You've probably seen stair climbing machines at the gym. Now some people are climbing real stairs to get healthier.
Ribbon was cut Monday at the doorway to the south tower stairwell at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. It's a kickoff to part of the wellness program at Carilion called Stairwellness. Workers and visitors to the hospital are being encouraged to take the stairs instead of the elevator.
Monday employees walked up ten flights of stairs, in a relay, two flights at a time. Colorful signs are posted on the walls of the stairwell to motivate people.
"We were able to paint the outside door frames," said Carilion Wellness Consultant Michele Hamilton. "You walk by and you say 'why is the door frame green?' It's just a motivator."
The stairwellness initiative is part of Carilion's "Choose Wisely" program that began last fall.
"A lot of times we have meetings in a certain area," said Hamilton. "We always take the stairs to the top instead of the elevator. This will be this will be a constant reminder 'let's take the stairs in our hospital.'"
Stairwellness will be extended to other Carilion hospitals in the coming months, Hamilton said.
