St. Joseph Hoag Health, Irvine Company Make Staying Healthy as Easy as Stepping Outside Your Door

IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Seeking to make health and wellness convenient to where people live and work, St. Joseph Hoag Health and the Irvine Company have come together to establish ground-breaking wellness centers in Irvine Company apartment communities and office workplaces.

The first site, the St. Joseph Hoag Health Wellness Corner, opens at Irvine Company's The Village at Irvine Spectrum Center in Irvine, Calif., on Sept. 16. The center will serve more than 5,000 residents at The Village and neighboring apartment community The Park at Irvine Spectrum Center.

"We started with a simple notion: Help people attain a healthy lifestyle by being more available to them. We believe if we do that well, we will have not just healthier individuals, but healthier communities will also be possible," says Annette Walker, executive vice president of strategic services for St. Joseph Hoag Health. "It's about becoming a true partner in managing peoples' health."

The vision of healthier communities is shared by the Irvine Company, a master planner and real estate investment company which, similar to St. Joseph Hoag Health, has deep roots in Southern California.  Irvine Company leadership had been looking to add wellness programs for residents and office workplace customers.  Later this year, the two organizations plan a wellness center at Irvine Company's Jamboree Center office workplace in Irvine, Calif.

"This collaboration brings unprecedented convenience to the doorstep of our residents to help them achieve their health and wellness goals," says Marisa Hanke, chief marketing officer and senior vice president of strategic services of Irvine Company Apartment Communities.  "Irvine Company apartment communities are known for the great lifestyle and meaningful experiences they offer with apartments that feel likes homes, resort-style pools, state-of-the-art fitness centers and proximity to trails and open space. The Wellness Corner further differentiates our communities by seamlessly integrating health and wellness into the lifestyle of our residents."

Wellness Corner services at The Village will include medical care such as physical examinations, treatment of minor illnesses, telehealth, medical aesthetics, travel medicine and  lab services.  Additionally, a wide range of lifestyle management programs and health and wellness improvement programs will be available onsite. These services will focus on the mind (stress management, yoga, sleep improvement and meditation), body (personalized weight and fitness management) and plate (nutrition coaching, menu planning and personalized food plans).  St. Joseph Hoag Health staff will also manage the Village's fitness center, offering a wide range of fitness programs and adding new ones such as aquatics and elite athletic training.

In serving residents of The Village and The Park — two resort-style communities in the heart of Irvine Spectrum — St. Joseph Hoag Health will carve out offerings that are distinctive, including special training programs for beginners to seasoned athletes.  Triathlon preparation, with running, swimming and cycling programs, is among the unique services to be provided to take advantage of the communities' lap pools, fitness centers and neighboring trail system ideal for runners and cyclists of all abilities.

"St. Joseph Hoag Health started in this community as widely respected hospitals, and we are still known for outstanding acute care. But health care means more than treating people when they are sick. It means leaning in and really helping people to live their healthiest, whether they currently enjoy good health or need a partner in managing chronic conditions. The intent is to empower individuals and become true partners in a healthy lifestyle," Walker says.

Before embarking on the wellness center concept for the Spectrum apartment communities, St. Joseph Hoag Health first established an onsite center for employees in its corporate Irvine office at Park Place. The outcomes have been significant, indicating that a convenient onsite health and wellness service can enhance health status and, ultimately, build healthier populations.

Among the outcomes experienced by St. Joseph Hoag Health at its employee site were a reduction in absenteeism and increase in healthy lifestyles. Many of those visiting the center said they most likely would have overlooked preventive and basic care had they not had the services immediately available to them.

"We have the data to show these types of convenient, expert programs clearly make a difference," Walker says. "Now we're excited to bring them to more of the people we serve."

SOURCE St. Joseph Hoag Health