Chilton Memorial Hospital - New Vitality Program

What is it?

New Vitality is an award-winning health and wellness program tailored to meet the needs of today’s mature adults. Members benefit socially, physically, emotionally, mentally, and educationally from New Vitality’s extensive roster of exercise classes, lectures, workshops, classes, support groups, and social events. The program offers 20 different exercise classes to motivate the older adult. Membership is free. New Vitality has received national recognition for several offerings, including a program on substance abuse called Keeping Your Mind Alert: Tips for Success; the Senior Police Academy, which partners with the local police department to teach older-adult safety issues; Discover the Writer, which allows the older adult an opportunity to record their feelings and thoughts in the form of a short story, poem, or essay; and the Intergenerational Readers Club, where older adults visit elementary schools to work with children who have reading difficulties. The New Vitality program also offers help with insurance issues, and an information and referral service on aging resources.

Who is it for?

Adults age 50 and over.

Why do they do it?

The program was designed as a response to the growing needs of the older adult population in the hospital’s service area, to improve their quality of life and their access to health care information. It also offers the individual the opportunity to learn about the different options that enable them to be proactive in their health care choices and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Impact

In 2011, New Vitality had approximately 18,501 encounters through its 802 program sessions. Participant surveys showed an average of a 99 percent satisfaction rate. Exercise participants indicated they had lower blood pressure, improved flexibility, increased energy, increased strength, and better balance. The program also generated a return on investment of $36 million in 2011 from 11,200 members who utilized hospital outpatient, inpatient and emergency services.

Contact: Joan Beloff
Director of Gerontology/Community Outreach
Telephone: 973-831-5167
E-mail: jbeloff@chiltonhospital.org