Standing, singing and celebrating at Shalom Village with Bobbie McGill

Bobbi McGill is an infectiously happy woman, with a smile for everyone, and a great love of life. Bobbi is an active woman who loves people. She participates in a senior’s glee club, plays games and loves going on outings. However, doing these things isn’t always easy for Bobbi.

Bobbi suffers from a degenerative spinal cord condition that causes her extreme pain, and in 2005, after a major surgery, her doctors said that she would likely be unable to walk in two to three years.

Bobbi isn’t the kind of woman who gives up, so she looked around to find ways to keep herself mobile and her life as active as possible. Initially, she discovered an exercise and fitness program for seniors at McMaster. She gave that her best, but she found that her condition continued to deteriorate, and overall she felt that the fitness regimen was too aggressive for her fitness level, so she left that program

During this time, Bobbi sold her home and moved to an apartment so that she could remain independent, but minimize her burden at home. Shortly after moving, her previous fitness trainer discovered The Club at Shalom Village and they called Bobbi and encouraged her to give The Club a try. Bobbi jumped at the chance to preserve her ability to keep walking, and she made her way over to Shalom Village and joined the fitness club.

It’s been more than a decade since Bobbi joined the Fitness Club at Shalom Village, and while her condition remains a struggle, Bobbi is still able to walk.

Bobbi credits her ability to walk, to the care and support she received from the expert team at Shalom Village. The club trainers understand the unique difficulties seniors face; their fitness training is tailored to getting the best possible results for the seniors like Bobbi, who depend on the club to keep them healthy, happy and achieving their fullest potential.

Although Bobbi had moved to her apartment, and she was able to maintain her mobility, she experienced a couple of falls while living alone. She grew concerned that one day she would fall and be unable to get up – and be left lying on the ground with no help available. After spending many years as a member of the Fitness Club at Shalom Village, Bobbi already felt like a part of the family, and she decided that it would be ideal to take an apartment at Shalom Village. When asked why she moved to Shalom Village, Bobbi says: “I already loved everyone at Shalom Village, and there’s so much to do that you can’t possibly get bored. I have all the independence I want, but I also have someone here to help me at a moment’s notice, if I need them.

Moving here was the best possible thing I could’ve done. When you feel like you’re with family, you want to be with them as much as possible” Bobbi wishes more seniors knew about the Fitness Club, as well as the
supportive living apartments and day programs offered at Shalom Village.

She wants more seniors to be able to laugh more and worry less, like she is able to do, thanks to the great
programs and services offered at Shalom Village. If you’d like to meet Bobbi or other Shalom Village fitness
club members, feel free come out and join our walk/run community event, the Hustle 4 Health, on May 27th.

You can support seniors and celebrate family by participating in the walk, or cheer on the participants and enjoy the free activities. To learn more about the Hustle 4 Health, contact Laurie Pringle at 905-529-1613 x 227 or visit: www.Hustle4Health.ca