Gerofit - Success Stories
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Success Stories
Short documentaries reflecting Gerofit experiences from a personal perspective. These are unscripted, observational style films.
Stories from the Gerofit Program
This video describes the Gerofit program and endorses Gerofit as a highly needed model of care for promoting the health and well-being of older Veterans. Four Veterans, from WWII, Korea, and Vietnam describe their war experiences and how Gerofit became a place of healing and health enhancement. The video is intended for a broad audience, from providers and health administration leadership to veterans. Length 15 minutes.
Who I am
This video introduces several Veterans with health conditions that include heart disease, severe arthritis, stroke, chronic pain and psychological stress. These individuals are representative of Veterans served by our programs. Here they describe how Gerofit has helped overcome or manage these conditions. Length 4 minutes.
Gerofit - How I Exercise
In this video, several Veterans describe their exercise routines, where they started from and how they have progressed. Length 3:30 minutes.
How I Benefit
Benefits achieved. In this video Veterans describe their personal benefits. But they don't talk much about increased strength and fitness. Most important to them are the psychological benefits, increased well-being, having a purpose for getting out of bed each day, self-management of diseases, resumption of hobbies, and a shared camaraderie. Length 3:15 minutes.
What Exercise Does
In this video the Veterans describe how their Veteran status gives them a common bond. By having the opportunity to exercise together new friendships are developed, common experiences shared, they develop pride in their status as Veterans working together to optimize their health as they age and are made to feel whole again. Length 4 minutes.
Training with Other Veterans
This video focuses on the social impact, at a very personal level, from participating in Gerofit. Length 2:30 minutes.
The Watson Brothers
Follow two brothers, Robert and Roy Watson, as they join Gerofit and follow their improvements over 3 months of program participation. Gain insight to how the program is viewed by someone on their first day and then 3 months later. Length 16 minutes.
Falls
This short video describes what happens to stroke survivor who was a frequent faller. From falling at the drop of a hat to not falling in two years! Length 1 minute.
Creating New Partnerships
Follow the experiences of new Gerofit Partners from Baltimore, Canandaigua, Los Angeles and Miami as they visit Gerofit for a new implementation program supported by the VA Office of Geriatrics and Extended Care Alternative Noninstitutional Care programs. This is the first formal program expansion. Length 9 minutes.
Brief History
Dr. Harvey J. Cohen, first director of the Durham VA Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center describes how Gerofit came about. Length 2 minutes.
