With a gym double the size of the one it replaces, new educational space and individualized therapy rooms, including one dedicated to pediatric services, the new Wellness Department on the St. Andrews Campus of LincolnHealth is designed to foster a healthier community.

Located in the old acute care wing of St. Andrews Hospital, the new space will be open to the public following months of renovations on July 16. Everyone is invited to visit, talk to therapists and take a tour of the facility from 3 to 5 p.m. Refreshments will be served. Following the open house, the Wellness Department will host the Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours from 5 to 7 p.m.

Jim Stevens, Site Manager of the St. Andrews Campus Wellness Department, said his staff spent months working on the layout to design a facility that is open to the whole community and where people feel comfortable coming for education and preventative programs.

“We really want to make this a wellness center. We will continue to provide all the latest medical therapies but we will also integrate more holistic approaches such as tai chi, yoga and meditation into our preventative health programs,” said Stevens.

With all services on the first floor, the new department is more accessible than the old space. A receptionist immediately inside the front door greets patients and helps them find their way.

Lining the main hallway are rooms designed for physical therapy, occupational therapy, lymphedema therapy, pelvic health, medical nutrition therapy, diabetes education and speech therapy, as well as the new pediatric room, designed to be comfortable and welcoming to children.

The new gym, which overlooks Mill Cove, offers the space and equipment necessary for a wider range of exercises designed to help people not only recover but prevent new injuries.

For example, if a patient has had a knee replacement, Stevens said therapists will provide therapy to strengthen the knee, but they will also focus on the complete picture of how the patient moves to address issues that might have caused the knee to wear out in the first place.

The new gym will also feature more modern equipment designed to prevent injury or improve quality of life, including a new Biodex Balance System donated by the St. Andrews Auxiliary.

Falls are the leading cause of both fatal and nonfatal injuries among older adults, but in most cases, they are preventable.

By using the Biodex machine to help measure a person’s risk of falls, therapists can develop an individualized program to help that person improve their balance so they can stay active while avoiding accidents that can lead to a loss of independence.

Kelly Holbrook, Director of LincolnHealth Wellness & Rehabilitation, said the whole community, and in particular the St. Andrews Auxiliary, has been very generous in helping to equip the new center.

“We are so pleased to have had the support of the St. Andrews Auxiliary. Without their generous donation of the Biodex and other instrumental items, we would not be where we are today,” said Holbrook.