North Hill Senior Living Expands Programs for Fitness
Press Release
For Immediate Release Contact: Patricia Cusack
January 27, 2025
North Hill Senior Living Expands programs for fitness, vitality and well-being of its residents
New equipment for cognitive motor training is a popular addition to programming
Needham, MA…North Hill Senior Living in Needham is expanding programming for its residents to encourage total mind-body health and well-being. Recognizing that fitness should take a holistic approach, the fitness department has been re-named the Department of Fitness and Vitality.
“These new programs expand the scope of body and mind wellness,” said Christine Morrison, director of the department. “What’s good for your heart is good for your brain,” she added, “and we’re committed to providing all possible opportunities for residents to stay healthy and enjoy their lives all throughout their lives.”
New programming includes classes in Tai Chi, floor and chair yoga, breath work and meditation mindfulness. North Hill’s philosophy for total wellness is in keeping with the advice modern science gives us. By keeping our minds and our bodies engaged in healthful activity, we reduce stress, lower the risk of heart disease and cancer, prevent injuries, increase energy, sleep better and are generally stronger and happier.*
A feature of the new department is the acquisition of the Dividat Senso™ Machine for cognitive motor training. The machine is a research-based product that helps improve physical and mental cognition. Users can “play” at a variety of tasks that engage movement and cognition simultaneously resulting in improved gait, better mental focus and better reflexes to respond when movement should be inhibited. Think: car sensor that stops when something is in front of or behind it.
*Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Researchers have found that simultaneous movement and thinking promote brain health. According to a peer-reviewed paper published in 2018 by Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience “The combination of regular physical exercise with cognitive stimulation seems especially suited to increase an individual’s cognitive reserve, i.e., his/her resistance to degenerative processes of the brain.”
Ms. Morrisson considers this excellent news for North Hill Residents and seniors everywhere: “Science is helping people live longer and longer every year,” she notes. “As a fitness professional, I can’t think of anything better than to have tools to help us enjoy an optimum quality of life to complement those extra years.”
For more information about North Hill visit www.NorthHill.org
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