I chose to work with Fit After 50 as I want to get more opportunities to work with clients, which will enhance my communication skills and empathy as a healthcare professional. Another reason that I chose to work with them is that their client-centered service is in line with my value of caring about clients as a whole person. This means that I get to tailor exercise programs based on the clients’ fitness level and their health-related goals, rather than merely aiming to improve their physical fitness. I believe this is a very important asset as a healthcare professional as it will allow me to provide the service that my clients are satisfied with.
As the Program Assistant of Fit After 50, I have assisted Andres in organizing and running private sessions and Vitality Plus, which is a group exercise and stress management workshop. I also wrote a blog on the association between stress and exercise. On top of that, I have given presentations to various community centers, including the Big Carrot Community Market. Recently, Andres and I were interviewed by a journalist, Silvia Mendez, about our work at Fit After 50.
Working at Fit After 50 is a very fruitful experience. I have learnt the importance of building a long-term positive relationship with my clients, marketing strategies, skills in presenting to different groups of population, just to name a few. While my journey with Andres has not always been smooth sailing, he has always been there to support me, from my duties in Fit After 50 to my academics and sport. He is a great mentor and friend.
I love working with older adults! I love listening to their stories and seeing them enjoying themselves when they exercise. The most remarkable moment I had occurred when Andres and I were delivering Vitality Plus to a community center. When the members were sharing their thoughts on mindfulness, one member said that he was very grateful that Andres and I had given him the opportunity to share their feelings and thoughts with one another, which allowed him to be more aware of his emotions. I was very pleased to know how much our program meant to our clients and how it helped them understand themselves better.
What made my work with Fit After 50 so rewarding was that I got to work with clients of different fitness levels, age and health-related goals. When working with clients that were participating in competitive sports, I learnt to create more challenging and high-intensity exercises for them to improve their strength and movement quality. On the contrary, when working with clients who had a chronic conditions, I would incorporate light-intensity exercises that focus on flexibility and basic movement patterns, such as hip and knee flexion. Most importantly, I learnt to listen to my clients and adjust my program according to their feedback such that I would be able to deliver exercises that they would enjoy.
I will definitely recommend the company to other placement students! My position is suitable for students who have a passion on interacting with clients, doing presentations and writing blogs. Working with Fit After 50 also allows students to learn about marketing strategies that may come in handy if they wish to open up their own business.
Regarding my future, I will be studying medicine in University College Cork in Ireland in September. Working with Fit After 50 has well prepared me to pursue my medical career as I have gained lots of experience in interacting with my colleagues and clients such that I will be confident of cooperating with other healthcare professionals and serving my clients in the future.
Last but not least, I would like to thank Andres for the opportunity to work with him. I would not be who I am now if it were not for his patience and guidance. I wish him and the company all the best in their future endeavors.