Walk This Way Together: How One Group Stays Fit — and Connected
“I’ve been trying to see an alligator, but I haven’t seen one yet,” said Frank, who’s been a resident since 2024. “There have been signs, ‘Beware of Alligators,’ but I think it’s a scam.”
When Frank S. meets up with the Walking Group at Watersound Fountains℠ every week, he’s on the lookout for one thing. Frank is one of six residents who take to the trails, beaches, parks, and neighborhoods surrounding the community two to three times a week to look for wildlife and enjoy the warm Florida sunshine. During their outings, the group walks upward of two miles, logging more than 10,000 steps on any given day. But the Walking Group does so much more than get their steps in. They get to know their fellow neighbors, build lasting friendships, and maintain an active lifestyle together.
“It’s good camaraderie, and people are always supporting each other,” said 360Well® Coordinator Cassidy Menke, who started the group when the community first opened a few years ago. She saw it as a way residents could get outside and connect with others.
It’s how Frank met fellow resident Lynn H., who along with her husband Walter, walks with the group every week. She credited the Walking Group for helping her connect with new residents that she might not otherwise have met.
“I always think that if you’re walking, it’s better to walk with another person or other people because the obligation to show up is so much greater when you know someone’s waiting for you,” she explained.
“The more often that you are exposed to that person and they are to you, the better you get to know each other. It’s a win and win. And that’s how I got to know Frank.”
“She doesn’t talk to me a lot though,” Frank replied. “I have to struggle to keep up with Lynn.”
“You’re in the back of the line, Frank! That’s why I can’t.”
“I can’t catch you!”
Lynn explained that her love of exercising, which began years ago, helps her to stay in shape. A former runner, she now enjoys walking along the beaches and looks forward to catching up with new friends each week thanks to the Walking Club.
“Exercise is my life. It gives me everything I need. It keeps me healthy. It keeps me in shape [and] gets rid of tension.”
As Lynn mentioned, there are many physical — and social — benefits to staying active as a senior, especially in a group setting like a walking club or class. In a study published by the National Library of Medicine, researchers observed a group of seniors who exercised together every week and found that “regular group exercise helped them to improve or maintain their functional health and enjoy their lives.” Participants mentioned that by meeting new friends and motivating one another to keep moving, they "felt socially connected and experienced a sense of security."
Consistent exercise can also help seniors overcome physical setbacks or injuries. After Walter was sidelined by two shoulder operations, exercising became part of his personal fitness journey. Today, Walter is walking about four miles a day.
“When I first came here, I couldn’t walk across the street,” he recalled. “[My physical therapist] was telling me she walked three miles a day, so I go, ‘I can beat that.’”
From trips around the local golf course to visiting conservation parks in the hopes of seeing Frank’s elusive alligator and other wildlife (one member of the group is an avid bird-watcher who traveled around the world viewing more than 600 species), there is no path or trail that the residents can’t finish together. After all, the American Heart Association recommends that getting at least two and a half hours of heart-pumping physical activity per week can help prevent diseases and increase your quality of life. It just helps to be surrounded by friends who provide support, encouragement, and plenty of laughs.
“I’m a very social person,” said Frank. “I’ve walked for many years. It’s a way to clear my head. Cassidy will try to start a conversation, but she doesn’t realize I’m trying to solve the world’s problems.”
Added Walter with a chuckle: “See what it’s like living here?”
