Allerton House at Central Park in Weymouth Receives Program Innovation Award from the Massachusetts Assisted Living Facilities Association 

 (June 5, 2006)  Weymouth, MA –
 Resident Services Assistant Wayne Cushing of Allerton House Assisted Living Community at Central Park in Weymouth recently received a Program Innovation Award from the Massachusetts Assisted Living Facilities Association for the development of a Traveling Basketball League for residents. Cushing, who has been in his role for three years,  often asks, “How many eighty year olds do you know who are on a traveling basketball team?” At the Allerton House communities, owned and managed by Welch Healthcare & Retirement Group, the answer is, quite a few. The award was presented at the 12^th Annual Mass-ALFA dinner in Burlington, MA.

Allerton House residents, some of whom have never played basketball before, practice weekly on their shooting and rebounding skills. Bi-monthly tournaments are held at the Allerton sister communities in Hingham, Quincy and Duxbury, where the teams battle for bragging rights as winners, and the team trophy!  Each community sport team shirts, which they proudly wear to the games as the other residents and spectators cheer on their favorite team.

“Wayne took this idea, that residents in good health at almost any age, could benefit from the exercise and camaraderie that would come from a traveling basketball team,” says Paul Casale, Jr., executive director of Allerton House at Central Park. “The residents and communities benefit from this program because it helps to form a close bond between everyone involved,” adds Lynn Sullivan, director of resident services, Allerton House at Central Park. Casale says that Wayne’s love of fitness and athletics along with his dedication to the residents has also resulted in a traveling golf league. The winning team displays the trophy and photos in a main lobby for family and friends to view.

Mass-ALFA Award Recipient Wayne Cushing, Allerton House at Central Park Resident Services Assistant  

            Allerton House at Central Park is an assisted living community with 70- apartment homes on 43 School House Road in Weymouth. Welch Healthcare & Retirement Group has been providing senor housing, healthcare and rehabilitation to seniors for more than 55 years. For more information about Allerton House at Central Park, call 781-335-8666.