Alan is one of the first clients to take advantage of AWARE’s new Therapeutic Recreation Program, and he’s already making headway toward his goals.
Originally born in Seattle, Alan made his way to Butte and then eventually Anaconda where he has lived for the past 13 years.
“I liked Seattle because of all the sports teams like the Seahawks, Mariners, and Kraken, but Anaconda’s a cool town too,” said Alan.
Alan has recently made his health a top priority. He’s a member of AWARE’s SDMI Waiver Case Management, has a life coach, and has established some therapeutic recreation goals to keep him on the right track.
“My ultimate goal is to get off of the oxygen,” Alan said as he pointed to the small tank he carries around with him, “In order to do that, I need to lose weight and work on strengthening my diaphragm.”
To achieve his goal, Alan has created some new weekly routines that can set him up for success. He visits Goosetown Health Club on Wednesdays to work out. He completes a circuit through all the weight machines to build strength.
“My favorite is the leg press because I can do 350 pounds, which is pretty much the whole stack,” Alan said.
In addition to weight training, Alan walks around Washoe Park at least one time each week.
“I like to visit the ducks and watch them chase people around looking for scraps,” Alan said, “They can be pretty ornery.”
He also makes sure to walk around town once a week, and he has downloaded a pedometer app to track his steps. It’s a gentle reminder to try and walk a little bit further every day.
Deep breathing exercises have also become a new habit that Alan practices each morning. Shortly after he wakes up, he slowly breathes in, pauses for a moment, and then slowly releases his breath. After a few rounds, he moves on to some gentle stretching that helps loosen his body and gets him ready for the day.
When Alan is not busy working out, you can find him catching up on sports, entertaining his cat Missy (who likes to sneak out on occasion), visiting with neighbors and listening to the latest on his police scanner (one time someone couldn’t find their car only to find out it was just around the block!).
We think it’s safe to say that Alan is more than ready to tackle his new goals. With his new routines and a team to help hold him accountable, success is just around the corner!
To learn more about AWARE’s Therapeutic Recreation Program click here.
