6 Senior-Friendly Activities at Sugden Regional Park

Here are some recent therapy success stories!We love to highlight our short-term therapy graduates to celebrate their accomplishments and inspire anyone who may be considering inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation for themselves or a loved one.If you are wondering if short-term rehabilitation would benefit you and your family, take a look at the following patient stories!Bonnie at Ridgeview Terrace of Life CareBonnie White was admitted to Ridgeview Terrace of Life Care after being hospitalized for a femur fracture.The therapists evaluated Bonnie and found that she required the assistance of two people for all aspects of mobility and self-care. She could walk only 95 feet and required a rolling walker to do so.Bonnie received physical and occupational therapies five days a week. Here therapies included exercises to improve strength, balance, and transferring ability, and gait training for better mobility. She also participated in self-care re-training to regain her ability to dress and bathe herself. Bonnie was able to meet her goal of returning home in less than eight weeks. At discharge, she was able to stand and walk independently and needed only a cane for assistance. She was able to perform all of her self-care tasks on her own."Bonnie was always motivated to work on whatever we asked her to. Her end goal was always to get home to her fur babies." Amy Kuykendall, physical therapist.Congratulations, Bonnie, on your successful short-term rehab stay at Ridgeview Terrace! For more information about therapy services at Ridgeview, reach out to their admissions department at (865) 828-5295.Renee at Life Care Center of BoiseRenee came to Life Care Center of Boise after experiencing multiple falls that caused multiple fractures.When she arrived at the facility, Renee had poor standing balance and was determined to be a high fall risk. She required moderate assistance with showering and dressing, and she had an unsteady gait.Five days a week, Renee worked with the physical and occupational therapists on balance and gait training and performing daily tasks safely.Renee improved her balance and showed significant improvement in her gait, which greatly reduced her risk for falls. She also met her occupational goals, learning to dress safely and without increasing her back pain.She made fast, steady progress. The therapists saw her fit for discharge after just six days of therapy!"I'm so thankful to the Therapy sta for helping me get back on my feet so quickly."  Renee"We are very proud of your hard work and excellent improvement!" Leann McKie, physical therapist, Director of RehabTo learn more about Life Care Center of Boise's therapy services, call 208-376-5273.Robert at Life Care Center of Winter HavenRobert had multiple falls at his assisted living facility and required short-term therapy to increase his independence.Shortly after admission at Life Care Center of Winter Haven, Robert found himself unable to get out of bed without heavy assistance. He was unable to walk on his own. His medical status called for admission to hospice services.But Robert was determined to get out of bed and reclaim his independence.Physical therapists evaluated his condition and created a plan of care that involved three days of therapy per week. The exercises consisted of transfer training and then progressed to gait training as his level of independence with transfers improved. Robert exceeded his initial goals and is now able to transfer in and out of bed and walk 25 feet with a front-wheeled walker, with contact guard assistance. His current plan is to remain at this facility and, with the help of his caregivers, get out of bed and enjoy activities around the facility."Everyone was terrific. Everyone made it easy for me to recover. Without physical therapy, I would not be able to do what I am doing now." RobertWe are very proud Roberts progress and congratulate him on his success!To learn more about rehab at Life Care Center of Winter Haven, call 863-318-8646 and schedule a personal tour.

The 2025-2026 U.S. News & World Report rankings are outand Southwest Florida has reason to celebrate. Lee Memorial Hospital in Fort Myers and NCH Baker Hospital in Naples have both earned high marks in this years list of Best Regional Hospitals, proving that top-tier healthcare isnt limited to major cities.In its 36th annual Best Hospitals report, U.S. News evaluated more than 4,440 hospitals nationwide, using performance-based metrics across 30 medical and surgical services. Out of those, only 504 hospitals across 49 states and 95 metro areas earned the designation of "Best Regional Hospital"and both Naples and Fort Myers made the cut.Floridas Best Hospital: AdventHealth OrlandoAdventHealth Orlando took the top spot as Floridas #1 hospital and also landed a prestigious spot among the Top 20 hospitals nationwide. That places AdventHealth Orlando alongside world-renowned institutions like Mayo Clinic-Rochester, Johns Hopkins, and Cleveland Clinic.These top rankings are based on rigorous, data-driven analysis, including metrics like risk-adjusted mortality rates, preventable complications, nursing staffing, and patient outcomes across more than 800 million records of care. Two new categories were added this year: Heart Arrhythmia and Pacemaker Implantation, bringing the total number of condition-specific ratings to 22.Fort Myers & Naples Regional StandoutsAmong Floridas top hospitals, Lee Memorial Hospital in Fort Myers ranked #12, and NCH Baker Hospital in Naples ranked #16, both earning recognition for their commitment to quality care and specialized services. Also on the list is Gulf Coast Medical Center in Fort Myers, tied at #18.These local hospitals arent just numbers on a listthey are vital pillars of their communities, offering high-level care close to home. As Ben Harder, managing editor and chief of health analysis at U.S. News, noted:For most Americans, health care decisions are made close to home. The Best Regional Hospitals rankings underscore the difference high-performing local medical centers make.Floridas Top 5 Regional Hospitals:No. 2 - Mayo Clinic-Florida, JacksonvilleNo. 3 - UF Health Shands Hospital, GainesvilleNo. 4 - Tampa General Hospital, TampaNo. 5 - Orlando Health - Orlando Regional Medical Center, OrlandoNo. 6 - Cleveland Clinic Weston, WestonNo. 7 - Baptist Health Baptist Hospital, MiamiNo. 8 - Baptist Medical Center, JacksonvilleNo. 9 - Sarasota Memorial Hospital, SarasotaNo. 10 - Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami BeachNo. 11 - HCA Florida North Florida Hospital, GainesvilleNo. 12 - Lee Memorial Hospital, Fort MyersNo. 12 - University of Miami Hospital and Clinics - UHealth Tower, MiamiNo. 14 - AdventHealth Daytona Beach, Daytona BeachNo. 14 - Morton Plant Hospital, ClearwaterNo. 16 - AdventHealth Tampa, TampaNo. 16 - NCH Baker Hospital, NaplesNo. 18 - Gulf Coast Medical Center, Fort MyersNo. 18 - Memorial Hospital West, Pembroke PinesNo. 18 - St. Josephs Hospital, TampaNo. 21 - Ascension St. Vincents Riverside Hospital, JacksonvilleNo. 21 - Cleveland Clinic Martin Health, StuartNo. 21 - Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare, TallahasseeNo. 24 - Health First Holmes Regional Medical Center, MelbourneNo. 25 - Brandon Regional Hospital, BrandonNo. 25 - HCA Florida Oak Hill Hospital, BrooksvilleNo. 25 - HCA Florida Ocala Hospital, OcalaNo. 28 - AdventHealth Waterman, TavaresNo. 28 - Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital, Vero BeachNo. 28 - HCA Florida Kendall Hospital, MiamiNo. 31 - AdventHealth Fish Memorial, Orange CityNo. 31 - Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola Hospital, PensacolaNo. 31 - Baptist Hospital, PensacolaNo. 31 - Memorial Regional Hospital, HollywoodNo. 35 - AdventHealth Ocala, OcalaNo. 35 - AdventHealth Zephyrhills, ZephyrhillsNo. 37 - AdventHealth Palm Coast, Palm CoastNo. 37 - Baptist Health South Miami Hospital, South MiamiNo. 37 - HCA Florida Aventura Hospital, AventuraAs our population grows and ages, access to high-quality healthcare becomes more critical than ever. The inclusion of Fort Myers and Naples hospitals in these rankings sends a powerful message: residents dont need to travel far to receive nationally recognized care. From emergency services to specialized surgery and chronic disease management, Southwest Florida continues to raise the bar.For more details and the full list of hospital rankings, visit the U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals 2025-2026.

When you think of an Older American, what image comes to mind? A parent or grandparent? A military veteran or grumpy neighbor? Or perhaps you just think of someone slow, weak or frail? As the leading advocate for seniors in our community, it our goal at Baker Senior Center Naples to flip the script on such age-related stereotypes. Our stated mission is to provide Confidence, Connection and Support to adults over the age of 60 and their families, helping them thrive and enjoy life to its fullest. We do this through a range of comprehensive programs and services. Established in 1963, Older Americans Month is celebrated annually to recognize and honor the many contributions and achievements of older adults across the United States and highlight their ongoing involvement in society. Led by the Administration for Community Living, it is a time to highlight important trends and strengthen our commitment to honoring our older citizens. It also is an opportunity to draw attention to activities benefitting seniors. The Administration for Community Living wisely chose their 2025 theme, Flip the Script on Aging, as a means of transforming societal perceptions and approaches to aging, encouraging active engagement and highlighting the many contributions of older adults.  This theme particularly resonates with our team as we have become acutely aware of these perceptions. Often, we hear visitors share similar comments as they walk into our building for the first time. Comments such as, Wow! This is not what I expected a senior center to be or This place is so bright and beautiful, or Everyone seems so active and happy.   After hearing these comments so frequently, I eventually began to ask, What did you expect? The responses were always the same, I expected it to be dark and dreary or I never expected it to be so big, bright and clean or I expected to see people sitting around and disengaged.  Those who have visited us know that our 30,000-square-foot building, which opened in 2023, is filled with light and brightly colored art and, most importantly, members and clients who are engaged and thrive through the many wellness programs we offer. We dispel the myths created about aging through the media that often portray seniors as frail, forgetful and depressed.  Of course, this is not surprising as age stereotypes have been ingrained in each of us. Even as little children we learn nursery rhymes like There was an old woman who lived in a shoe and This old man.  At Baker Senior Center Naples, we promote wellness and thriving in older adults through an average of 40 different programs each week that provide social engagement, physical activity, mental stimulation and cognitive support, which all lead to positive functioning and resilience.  We are one of just 111 senior centers in the United States accredited by the National Council on Aging, and the only one that provides comprehensive services by licensed and credentialed professionals such as mental health counseling, case management, dementia respite groups and caregiver support, all under one roof. We also offer a choice food pantry for those in need. We are proud that Baker Senior Center Naples is considered the central address in our community for older adults to meet and connect in a warm and nurturing environment.We invite you to visit us at 6200 Autumn Oaks Lane as we Flip the Script on Aging.  By Dr. Jaclynn Faffer President/CEO of Baker Senior Center Naples (Dr. Jaclynn Faffer is President/CEO of Baker Senior Center Naples, a nonprofit organization that provides comprehensive, one-stop-shop professional services and programs for older adults and their families.)