Press Releases

PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) Completes Virtual Ride on Route 66

Mar. 7, 2017 – St. Joseph, MI –Participants at PACE of Southwest Michigan got their kicks on Route 66 — while paving their personal road to improved health. The virtual trip was taken via the exercise bicycles at the PACE Day Center in St. Joseph.  

 By the time the challenge was completed, participants had “traveled” 5,134 miles, exceeding the distance of Route 66 from Illinois to California and back.  On the PACE NuStep recumbent bicycles, 1,584 exercise steps equal one mile. Over one third of the 165 participants enrolled in PACE of Southwest Michigan are physically capable of exercising on the NuStep machines.  

 PACE occupational therapy, physical therapy and activities staff members created and implemented the challenge in the spring of 2016 and good times were had all along the way!  

 “It was fantastic,” said top rider, participant Johnny, who logged 739 miles during the Route 66 challenge. “I try to get as many steps in as possible. It got me stronger, alright! Plus, I’m losing weight.” Socializing with staff and other participants in the PACE therapy gym is a bonus for Johnny. “Talking to the other people in there; that’s what makes it so special,” he said.

 Participant Burdett, who is 97 years old, logged 309 miles during the challenge. “I try to ride every day that I’m at PACE,” he said. “I need the exercise for my legs. And it’s good for my whole body,” he added. “I’m stronger.”

 “Having a functional, purposeful goal motivates them to participate,” says PACE Occupational Therapist Sindy McCord. “Then they receive all the wonderful benefits of the exercise.” The NuStep machine “provides bilateral movement for a whole-body experience that increases stamina, as well as strength, enhancing overall performance. Exercise is so helpful even for cognition,” Sindy said.

While awaiting their turn to log some distance in the PACE rehab gym, participants took part in a variety of activities related to Route 66, “The Mother Road,” which offered a popular American adventure before expressways to the West were built.  

The project was a trip down memory lane for participants who had traveled Route 66 in their youth. In 1948, participant Muriel boarded a crowded bus on Route 66 two hours west of Chicago and took a seat next to a stranger who would become her husband. As newly-weds they lived on Route 66, near Joliet, Illinois, she recalled.

Participants learned about points of interest while playing the Route 66 “Great American Road Trip” board game, which prompts nostalgia of an earlier era. Activities Coordinator Meg Killips witnessed with delight the lively interaction and reminiscing prompted by the game. “They’d roll the dice, land on a spot along Route 66 and before long there’d be giggling and bringing up experiences from their youth,” she said. Participant Jay told about cruising Route 66 during his truck driving days. Meg also engaged participants in a related craft project — making Route 66 coasters. She also displayed a Route 66 photo book and Internet photography.  

The Southwest Michigan Car Collectors entertained participants by bringing several classic cars to the PACE parking lot. Club members spoke to participants about their trip down Route 66 and the sites along the way. Participants had fun being photographed seated in a classic car façade indoors.

Many of the participants started on the NuStep bicycles by riding just 5-10 minutes per day. As their strength and stamina increased, the therapy staff saw amazing time and mileage increases. By the end of the challenge, most could ride for 30-40 minutes — some more than an hour!

“Exercise on the NuStep machines increases strength and mobility, so it also helps prevent falls,” said PACE Physical Therapist Carrie Kutchie. Participants report they feel their muscles are better toned and they have more energy. Home care agencies and facilities that care for PACE participants have noticed that some have become stronger, needing less assistance, Carrie related.

The Route 66 adventure is the third virtual trip exercise challenge at PACE in as many years. First participants “traveled” to the Mackinac Bridge on the exercise bikes, visiting all the lighthouses along Lake Michigan. The following year participants and staff members raised Monarch butterflies, then matched their migratory miles as the butterflies flew to Mexico for the winter.

PACE participants who live with dementia have also taken part in the projects.

PACE therapy and activities staff members received the Leading Edge and Care Services Award for the lighthouse project. The award was bestowed at the Leading Age conference in Detroit in April 2015. The Leading Age organization encourages programs in Michigan that help improve quality of life for older adults.

Hang on to your mouse ears! Next, the PACE participants are “traveling” to Disneyland!

Along with the therapies and activities mentioned in this article, PACE services include a medical staff, social workers, a dietician, home care nurses, and certified nursing assistants. Participants are served lunch at the PACE Day Center, and transportation is provided between their home and the Center, as well as to outside medical appointments.

PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) of Southwest Michigan serves adults over 55 years of age who have long term medical conditions and are residents of Berrien, Van Buren and Cass Counties. The goal of PACE is to provide the care needed so that participants can remain safely at home.  Learn more about PACE at paceswmi.org.