The Healthplex team at St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx is opening its doors! The members are participants of an innovative wellness program, made possible by the Cabrini Grant from the Mother Cabrini Foundation. What started as a virtual wellness offering, is turning into in-person training.
With the re-opening of the Center , the Healthplex team is meeting with roughly 60 participants on a weekly basis. The average age of participants in the program is 40 years old. The participants are being referred from multiple medical providers, with each having one, or multiple chronic conditions.
Lexis Beato, Fitness Professional at HFC, is meeting with a majority of participants, and is educating them on how to develop consistent, safe, and effective fitness routines. Patients who have never exercised in their lives, are coming into the Center on their off days and performing complex movements. For example, participants are able to perform squats, deadlifts, and even kettlebell swings, thanks to the guidance and cues Lexis is providing.
Many of the participants are forming new friendships. They are also seeing a dramatic increase in their self-esteem, energy levels, and motivation. For instance, participants are reporting that the changes in their mindset are affecting their home lives. In addition this is motivating them to seek out healthier alternatives to eat and drink. Many are encouraging their family members to make changes to their habits as well. The changes in the participants’ mental states have been so great that even our trainers are making notes of the changes. Healthplex is proud to be a part of this community effort that is being made possible by the Cabrini Grant.