness services.
The FOL program proactively combats functional decline by guiding each resident through the most appropriate path of rehabilitation and/or wellness in effort to achieve their optimal level of function. Through the Fox Optimal Living program, Chestnut Knoll has taken health care decisions about therapy and wellness out of the hands of insurance companies and placed them back in the hands of qualified health care providers.
The FOL program at Chestnut Knoll not only boasts 100 percent resident engagement, but also provides services to community members who can attend strength, mobility and balance classes at no cost. The awards ceremony was held on January 29, 2017 for the residents, in addition to these community members. This year roughly 75 Chestnut Knoll residents were recognized, as well as six community members.
“The FOX Optimal Living Program recognizes residents that go above and beyond in their efforts and achievements. This includes the 2016 Dene Liott Award winner Estella Forge who, through her hard work and dedication to her recovery in the FOL program, has regained the ability to walk independently after arriving at Chestnut Knoll confined to a wheelchair. Estella is just one of the many success stories we have experienced at Chestnut Knoll since the FOL program began in 2013, and we can’t wait to see many more stories like this in the years to come,” said Michael Melnick PT, MS, CSCS, director of FOX Optimal Living Rehab.
Forge said, “I thank them very much for everything that they have contributed to help me reach the point that I have – I could not have done it without them. They are good folks here!”
FOX has continued to collect data from the FOX Optimal Living program at Chestnut Knoll, and is in partnership with Thomas Jefferson University to help analyze this data. Specific functional outcomes measures are collected on all Chestnut Knoll residents, as well as studying falls, hospitalizations, and length of stay.
In 2016, the FOX Optimal Living program at Chestnut Knoll continued to have a significant positive impact on the Chestnut Knoll residents. Some of the findings for 2016 include: residents demonstrated an 87% increase in leg strength; residents demonstrated a 33% increase in average walking speed; residents demonstrated a 41% increase in functional capacity; and residents demonstrated a 24% improvement in balance.
Participating residents get more than 150 minutes of therapeutic physical activity each week. The program is structured to use an evidence-based approach to address each individual’s mobility, strength and balance deficits. In addition, the program offers dementia education and support groups for caregivers, wellness programs, on-call physical therapists, and customized exercise classes for residents with dementia. Residents have the option of one-onone rehab or wellness sessions, or can be grouped together in classes based on similar levels of function.
Chestnut Knoll and FOX Rehab encourage everyone to take advantage of the evidenced-based strength, mobility and balance classes, which can help you or a loved one remain active and independent. For more information about Chestnut Knoll and the FOX Optimal Living program or the Strength, Mobility and Balance Exercise program, please contact Jodie Daniels at 610-473-8066.