After starting her wellness career working in the corporate sector, Mary Heisterkamp returned to college to earn a master’s degree and explore her interests. After graduating in 2004, she accepted a position at Wesley Acres as its wellness director. Right away, she had the responsibility of designing a fitness center and helping the care center provide more wellness-related activities. People like Heisterkamp are in high demand in Iowa, which has the third-highest percentage of residents over age 85 according to the U.S. Census Bureau data released this month.

Where are you from?

I’m from Onawa, a small town south of Sioux City.

How did your interest in fitness develop?

I was injured in high school and tore my ACL (anterior cruciate ligament, a major ligament of the knee) twice. In working with the athletic trainer at my school during my injuries, I developed a strong appreciation for that type of work and decided that I wanted to get into athletic training. I found out that the University of Iowa had a good program and enrolled there. I took extra classes to get a degree also in health promotion, because I realized that I didn’t like watching sports as much as I thought I did.

What was your first job out of college?

I worked for Wellmark [Blue Cross Blue Shield] as a health-improvement coordinator. I was on the team that had the opportunity to redesign the company’s fitness center, which was a great experience. Then I accepted a similar position at Principal (Financial Group Inc.).

What prompted you to then further your education?

I realized that in this industry, you not only need work experience to be a wellness director, but you need more education. So I went to the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse and got my master’s degree in public health. While there, I heard from a friend in Des Moines that Wesley Acres was creating this new position, so I applied.

What interested you in working with older adults?

When I was at Principal, I had taught a fitness class for retirees and I really enjoyed it. And I have very close relationships with the older adults in my life, so this was something that seemed like a good fit. Also, I liked the fact that I could work on creating the whole program here from scratch.

Do residents participate in the wellness programs?

Even though this generation of older adults never had formal exercise like we do today, many of them do participate because they are motivated to have a high quality of life and they like the social interaction. I also offer fitness classes for our employees, and it can be harder to convince them to get involved than the residents because they have more demands on their time.

What kind of results do you see from your work?

We do annual fitness assessments, and we can measure improvements people make on their flexibility, strength, balance and endurance. I had one woman who came to me because her goal was to visit her daughter in New York City, but she was concerned that she wouldn’t be able to keep up with all the walking in the city. By taking classes and getting involved at the fitness center, she took that trip. Others have gained more strength so they can get out of their chairs better or keep from having to use a walker. It goes to prove that it’s never too late to start exercising and incorporating healthy behaviors.

What do you like about your job?

In teaching people about taking care of their bodies, they teach me about life. The residents are wise and have a lot to share based on their life experiences. Also, I love the diversity here. In working with staff and residents, I get to work with people from ages 18 to 103. And I get to be creative and empower people to make life changes.

What do you do outside work?

I like to water ski, downhill ski, teach yoga, travel, attend concerts and festivals and stay connected to the community as a member of the Young Professionals Connection. I also read a lot. I usually have two books going at once, one on the topic of self- improvement and one just for fun.