This April, residents at Wheelock Terrace are celebrating Physical Wellness Month. And for one retired physical education teacher, physical wellness is her mantra all year long. Jean Kraemer spent decades teaching children the benefits of fitness and encouraging them to stay active. Today, she’s front and center at Wheelock Terrace’s fitness classes Mondays through Saturdays cheering on her peers. If the weather is nice, you can also catch her doing laps around the community.
“You can’t sit still too long, or you start to mold,” said Kraemer. “It’s easy to become isolated as we grow older, so it’s important to build a community and stay in constant contact.”
Even a short conversation with Kraemer makes it clear her sense of humor is sharp. At age 85, Kraemer works hard to stay active daily. She even starts the morning with toe exercises at the edge of her bed and shoulder rolls before getting her joints moving. She’s also built her own community through her fitness class. It’s allowed her to meet people she might have never interacted with, and the former teacher is quick to rally others to stay active.
“When I go to bed at night, I ask myself, ‘Who did I help today? Who did I reach out to today?’,” said Kraemer. “Once a teacher, always a teacher. Just because I’m retired, I’m not going to stop reaching out to people and trying to help. I love pushing people in class and seeing them take on a new challenge.”
Wheelock Terrace’s group fitness class focuses on strength building. The class modifies many traditional exercises so that participants can remain seated while utilizing bands, balls and weights. The class has been an ongoing tradition at the community for years. In addition to classes, the community uses technology to keep residents active. A favorite of many is Wii bowling. Wheelock Terrace also provides opportunities for seniors to leave the community to golf, dance or swim, the last of which is Kraemer’s favorite.
“This community loves Jean Kraemer. She’s become everyone’s teacher here at Wheelock Terrace. Whether she’s challenging others to push through fitness class or engaging the dinner table with her humor, she’s a great asset to all of us,” said Melissa Suckling, executive director of Wheelock Terrace Assisted Living. “Jean is constantly looking out for our other residents. I believe her passion and commitment to wellness and healthy living is a great reminder for all of us to stay active.”
Kraemer was born into a family of educators, as both of her parents were teachers. When Kraemer started teaching physical education, she followed in her father’s footsteps. In 1990, she was named “Elementary Teacher of the Year” by the New York State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. Kraemer’s P.E. class became an outlet for many students who couldn’t sit still. Some teachers would even send students down to Kraemer to run a few laps so they could refocus their energy. While she’ll say she wanted to give the other teachers a break, she was really teaching the students life skills, including teamwork and wellness. She also became a lecturer at two colleges, stressing the importance of perceptual motor training.