Not long ago, the word "wellness" conjured up all sorts of notions, many of which were less than mainstream. And as recently as a decade ago, the fitness facilities at many resorts consisted of a couple of exercise machines in a windowless basement and maybe a poolside hot tub that rarely worked. In luxury residential communities, the only access to fitness was typically found at the nearest health club. But all of that has changed. Demand from health-oriented baby boomers who want to look and feel youthful has led to an increasing presence of fitness and spa services. Nowhere is this trend more prominent than in newly developed luxury residential communities. "This trend is a result of people who want to have fun in retirement, stay in shape and remain healthy," explains Andrew Whitacre, director of sales at Glenwild Golf Club and Spa in Park City, Utah. "I think people are catching on to the idea of training the body and the soul."

Indeed. But the demand has gone one step further. At resort communities such as Glenwild, in addition to the skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing in the winter, and golf, tennis, hiking and biking in the summer, homeowners have access to their own full-service spa. And it's designed to teach the right habits early, with programs for clients ranging in age from 8 to 80, reports Michelle Moody, spa manager and master aesthetician at Glenwild.

Besides several types of massage, including Swedish, heated stone, reflexology, aromatherapy and deep tissue, there are facials, manicures, pedicures and rejuvenating body treatments. Because 35 percent of the spa's clients are men, they have services designed especially for them, such as the Gentleman's Facial and the Gentleman's Manicure.

Moody points out that one of the biggest advantages of having a full spa in a residential community is that the staff can build ongoing relationships with residents. "We know our members and see them all the time," she says. "This makes it easier for us to customize treatments."

It also allows the spa to offer its clients a much more integrated approach. "Our personal trainer (who's also a physical therapist) works with the massage therapists, letting them know what areas they should work on with the member," Moody says. "We also have a ladies' day, when we offer a one-hour treatment plus a light lunch prepared by our chef," a specialist in spa cuisine. The women who attend are given the recipes to try at home. In the future, Moody hopes to offer cooking classes that are combined with nutrition counseling.

"I would love to take the spa back to what spas started out to be-the word actually means 'whole wellness,'" she says.

Enter The Cliffs

That's exactly what The Cliffs Communities in the Carolinas has done with a comprehensive Wellness Program for its residents. In 2003, developer Jim Anthony recruited Jim Silliman, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist, to be The Cliffs' medical director. He joined Wellness Programming Director Sam Varner, CSCS, who served as the strength coach for Clemson University's National Championship football team in the 1980s and also is a former U.S. Olympic Team trainer.

"People are moving here to live," Silliman says. "They're looking for a new lease on life. They want the ability to feel better and to relieve the stress they went through to get to this stage of their lives."

The Cliffs' Wellness Program is designed to address the participants' physical, mental and emotional needs. "Someone can be fit, yet emotionally distraught, or emotionally healthy but overweight." To achieve optimum health in each of these areas, The Cliffs offers a wide range of fitness programs, the latest in spa and pampering services, Asian-medicine therapies such as acupuncture and reflexology, access to mainstream medical services in the area, and health seminars on topics such as smoking cessation, weight management and sleep problems. Early Successes After only 10 months, residents are already embracing the integrated mind/ body/spirit/emotions philosophy. Three hundred people attended a sleep seminar, a recent weight-management class was full, and people are taking advantage of relaxation programs like yoga, as well as more intense exercise programs like spinning and water aerobics classes. "One goal was to get the less-active people out of the house and playing," Silliman says. Already, "we're changing the culture of the community. It's contagious. People driving by see 20 residents with pedometers walking together on the property's extensive trail system and they'll call and want to get involved."

One resident wrote to developer Jim Anthony: "I want to thank you for bringing your Wellness Program to The Cliffs. When I signed up for [the weight-management class], my sole intention was to control my addiction to sugar. What I got was so much more. The nutrition, exercise and goal setting were all wonderful, but the level of spirituality I've achieved is amazing. I'm calmer, more confident and my shoulders are much lighter without all the weight and worry."

Wellness definitely has come a long way.