4 minute read
A Job Well Done
For Kara LaFreeda, Masonic Village at Lafayette Hill is like her second home, and the residents are like family. She has spent 23 years as wellness program manager, impacting countless lives while benefiting her own.
“I feel very fortunate that Masonic Village has allowed me the opportunity to work part-time while I raise my family and continue to maintain my career,” Kara said. “My goal in our Wellness Center is to help residents exercise, get stronger, enjoy themselves, have fun, leave happy and come back again.”
As part of her responsibilities, Kara supervises and prescribes individualized exercise programs for residents. She communicates with residents’ doctors or physical therapists when needed. She helps plan and maintain exercise classes alongside Jeanine Hendrie, a part-time staff member who started in October.
“I enjoy being able to have such a positive impact on the residents’ lives in many different ways,” Kara said.
“They come into the gym to exercise, but they also may need someone to talk or vent to. I may help them with exercises and suggestions on their diet, but I also help with directions, finding something on Amazon, even helping them with their iPhones. We’ve become such an important part of their day, and they don’t realize it, but they become like our extended family. There are some residents here today who I have known for over 15 to 20 years.”
Kara arrived at Masonic Village right out of Penn State University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology (exercise and sports science). She’s also a certified American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) exercise physiologist.
While at Penn State, Kara took a nutrition class that turned her on to health and fitness. She lost over 25 pounds and started exercising regularly.
Kara performed her internship at Holy Redeemer Medical Center, where she had the opportunity to work with physical and occupational therapists, in cardiac rehab and at the Wellness Center, which was geared towards older adults. It was there, Kara found her niche.
Kara initially worked for the Roxborough YMCA, which contracted with Masonic Village. When the contract dissolved in 2001, she became a Masonic Village employee, working full-time until her daughter was born in 2007, and then continued part-time. Today, she is married with two teenage daughters.
Kara has always been active and athletic. She played sports all through grade school and high school. She was the only girl on the Little League baseball team, and then went on to play softball and basketball.
She still maintains a healthy lifestyle today while managing her family and their busy schedules. “I usually work out a few times a week or run outside,” she said. “I've run a lot of 5Ks in the past, and my longest run was the Broad Street Run.” As a result of COVID-19, the Wellness Center at Masonic Village was closed for a few months. Things have slowly opened, fitness classes have been reinstated and new classes have been added.
During renovations at Masonic Village, new equipment was purchased for the Wellness Center, including a balance trainer and Pneumatic strength training equipment. The Center also offers a variety of cardiovascular and strength training equipment, as well as upper body ergometers.
During her many years at Masonic Village, Kara has had to adapt to new and evolving technology, particularly when it comes to “interactive machines.”
“You can go on treadmills now where you can watch a show on Netflix, read a newspaper article online or simulate walking on the beach,” she said.
“I have residents now working out with headphones or AirPods. Almost every resident has a cell phone, although I can't let them use it while on the treadmill for safety reasons, of course.”
When residents are not exercising, they continue to enjoy the social aspect of the Wellness Center, talking to Kara and each other. Sometimes, they simply just sing and dance to the music playing.
“It’s rewarding to be able to have an impact on the residents’ physical abilities,” Kara added. “They can see improvement, whether they are able to walk farther or faster, or lift more weight on the strength training machines. I try to make sure they realize it doesn't matter how old you are; age isn’t a factor. They can make improvements in their strength, endurance and balance if they want. We will find something they can do and work on it, all while improving their mental and social health, as well.
