The InVisionary
August is known as the last official month of summer; where students of all ages go back to school, nights start to cool down, and a few leaves start to fall. Some would argue that August is also the unofficial start of pumpkin spice and spooky season. At InVision, we recognize August as a time to reflect on the changes we’ve embraced since the beginning of the year, and the changes yet to come. Last August, in alignment with the commemoration of National Wellness Month – dedicated to promoting self-care, healthy habits, stress reduction, and overall wellness – we shared an article focusing on self-care; diving into the month’s history and wellness practices. To celebrate National Wellness Month 2025, we want to take this time to reflect on physical wellness, and more specifically, InVision’s Move Your Way® Wellness Program – dedicated to supporting and encouraging the people we support to adopt healthier habits and regular exercise.
As many of us already know, exercise has many physical health benefits, including weight management, bone and muscle strength, and reduced risk of disease and infection. Rebecca Hoskinson, Health Services supervisor at InVision, also notes that physical activity can help improve sleep, skin health, and alleviate aches and pains.
Beyond the benefits physical activity brings to our bodies, it also plays a key role in mental health and self-care practices. According the World Health Organization (WHO), physical activity has a significant positive impact on mental health, brain health, and overall well-being. In fact, exercise is commonly “prescribed” by healthcare professionals as a method of self-care to support mental well-being – working hand-in-hand with other mental wellness practices, such as routines, eating regularly, hydration, therapy, journaling, and social connection. All of this to say, physical activity is a crucial element to one’s personal wellness goals.
“Health and wellness are incredibly important,” Rebecca shared. “We have to be mindful of our mind and body as they change over time!”
PBC Wellness Guidelines
Among the launch of the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP)’s Performance Based Contracting (PBC), are guidelines on health and wellness goals for human services providers. These goals aim to enhance effectiveness and quality within wellness programs and initiatives for people who experience intellectual and developmental disabilities statewide. Additionally, ODP provides official Move Your Way® wellness tools and resources to further the implementation of customized health goals. Complete with videos, visuals, fact sheets, success stories, breakdowns by age, and more, the Move Your Way® website acts as a one-stop-shop for all things physical activity.Wellness at InVision
Spearheading wellness efforts at InVision is our Health Services department – a team of dedicated Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) and healthcare professionals committed to maintaining the health and wellness of the people we support.
Kicking off InVision’s wellness program back in January of this year, Health Services launched an organization-wide initiative called “Walk to Hawaii.” Designed to promote building healthy habits among InVision personnel, participation in this initiative was open to all staff, people supported, and family members. With teams centered around the people we support, participants collectively documented their steps until we reached our organizational goal of “walking” 9.3 million steps; the number of steps it would take to walk linearly from our corporate office in Wexford, Pennsylvania to Honolulu, Hawaii. In addition to traditional step tracking, an activity conversion chart was provided so that people supported of all abilities could meaningfully participate. As we made our way across the country, post cards from various states and fun locations were sent out to the people we support to document our progress and celebrate milestones. These milestones included:
- 403,800 steps: Columbus Park of Roses, Ohio
- 924,6000 steps: Bison at Kankaee Sands – The Nature Conservatory, Indiana
- 1,163,000 steps: Illinois State Museum, Illinois
- 1,568,4000 steps: Thousand Hills State Park, Missouri
- 1,915,800 steps: Oz Museum, Kansas
- 2,875,200 steps: U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum, Colorado
- 3,342,000 steps: Las Vegas, Nevada
- 7,176,800 steps: North Pacific Ocean
- 9,294,000 steps: Honolulu, Hawaii
By the time we completed our goal, we had a backlog of over 12 million steps tracked in a span of five months. To celebrate our success, InVision’s Health Services team planned and hosted summer luau events at both our corporate and Reading offices. These events were complete with wellness-related raffle prizes for participants and attendees, healthy snacks, activities, and the launch of the next phase of the wellness program: customized wellness plans for people supported using ODP’s Move Your Way® resources. At each event, our nurses connected with people supported in attendance and their support staff to curate personalized wellness plans; focusing on goals, needs, and areas of interest defined by the person supported. The efforts of our nurses is ongoing, as they will continue to have conversations about the wellness program and extend a helping hand when needed.
During these events, we also discovered a new InVision favorite – sugar free punch! Check out the easy-peasy, extra healthy recipe: - Half fresca (zero sugar and zero calories, but with all the deliciousness of your favorite carbonated drink)
- Half sugar-free lemonade
- Garnish with any kind of fruit you like! We recommend strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and/or oranges
- Served over ice
Wellness Success and Inclusivity
InVision’s wellness efforts extend beyond the Move Your Way® program, with other departments building on its initiatives. Partnering with Health Services, our event planning committee now prioritizes healthier, inclusive food choices – ensuring all attendees, including those with dietary restrictions, feel welcomed and valued. Activities like dancing at prom or playing cornhole at our summer luau promote fun physical movement and reflect our growing focus on wellness.Meanwhile, InVision’s Safety Committee contributes by sharing resources on health and safety topics. A recent article on heat and hydration safety featured an interactive quiz, and top scorers – office staff, DSPs, and the people they support – received personalized hydration prizes including Cirkul bottles and sugar-free flavorings.
The true success for wellness at InVision lies within the inclusivity of personalized wellness, and the customizable nature of health plans and habits. The connection between the Health Services team, our committees, and wellness implementation at InVision acts as an extension of who we are as an organization – aligning with our organizational values and guiding principles. Customized services are the core of InVision’s mission; empowering the people we serve to be in control of their lives, and their wellness, on their own timeline, in a way that is meaningful to them. “It’s never too late to take the first step in prioritizing personal wellness,” Rebecca added. “You don’t have to make dire health changes all at once. Whether you’re trying to lower your sugar intake, increase physical activity, or implement other wellness goals, small, slow changes are the best way to start. You may have setbacks but always keep going!”
Thank You, Health Services!
A huge thank you to the entirety of the Health Services team across the state for their continued dedication in supporting wellness at InVision. From larger initiatives and starting conversations that spark small changes, to supporting mental health services within InVision Behavioral Health, the Health Services team does it all. Please join us in recognizing these team members for their unwavering commitment to maintaining health and wellness among the people we support!
- Rebecca Hoskinson – Health Services Supervisor
- Dawn Wilder – LPN
- Eleesia Iguina – LPN
- Angela Sinatore – LPN
- Nicole Perkins – LPN
- Brittany Orris – LPN
- Natasha Baillie – LPN
- Hannah Cummingham – LPN
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