Keeping Healthy: Little Falls Hospital's Wellness Program

"My wife and I are very active outdoors," says Richard, "and this is one way of keeping us in shape so we can continue doing that."

He loves how the program not only helped his injury, but his general health, so he brought his wife Judy along as well.  Judy says she needed to build upper body strength.

"It's a great way to start the morning; we try and get here early," says Judy Zilkowski.

Overall, the program is for patients and the Little Falls community to achieve fitness and strengthening goals, and to improve general health. Occupational Therapist and Director of Rehabilitation Services at the hospital Julie Bush says the program is for all types of injuries and needs, and people.

"Back injuries, shoulder injuries, problems with knees, hips, arthritic problems, osteoporotic problems," are the many ailments they treat she says, "and our population is really a wide range of folks from the injured athlete to perhaps elderly folks who have maybe had a fall."

Bush says it's our own responsibility to take charge of our health, and this is one way to do that. Whether it's someone who needs to lose weight, or help and injury, she says she's seen a dramatic difference in so many people that have come through the program.

"We have some folks who found it difficult to walk they had arthritic problems who are now vacationing going on trips outside of the U.S. and pursuing their love of travel," says Bush.

Judy adds, "you feel better, you start eating better because it goes along with exercising and you'll just enjoy life more."

If interested in participating in the Wellness Program, a doctor's note is necessary.