Quick-Seat Chair: Expedition Walking Clubs Indoors or Out
By Khadi Madama Quick-Seat Chair Wellness Coordinator
Everyone loves and needs a bit of adventure. It’s only natural. If you’re like me, you don’t enjoy walking as a pastime or exercise program, just ambling along with no particular function. But, what I do like, what I discovered during the lock-down of 2020, was that I absolutely adore going out in search of old ruins, archaeological sites and historic locations long forgotten, and even haunted places. I’ve learned that if there is a target of interest at the end of a walk, and points along the way, that it doesn’t feel like I’m endlessly walking to the unknown, untethered to my place of security. Fortunately, NJ is loaded with great places to walk and find amazing things and so I became an explorer along with a great friend back then. Plus there’s always a tree stump or a large boulder to sit on if my left hip acts up. It’s a congenital defect and it has a mind of its own! My imagination runs to old cartoons with little leprechauns pop up mushroom shaped Quick-Seat Chairs. Being able to find a place to sit when I’m out on an explore is a necessity.
In previous years when I was creating engaging activities for the ambulatory population at an assisted living, I had to be very creative and one of the concepts was to add in mentally stimulating programs that would work both in and outside the building. Overcoming boredom is essential for the residents, and for me as well, where spending time in the same environment needed a bit of perking up now and then. Walking Expeditions was the answer. The formula? A bit of walking, + some research + plus photo taking and discussion.
Every place, structure, has a story to be uncovered by finding the point of interest and then doing the research on it. Even in an assisted living, there are things to find out. For instance one assisted living here in NJ was, at one time, purported to be a lair where Al Capone stayed and functioned while it was a health retreat. The residents who live there today can have a field day, no pun intended, with exploring that. I know, because that was one of the first places I explored in 2020.
So if you’re a recreational therapist, someone who needs to get out more, or someone who lives in an assisted living who has a heart for adventure, gathering a few friends together to set up a Walking Expedition club. It could just be the ticket. Follow the suggestions below:
Setting Up A Walking Expedition Club
1. Invite your friends to a discussion explaining the purpose of the club. Remember the formula above.
2. Plan for best times for a walk, making a list of routes to take for variation. Include a list for indoor exploring and outside exploring.
3. Create a list for various interests such as history of the building; history of the local area, or the original building site; Interview long time staff members who are local, and who may know interesting points.
4. If you are walking with a group from your retirement housing community, they are quite often near parks. Is there an active archaeology group where you may discover dig sites. Might there be one of the many ‘whatershed” plantings that are popping up to create natural landscapes and that you may walk to and enjoy.
5. The options are endless. If you get your group together, you’ll have loads of possibilities which will be wonderful.
6. Remember to wear properly fitting walking shoes, avoid carrying a heavy purse, dress for the weather. Keep a small first aid kit and bottle of water. I’ve found that having mints on hand are great too.
7. Last by not least, map out resting points, again, whether for indoors or out. Never go alone and keep your mobile phone with you.
8. If you find a place that you feel needs a Quick-Seat Chair, download our Ambassador form on our website. Fill it out and give it to the director of any place, to suggest they install a Quick-Seat Chair. If they do, send us a photo and receive a prepaid gift card for dinner on us.
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.” Laozi
Temporary Seating that closes itself