Retreats

Category: Health & Wellness

Post-polio wellness retreats provide an opportunity

to renew the mind, body and spirit
to have post-polio questions answered by unhurried medical experts
to spend custom-designed days enjoying recreational activities
to learn more about how to stay strong and healthy

Moving several steps beyond re-rehabilitation, retreats offer ongoing wellness approaches that promise to improve overall health and quality of life. Important resources include a comfortable location that provides accessible accommodations (accessible natural beauty is a real plus), a committed sponsoring and organizing organization(s), and knowledgeable professionals willing to volunteer time and expertise.

The tradition of spending time away from home and a daily routine to learn new behaviors is not a new idea. It is common in many countries.

Post-polio wellness retreats have been held in Canada, Australia and the United States. Polio survivors have met at Bay Cliff Health Camp, Big Bay, Michigan, since 2006. Bay Cliff's most recent post-polio wellness retreat was September 2013. In 2012 and 2014, Bay Cliff provided weekend reunions for past campers with Dr. Fred Maynard as the featured presenter.

Polio Australia Incorporated coordinated its first Polio Health and Wellness Retreat in April of 2010 after participating in PHI’s Post-Polio Wellness Retreat held at Camp Dream on the campus of Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitation in April of 2009 (see below). Since then, Polio Australia has continued to run Polio Health and Wellness Retreats for up to 70 polio survivors and their family members on an annual basis in various states in Australia.

To learn more about the Australian experience, watch a summary video of their 2010 Retreat, and review reports and photos of all other Retreats online.

Below are videos from PHI’s 2009 Post-Polio Wellness Retreat held at Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute on Rehabilitation in Warm Springs, Georgia, USA.