5 Ways to Boost Exercise Class Attendance in Assisted Living

By: Brooke DeNisco, Lead Content Writer at Activity Connection, Recreation Therapist

Help! It’s the Activity Director! 

Do people in your assisted living community start shutting their doors when they see you recruiting participants for an exercise class? Here are some ways to build an exercise class that participants will attend voluntarily and regularly.  

1. Stick to the Schedule (Even When It’s Hard) 

Sometimes, exercising doesn’t sound fun. Leading an exercise class in assisted living doesn’t always sound fun, either. However, after you exercise, you are generally glad you did it, which also applies to leading exercise classes.  

On days when only one person shows up, you’re fighting a cold, or feel like you should be doing paperwork, it will be extremely tempting to cancel an exercise class. Even people who aren’t participating will notice that the class isn’t taking place as scheduled and may use it as an excuse not to attend a class in the future. Establishing a regular exercise routine may take time. Exercise alone if need be. If you are too busy or tired to do a 20-minute exercise routine, convincing others to do one will be even harder.  

You can be honest with exercisers. Some days are hard. You’re having a bad day. You didn’t sleep well. Your child missed the bus. You can tell your exercisers you’re having “one of those days” and that you don’t want to exercise, but you’re going to try anyway. It will show people that they can exercise even when they don’t feel like it, and it might not be as bad as they think. There is a decent chance you will feel more energetic once you get going. People will see that and be encouraged. Or fake it. End with a smile and express your gratitude for exercising. At least at that point, you’ll be done.  

2. Offer Incentives 

Good health is a good incentive—so are prizes. As an activity director in an assisted living community, I made “sweat dollars.” Whenever someone came to exercise, I’d give them one and tell them to hold onto it (or I kept people’s sweat dollars in a coupon-style organizer). Every quarter, I invited people with sweat dollars to spend them at the “Sweatshop,” which was stocked with energy bars, water bottles, bandanas, and other items. 

At first, my sweat dollars looked a lot like real dollars, and a participant tried to spend them at Target, so I changed the color. I now realize “sweatshop” isn’t a great name, with connotations of child and forced labor.  

Today, I might use punch cards, which you can make yourself or download and print from Activity Connection.  

3. Advertise Within Your Assisted Living Community 

Invite administrators, staff members, or family members to attend your exercise class. Let your group show off a little. Invite visitors to join in. Everyone will enjoy hearing their excuses as to why they cannot participate. Or, if they do join, they may realize the exercises aren’t as easy as they look.  

Invite a local newspaper to attend your assisted living community’s exercise class. Write an email to the editors or lifestyle reporters and let them know that you lead a group of folks in their 70s, 80s, 90s, or older who are keeping their resolution to get, or stay in, shape. Most newspapers need human-interest stories, and you can find more information online about writing to members of the press. 

A newspaper took photos of an exercise class I led in an assisted living community. (I made sure everyone signed a photo release and was okay with it first.) The newspaper featured the exercise class on the front page with the headline “It’s Never Too Late to Get into Bikini Shape.” Social media is another option, but some older adults are more excited about seeing their photos and names in print. 

4. Routine, Variety, and Sports  

Doing the same routine every day would get boring, but make sure to keep some of the exercises consistent. This allows exercisers to feel like they are learning an exercise, not always just following along. It also gives people a measure to mark their improvement and provides an opportunity for mastery. Veterans of the exercise class will enjoy knowing a bit more than “newbies.” 

Consider sports if you are at a loss for a new exercise and can’t think of one. Start by walking or marching in place. Move on to jogging. Do the breaststroke, crawl, and backstroke. Hit baseballs with a pretend bat. Kick an imaginary soccer ball. You can even do some boxing. Then, get in a boat and row crew style, then paddle canoe or kayak style.  

5. Entertaining Exercise for Assisted Living  

No one wants to follow someone through exercises silently. People like encouragement, pointers, personal attention, kudos, and distraction. Tell a story that will distract and entertain people during a repetitive exercise. Call out people’s names to encourage them to keep going.  

Music is another way to keep exercise fun. Ensure you play upbeat music that your residents enjoy, rather than playing songs you personally like. Singing works, too. Match the song to your exercise, such as singing “Row Your Boat” while doing rowing motions to build upper body strength.  

Activity Connection offers exercise routines set to music, as well as scripts for exercise programs that highlight travel destinations such as the Florida Keys and the Swiss Alps.  

In the comments below, please share your tips for running a successful exercise program. We’d love to hear what works in your community.

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Brooke DeNisco is Lead Content Writer at Activity Connection and a Recreation Therapist who has led exercise classes in assisted living facilities, day centers, and memory care settings for over 12 years.

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