A Health & Wellness Summer

Health & Wellness was busy this summer providing fun, engaging programs to enhance the quality of life to our HDAE Staff. We worked with Carol Hirashima in Marketing & Communications to produce a series of videos, including a virtual Homestretch for staff who may not be able to attend one in their area, or need an additional stretch each week.

This summer the “Walk with Ease Program” (designed by the Arthritis Foundation) was offered to Portola staff during their shutdown period. This 6-week program promotes physical activity safely through various life stages and conditions.  Participants met once a week to learn about the benefits of walking, techniques for maintaining a successful walking routine, and strategies for managing arthritis pain. 

The program was customized to keep staff engaged with group activities, PowerPoint presentations, and discussions. We had a total of 25 participants complete the program! Staff received tools and resources to begin or to continue healthy habits that can improve their overall lifestyle and well-being. Some of the feedback we received was “ I would like to participate in the wellness program more” and “I would recommend the program to other staff members.” We are appreciative of our dining staff and we plan to continue to offer wellness resources when time permits.

Additionally, after a hiatus from Zumba due to the pandemic and a long search for a new instructor, we were happy to bring this class back this summer!  Although it was a busy time for our staff we wanted to give folks a chance to release some stress with this dance-inspired class that requires no previous experience. Our instructor Zoe led three fun and energizing classes at Jameson Center. Zumba combines cardio exercise moves with elements of various music genres including upbeat latin and international rhythms. Zumba is a fun way to add variety to your exercise routine, and also a great way to bring everyone together. Stay tuned for our next set of Zumba classes!

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