The Welcome Station sets the users off in the right direction, giving instructions how best to use and benefit from the stations and providing safety information.

While some ?EUR??,,????'??seniors,?EUR??,,????'?? defined by the AARP as 50 and above, run marathons, pump iron, slalom down the slopes and generally are more fit and active than their kids, many more seniors take life at a more leisurely pace.

They don?EUR??,,????'???t want to jog, but do enjoy walking; they don?EUR??,,????'???t want to life barbells, but do want to keep muscle tone.

LifeTrail Wellness Stations can be installed along walking paths or other outdoor settings. There are five optional stations for wheel chair access.

Each Wellness Station is designed with lifestyle and age appropriate activities for active older adults. This station has two exercises to strengthen the lower back and abdominals.

To meet the exercise needs of this second and largest group of seniors, Playworld Systems, in cooperation with Penn State University faculty members Dr. David Proctor, an exercise physiologist specializing in older adults and Dr. Geoffrey Godbey, a professor specialized in leisure behavior and recreation and park management, has developed LifeTrail, a ?EUR??,,????'??pathway to total wellness?EUR??,,????'?? based on the exercise stations in parks. The stations provide carefully researched upper and lower body exercises that are age appropriate. Onsite testing of LifeTrail took place at Cleveland Metroparks and at Cornwall Manor, a retirement community in central Pennsylvania. The exercises, plus the outdoor walking from station to station and the social interaction make up the complete package.

Most Wellness Stations have activities with two levels of challenge, one for beginners and one for advanced users. This station improves upper body strength and stretches the muscles between the shoulder blades and back of the neck.

Each activity panel has clear illustrations and contains instructions that are easy to read. This station stretches the calf muscles and hamstrings, while increasing range-of-motion in the ankles.

*Optional wheelchair accessible stations are available in five activities: forearm rolls; upper body warm up; stretches; pull up; and upper body stretch and strengthen.