Author: Beth Case

Resident Walt Lambert has set the dates and chosen the movies for this year’s Winter Film Festival.  The Festival is slated to begin 2:00 pm Sunday, February 17^th and run daily through Friday, February 22nd and will feature Robert Duvall in his Greatest Roles.  Duvall was suggested by resident, Jimette McLean.  McLean said that Duvall is her favorite actor because of his long career playing a variety of characters.  His reach as an actor is great.  Second Hand Lions is McLean’s favorite Duvall movie, even though she feels like it wasn’t his best role.  On the other hand, she thinks his best part was in The Apostle.  McLean says that in this role as a preacher Duvall portrays a consummate saint AND sinner.

Lambert said that he assumed the responsibility of creating the Film Festival as well as other weekly movies.  He streams the movies on iTunes.  Last summer he held a festival that heralded Broadway musicals.  Approximately 25 residents attend daily, as well as residents from Assisted Living.  Lambert also runs weekly movies.  He says that if a movie is popular, he will run it 2-3 times in the Epworth Villa Theatre.

It seems every day we pass someone anxiously looking at their wrist to see if they are on pace to reach the coveted 10,000 steps goal. But is this really a goal worth striving for, or might there be something better?

Professor Rob Copeland from Sheffield Hallam University performed an experiment comparing the benefits of 10,000 steps against something called “Active 10.” With Active 10 there is no step counting. The goal is to do three brisk 10-minute walks a day aiming to walk fast enough to work the heart and lungs while still being able to hold a conversation. The volunteer group was fitted with wearable fitness monitors to measure what they did and how vigorously they did it.

The group tasked with completing 10,000 steps (around 5 miles) only had 66% actually reach the goal and all found the task difficult. The Active 10 group, on the other hand, found their task relatively easy and all volunteers completed the task.

Professor Copeland analyzed the data and found that the Active 10 group actually did 30% more moderate to vigorous physical activity than the 10,000 step group. He noted, “And it’s when you are doing moderate intensity activity that you are starting to get the greatest health benefits.”

It’s worth noting that doing something is better than doing nothing, and while striving to complete 10,000 steps a day is beneficial, we can really improve our cardiovascular health by increasing the intensity with our exercise. Make your steps count!

Blaine Jackson, NASM-CPT, Wellness Coordinator

We are pleased to announce that Epworth Villa Retirement Community has met the criteria to become a Certified Healthy Business.  Certified Healthy Business recognizes business sites that make a positive impact on the health of employees and patrons.  Epworth Villa’s contribution in creating a healthy environment is important to the future of Oklahoma.  There are three levels of certification: Basic, Merit and Excellence.  Epworth Villa has earned a Merit certification.

Epworth Villa’s commitment to pursuing this certification is a great step forward in helping Shape Our Future!    The program is sponsored by Certified Healthy Oklahoma.  March 7, 2019 Blaine Jackson, Wellness Coordinator for Epworth Villa will attend the Certified Healthy Oklahoma Event and receive the award on behalf of Epworth Villa.