When Laureen Johnson moved to St. George Village last March, she had been suffering from the debilitating nerve pain caused by sciatica for two years. “There were times when the pain was so bad, I almost couldn’t get out of bed in the morning. And I was having a lot of trouble taking care of my house and yard after my husband died,” she said. “Even after moving to St. George, I needed my meals delivered to my apartment at first.”
Laureen kept thinking about her doctor’s continued suggestion that water exercise might help improve her mobility. It took a little time, but in July, she decided to try out the indoor pool and hot tub at St. George. “That’s when my sciatica went away!” she said.
Laureen Johnson
Laureen makes good use of the pool five to six days a week. She does water walking, works out with water weights and participates in water aerobics classes. She also says that the hot tub with its water jets has been great therapy for sore muscles. Just two months after she began exercising in the water, Laureen was able to discontinue the pain medication she’d been prescribed for sciatica.
“Getting into the pool was the answer for me,” she said. “I haven’t had any problems with sciatica since.” With her mobility restored, Laureen feels she has a new lease on life. She enjoys spending time with her best friend and all of the new friends that she has made at St. George, as well as her daughter and grandchildren, who live nearby in East Cobb and are frequent visitors. She particularly relishes working in her raised garden bed, where she grows vegetables that she shares with her neighbors. This summer, she pickled 22 pints of cucumbers. “I had a garden at my home before I moved here, and I missed it. There’s nothing like a tomato fresh from the garden,” she said. “This is only one of the things I can do now that I can be active again.”
Come see how a life plan community like St. George Village can help you achieve an active retirement, with a plan for the future. Water exercise is only one of the many activities we offer to help our residents pursue a healthy, independent lifestyle. Call us at 678-987-0402 for more information or to schedule a tour. You can also find more details about our community, lifestyle and residents on our website, www.stgeorgevillage.org. Follow us on Facebook and Pinterest, too!
This article originally appeared in the December issue of the EAST COBBER magazine, on page 56. Click HERE to access the digital edition.
