Dynamic duo Donna and Julianne Joseph are no strangers to wanting to look and feel their best. As a former and a current cosmetologist, these New Britain residents have always been committed to maintaining their personal appearance. So it’s no surprise that they apply the same principals when it comes to their health and fitness.
After experiencing a fall while working that resulted in a broken femur, Donna recuperated for three weeks at Jerome Home, 975 Corbin Ave., for extensive in-patient occupational and physical therapy rehabilitation. After completing home care services Donna then transitioned to outpatient physical therapy rehabilitation. Upon completion of the 10 weeks of manual therapy, stretching, strengthening, balance and gait training, she was able to progress from a walker to ambulating without a device. During her outpatient physical therapy she was instructed and became proficient in a home exercise program and she was referred to GoodLife Fitness, where she has been a dedicated member for the last two years.
GoodLife Fitness, a program of Hartford HealthCare, is geared toward the older adult to build energy, strength and endurance for an active lifestyle. An exercise physiologist works one-to-one with each person to improve muscular strength, balance, cardiovascular health and self-esteem, while reducing the risk of falls and injuries.
Since joining GoodLife Fitness at Jerome Home, Donna has made tremendous progress towards achieving her initial goal of increasing her lower body strength and feels that she is able to do activities that she couldn’t do prior to her injury due to the increased range of motion she’s developed. While on her road to recovery, Donna recruited a familiar face to join her in the program: her daughter Julianne.
Because Julianne owns and operates a successful hair salon and is constantly on her feet, she found it essential to increase her flexibility and cardiovascular endurance in order to do her job well.
Although she isn’t the typical senior participant that the GoodLife Fitness program targets, Julianne says that she “prefers the pressure free environment and personalized approach offered with this program, unlike other large commercial gyms which can often intimidate their members.” Between the constantly challenging workout routines and the supportive staff guiding her every step of the way, Julianne feels as though she has come far in her goals since the start of her fitness journey, and continues to strive for more success.
Hartford HealthCare offers GoodLife Fitness at eight locations. For more information about GoodLife Fitness at Jerome Home, call 860.356.8247.
Jerome Home, located at 975 Corbin Ave. in New Britain, is a managed community under Hartford HealthCare Senior Services that offers skilled nursing, inpatient/outpatient rehabilitation, residential care, memory care and assisted living. For more information about Jerome Home, visit jeromehome.org.
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Hartford HealthCare offers GoodLife Fitness at eight locations – click here for your location or call 860.356.8247 for more information about GoodLife Fitness at Jerome Home.