Lopez Island Home and Hospice Support

WHO WE ARE: 

The heart of Lopez Island Home & Hospice Support is neighbors helping neighbors. From social visits and storytelling to dump runs and respite care our support is meant to help keep people engaged in their lives and involved in the community. 

FUNDRAISING FOR:

“An Ounce of Prevention!”

This year LIHHS has identified a need and in consultation with Lopez EMS, Lopez Island Physical Therapy and Lopez Fit, we are fundraising to purchase 3 pieces of equipment for Lopez Fit. These 3 machines will replace equipment with limited accessibility. They were selected with the guidance of local physical therapist Sarah Ellis DPT. Sarah meets with clients at the gym to set them up for long term success after they complete PT. She found that three machines vital to not only recovering from injuries but also key to lower body strength were not fully accessible. Many of her clients expressed that they would not feel comfortable using them independently.  Lower body strength is vital to balance health and this is important because when speaking with the local EMT’s we discovered that 70-80% of calls occur because of falls. 

The data shows that purchasing these machines will provide access for more community members. Individuals working on maintaining their health as well as those recovering from injury will both be able to improve their strength safely. The LIHHS goal of keeping people safer in their own homes and moving with confidence is exactly what these machines will help with. Lopez Fit management and staff have researched a variety of options from different manufacturers and also explored refurbished models to make this the most affordable and sustainable purchase possible. The three pieces of equipment that we hope to fund are an Upright Leg Curl Machine ($4200), an Upright Leg Press ($5300), and a Dual Pulley Cable Machine ($5300). This equipment will provide a more comprehensive, accessible and long term road to recovery as well as maintaining physical health. These machines target the muscle groups that need strengthening in order to prevent falls. We know an ounce of prevention is sometimes all it takes to stay active in the community and safe in our own homes!