Wellness is at the heart of everything that happens at Masonic Village at Elizabethtown. Thanks to that mission, the retirement community recently won the Pinnacle and Beacon awards from the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) and NuStep for fostering a wellness-centered environment to benefit residents and employees.

The ICAA NuStep Pinnacle Award is given to senior living communities in North America that rank among the top five in the Best in Wellness category. The Beacon Award goes to organizations ranked among the top 25 communities.

"We had to apply for the awards, including writing a narrative and sending in pictures and publications to support our wellness programs," said Stacy Schroder, director of wellness and prevention. "We were supposed to find out if we won over the summer, but things were delayed due to COVID, so we were officially recognized in December (2020)."

Wellness, Schroder said, is a cornerstone of Masonic Village.

"It's the hub of everything we do," she noted. "We look at how we can improve the lifestyles of the people who live here as well as the people who work here. ... We want to help everybody be as well as they want to be. We're passionate about helping employees and residents improve their quality of life."

Wellness programs at Masonic Village include farm-to-table meal choices, 12 miles of walking paths and a holistic wellness center with fitness and aquatic classes and professional staff. To address mental and social health, Masonic Village offers dozens of resident support groups and clubs, courses on mental health and assistance with residents' transitions from one care level to the next. Masonic Village offers benefits for employees including free and discounted meals, vacation sharing and assistance for emergency situations. It also provides staff with incentives for annual physical exams and nutrition counseling and free wellness center memberships.

"Across all disciplines, departments and living areas at Masonic Village, we strive to give people a variety of opportunities to live well and feel their best," Schroder explained. "This journey looks different to each individual, so it's important to offer more than just a gym or classes. You have to consider the whole person and what motivates and fulfills them."

Schroder, who joined the staff at Masonic Village in 1998, created the wellness programs from the ground up and said she's been met with nothing but support from the CEO to everyone on staff.

"Every department has a vested interest in this," she stated. "I have worked to help the organization realize that we are all wellness providers, whether we're in food service or human resources. That's what makes us unique."