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Lombard senior community stays moving with in-house exercise videos

Shannon Nevins has worked to expand the fitness program for residents of the Beacon Hill senior living community in Lombard since she started working there nearly two years ago.

She's changed the philosophy to emphasize the ability of senior exercisers, added a boxing class intended to help people with Parkinson's disease and made a variety of workout classes available each weekday and weekend.

The COVID-19 pandemic actually has further expanded her reach to residents, despite the fact her in-person exercise classes have been canceled to decrease virus transmission.

Nevins already had video recorded one of her "Sit & Fit" classes last year so residents could have a workout program on her days off.

During the pandemic, she has added to that recording a small library of others, 30- to 45-minute classes including stretching, "Core & More," and a breathing class that combines upper-body movements and arm exercises to help with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD.

The classes are shown on the Beacon Hill internal TV network and are available on an app as well. For providing the virtual workouts when nearly all else is canceled, she's received a shower of thanks from grateful seniors.

"They look forward to my classes," Nevins said. "They even asked if we could keep this up when things go back to normal."

The answer is yes. Nevins said she plans to keep her classes on Beacon Hill TV and the app so seniors can participate even if they're busy at class time or if they have physical limitations or aren't comfortable coming to a class.

"I'm hitting a bigger audience now that it's online," she said.

Nevins has a bachelor's degree in exercise science and wellness from Judson University in Elgin, where she said she worked with a nearby retirement community conducting "senior circuit" exercise classes and providing Meals on Wheels. She also recently completed her master's degree in public health.

She said body movement is vital to health at any age, even the more advanced ones.

"When we just sit around and don't do much, that can cause a decline in our life," Nevins said. "Our muscles deteriorate quicker."

To help seniors reach their goals of maintaining or increasing their strength, she skips sedentary classes and instead adds cardio and strength training in movements anyone can do.

"I like changing the minds of what people think and what the older adults can do because they can do anything and everything," Nevins said. "I make sure everything is modifiable."

Shannon Nevins, wellness leader at the Beacon Hill senior living community in Lombard, has filmed workout sessions including a cardio-based "Sit & Fit" class for residents to take while they are required to stay in their apartments during the COVID-19 pandemic. Courtesy of Beacon Hill
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