‘A Prescription for a Lifetime’: YMCA’s HealthY Living Initiative Delivers Transformational Results

 

When Rita Clark walked into the YMCA this spring to take part in the new HealthY Living Initiative, she wasn’t sure she’d even be allowed to join. Her initial health assessment showed blood pressure readings at 200 over 88.

“I didn’t think I’d be allowed to take the program,” Clark admitted. But by the time she returned to her doctor after completing the 12-week program, the results were undeniable. “Now he’s giving me a prescription for a lifetime,” she said. “The only thing is, I’m not allowed to ever quit.”

Clark is one of the first graduates of the YMCA’s Healthy Living Initiative - a program designed to help people living with chronic illness regain strength, mobility, and confidence. Participants in the first cohort were Y Members, or referred by physiotherapists and health professionals. Over three months, they commit to twice-weekly, small-group training sessions tailored to their individual abilities.

The qualitative outcomes are already staggering.

Participants reported improved mobility, better balance, reduced pain, and a renewed sense of independence.

“The hardest part is walking through the door,” one participant shared. “But you leave feeling stronger every time.”

Chris Roberts, Community Health Manager at the YMCA of Southwestern New Brunswick, says what’s happening goes far beyond exercise.

“This isn’t about six-packs or step counts - it’s about keeping people mobile, independent, and out of the hospital,” Roberts said. “The changes we’ve seen in just 12 weeks prove the potential for real impact across New Brunswick.”

Right now, participants can self-refer or be referred by a health care professional, and word of mouth. But demand is already outpacing supply, and participants are calling for expansion.

“I live in a seniors’ complex, and I think everybody on both floors knows about this now,” Clark said with a laugh.

Behind the anecdotes is a pressing health-care reality. New Brunswick’s aging population faces high rates of chronic illness, mobility issues, and costly hospital visits. Programs like this one are not just life-changing -they’re cost-saving. Every participant who regains independence or avoids a fall is one less emergency room visit, one less long-term hospital stay.

For the YMCA, the next step is clear.

“We know this works,” Roberts said. “We just need the investment to scale it. The impact is measured in healthier lives and reduced pressure on our health-care system. That’s a win for everyone.”

And Clark put it best: “I was given a prescription for a lifetime. That’s how important this is.”

To learn more about the HealthY Living Initiative, visit: https://swnb.ymca.ca/community/healthy-living-initiative-programs/.