Thursday, March 05, 2009
Investing in wellness
Dr. Murray Joiner volunteers up to 40 hours a week developing the retirement community's Pathways Health and Wellness Program.
ERIC BRADY The Roanoke Times
James Pietrzak plays a piano in the lobby of The Village on Pheasant Ridge as Dr. Murray Joiner (left) and Pietrzak's mother-in-law, Ann Loflin, look on.
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Dr. Murray Joiner is passionate about health care. More specifically, he is passionate about providing wellness programs to the community.
Joiner opened his practice, the Hometown Health Clinic, in Roanoke last year. The clinic provides affordable health care to the underinsured and uninsured in and around Roanoke. But Joiner also volunteers 20 to 40 hours a week at The Village on Pheasant Ridge, developing the retirement community's Pathways Health and Wellness Program.
Pathways is built around casual, everyday health care and is designed to give residents the opportunity to exercise and socialize regularly, said Joiner, who is board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation.
Later this month, Joiner and The Village on Pheasant Ridge will begin a series of monthly lectures. The public is invited to attend, at no cost. The first speaker, on March 23, will be Wendy Lucas with Lucas Therapies. She will talk about balance, preventing falls and independent safety.
"We just want to get people to come to the facility to see what we are offering to the community," said Beth Woodrum, Joiner's physicians relation representative.
Other planned lecture topics include exercise, appetite, diet, nutrition, psychological health, dealing with stress and memory loss.
Monthly support groups also will be offered. Woodrum said she is trying to involve support groups already taking place at local hospitals so she doesn't override what's already in place around Roanoke. The general public will be invited to attend these as well.
Joiner keeps his eyes on the big picture, saying a community that provides wellness programs will be rewarded in many ways.
"Here on the hill, we're investing in wellness," he said. "By investing in wellness, health care costs go down."
An in-house clinic at the village is planned to open soon, making it easier for Joiner to meet with residents regularly for health maintenance screenings.
Joiner also will give residents an opportunity to participate in exercise programs. Some of the programs planned include jazzercise, water aerobics and ballroom dancing.
Woodrum also said she is trying to put together a valley walkers program.
Joiner also emphasizes the importance of exercising the brain. The village's theater is already being used to play crossword games on a large wipe board and the game room is regularly filled with card players.
