Residents cycle, trek across the world at Roberta Place
Monday September 17, 2007 -- Natalie Miller
The promise of a trip around the world can be a real motivator for seniors to exercise, a long-term care employee has learned.

Borrowing the idea from a colleague, Roberta Place’s restorative care co-ordinator, Beth Lockwood, decided to run a program that tracks exercise accomplishments on a world map.

About 50 residents are involved in the program at the 140-bed long-term care home in Barrie.

“A lot of the residents have done travelling,” says Lockwood.

“It gives them something to look forward to,” she says. “It gives them a little bit more of a purpose.”

Staff has worked out the particulars of how to track cycle rotations and steps in proportion to distance travelled on the map. Residents' distances travelled are added together and the amount is used to determine how far across the world they have gone at the end of the month.

There is a map of the world on the wall of the restorative care room and "residents look forward to seeing how far they have made it each month.  A picture of all the places we have stopped is placed around the map with the name of the place underneath." 

Lockwood started the program in January with the journey beginning in Barrie. From there, residents have since traveled to places including Newfoundland, France, Nigeria, Egypt and India. They are currently in Thailand with a goal of reaching Australia. 

“The restorative care department at Roberta Place encourages residents who are able to participate in either a walking or biking exercise program,” explains Lockwood.

“The program provides an incentive for resident’s to try their hardest and to keep motivated with their exercise program.  It also serves as a source of conversation as many residents reminisce about places they have been to or where they would like to go.”