Wellness Plus better serves the community with new equipment

Wellness Plus, which is operated by Mercy Regional Medical Center in Ville Platte, got a face lift by getting new workout machines to better meet the health needs of the community. The change in equipment was the result in the hospital’s change in ownership.
“We made 20 years in August, and our equipment had stayed the same throughout,” said Wellness Plus’ director Shane Darbonne. “So, in December, Allegiance Health Care (the new hospital ownership) made a commitment to revamp the entire weight system and cardiovascular system in the respect of keeping the community healthy because they are very interested in the community.”
Soon after Allegiance made the commitment, the company quickly began to move on the project by getting price quotes.
Darbonne said, “Within a couple of weeks, the hospital decided to finance through a local bank as compared to a big area bank just to keep the business local. So, once again, they are giving back to the community.”
The new equipment is currently in place inside the workout center and is fully operational. “We went with an entire line of Precor equipment that is strength training, as well as cardiovascular,” said Darbonne.
He continued, “Their equipment is durable and state-of-the-art. The treadmills, ellipticals, bikes, and stairmasters all have the same interface. Once you learn how to work one, they’re all the same. Pretty much everything is energy efficient running off batteries with the exception of the treadmills that have to be plugged in.”
Darbonne then described the new weight training equipment. “Instead of it being bars, it’s all cables,” he stated. “They’re a lot more ergonomically correct where they are lower. If someone has trouble, they won’t have to sit up high. It’s very easy for them to get in and out.”
“Most of the machines are dual stationed,” continued Darbonne. “A chest press is not only for the chest. It’s an incline press and also a shoulder press. The peck deck is also a rear dealt row, so you get two machines in one station. It really saves a lot of space.”