Little did I know that the commitment I took on by accepting the position for Wellness Program Manager at Carolina Meadows back in April of 2013, was going to impact my entire being profoundly! The journey has been inspiring in every aspect of my life. Most of all, I feel enriched through the relationships I have made here with the residents as well as my coworkers.
Wellness, we know, is a bridge to quality of life. Our collaborative approach to wellness at Carolina Meadows is based on an adaptation of the Hettler model of 6 dimensions: intellectual, spiritual, physical, purposeful, emotional, and social. To those we have added a 7th dimension: environmental.
Our focus on wellness led to the establishment of teams that work together to highlight each dimension. Knowing all along that the dimensions overlap, we still find the concepts useful for programming. We have color-coded and branded our Wellness Program and this logo is the result. Below that are some of the interpretations keeping us resilient in the face of change.
- Orange is our Purposeful dimension—volunteerism, gardening, painting, the arts
- Red is our Intellectual dimension—brain games, lectures, lifelong learning
- Dark Blue is our Social dimension—welcoming new residents, making new friends
- Purple is our Spiritual dimension—book groups, philosophical discussion groups
- Light Blue is our Emotional dimension—bereavement groups, caregiver support
- Yellow is our Physical dimension—exercise groups, gym workouts, personal training
- Green is our Environmental dimension—gardening and recycling