The Residents of Saint Peter Apartments in Columbia, Pa., have been traveling across the country this summer without even leaving town.
Several seniors living at the property participated in Step On It!, an initiative of Kindred at Home, a provider of home health care services.
Step On It! supplies pedometers to older adults and seniors to encourage and increase physical activity. The pedometers track each resident’s steps, which were then logged and tracked by HDC MidAtlantic Resident Services Coordinator Dora Brown each week.
In a fun twist to encourage participation, residents decided to “walk” to different places around the country by combining their weekly steps.
During regular check-ins, Brown shared information about the group’s weekly destination including facts on the area’s landmarks, history, food and culture. Brown said she believed the destinations pique the resident’s curiosity and they looked forward to choosing the next place to visit.
In the first leg of their journey, residents started at Saint Peter Apartments, then walked to Clipper Magazine Stadium in Lancaster, then to Assateague Lighthouse in Chincoteague, Va., then to The Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills, NC, and finally to Mercer House in Savannah, Ga.
While the trek is over 2 million steps, the group went above and beyond by walking nearly 3 million combined steps. They celebrated this major milestone with a party featuring culinary delights inspired by the destinations they “visited” on their way to Savannah.
Health and wellness is among five key focus areas HDC MidAtlantic’s Resident Services prioritizes. Resident Services Coordinators like Brown look for innovative ways to engage residents and encourage participation in wellness activities.
Staying active is especially important as we age to stay healthy and prevent against chronic conditions like obesity, diabetes or cardiovascular disease. Brown said several residents participating in Step On It! shared that they’d lost weight since starting the program or saw improvements in conditions they’re managing like diabetes.
Step On It! has contributed to participants emotional health, too. Residents connect over a common interest and build stronger relationships with each other, all while indulging in some friendly and healthy competition.
Brown plans to continue the program as long as the residents are active and participating. They are currently “on their way” to St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans, La.
Every voice matters. At HDC, we are committed to raising up resident voices and opening doors so that residents can actively participate in the democratic process, speak out on issues important to them and their communities, and communicate how policies affect their everyday lives. We believe it is important to make the time and space to listen, and to support resident leaders in effectively using their voices. We support resident advocacy opportunities through our Resident Academy of Leadership & Inspiration, Voter Registration Drives, and holding constituent meetings and tours with elected officials.
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Finding a place to live that meets one’s basic needs and budget can feel like a never-ending challenge. The complexity of lower-income families and individuals extend far beyond simply finding a safe, affordable, and welcoming place to call home. At HDC, we are committed to being an ally in speaking to issues, programs, and policies that improve quality of life of our residents. Issues that we know are important to our residents include:
We know we can’t solve the affordable housing challenge alone. We need champions to help change the conversation around what home means and why it matters. We are committed to educating elected officials to understand the needs and challenges of their constituents. We are here to provide solutions that work and offer affordable housing expertise that demonstrates the impact policy decisions have on lower-income families, seniors and those with disabilities. We work closely with and participate in alliances and coalitions to educate and advance shared policy priorities. Our advocacy partners include:
Wendy Smith serves as the Vice President of Property Management, responsible for the overall strategic direction for HDC’s management portfolio and the organization’s largest staff team. Previously, Wendy served as Asset and Operations Manager for a leading real estate firm based in New York City which owned over 11,000 affordable homes. Since 2008, Wendy has held roles in regional level operations for commercial and for-profit housing agencies. Wendy holds a degree in International Studies.
