Nothing can stop Veteran from daily exercise

There’s power in movement and exercise

At 101, World War II Veteran George Poleske is blind, hard of hearing and mostly needs a wheelchair to get around. But none of that stops him from being as physically fit as possible.

He takes part in physical therapy five days a week at the Milwaukee VA Medical Center, motivated by the special bond he has forged with health technician Mary Kassens.

Like old friends getting together for coffee, the two chat and smile while going about their routine of exercises to keep George healthy.

During a recent session, Poleske and Kassens talked about his recent bingo wins, the Milwaukee Brewers and his tasty lunch—a BLT with everything on it—while he went through his regimen, which included walking and balance exercises, as well as some upper body work.

“We’ll do the walking,” Poleske said as he stood from his wheelchair, grasped the parallel bars and walked the length of the path. He then turned to the side and shuffled back.

“Watch out, Mary; I might run you over,” he said, smiling.

“You’re looking good, George. You’re doing fine,” Kassens responded.

As the exercises progressed, Poleske would call out the number of reps.

“We have fun together, don’t we?” Kassens asked.

“That’s right,” he said. “We’re fun and friendly. We can talk about anything. And she’s a good instructor. She takes good care of me.”

In fact, it’s that relationship with Kassens— and his commitment to being active—that motivates him to exercise each day.

“It’s something I look forward to. It keeps me motivated. I always perk up for it.”

Keeping Veterans moving

Poleske, who lives in the hospital’s Community Living Center, stands as testament to the STRIDE program at Milwaukee VA. The national VA program emphasizes movement for hospital patients.

STRIDE provides hospitalized Veterans with a targeted gait and balance assessment, followed by supervised daily walks for the remainder of their hospital stay.

Instituted at Milwaukee VA in 2020, the program has grown beyond walking to include upper and lower extremity exercise, as well as yoga, which helps with flexibility and peace of mind.

“Keeping Vets mobile and walking daily helps reduce length of stay in hospitals and aids in the reduction of falls,” said Isabel Detienne, occupational therapist.m“Deconditioning is a big thing that happens in the hospital, so this is one way for us to prevent that and keep them pumping their muscles and keep their hearts healthy.”

Mutually beneficial bond

Kassens has been working with Poleske for about two years, and they’ve formed a mutually beneficial bond.

“He’s just as motivating for myself to come to work every day,” she said. “I know he’s depending on me, and he’s a real joy. He’s always keeping us on our toes. He’s always trying to challenge himself to be a little better every day.”

And Poleske is equally motivating for his fellow Veterans.

“Many other Veterans look up to George,” Kassens shared. “Oftentimes we hear them saying, ‘If he can do it, and look so good, so can we.’”

And Poleske has advice for fellow Veterans who may be averse to exercise or physical therapy: “Don’t give up. Just do the best you can,” he said. “And try to do better today than you did yesterday.”

It’s never too late to apply for the VA health care you’ve earned. If you are a Veteran or know a Veteran who has not yet applied for their VA health care benefits, learn how to get started.

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This article was originally published on the VA Milwaukee Health care System site and has been edited for style and clarity.