then prescribes treatments based on a T_h e Fonteverde spa in every aspect of life: from work, athletic and academic
combination of transcendental medita- resort in Italy uses performance to helping to create healthy families, boost
tion, herbal and mineral supplements and music in its brain reproduction and maintain sexual health. In other words,
ayurvedic therapies to help to prevent the health programmes to we shouldn’t make the mistake of exclusively applying the
onset of age-related cognitive disorders. encourage relaxation brain health issue to programmes for, or about, ageing.
T_h e examples just keep multiplying. T_h e I’m sounding the alarm because I see us heading down
cutting-edge Dolder Grand Spa in Zurich, that road already, with facility and programme names
Switzerland, has developed a comprehensive brain health such as five.fittedzero.fitted-five.fittedzero.fitted or Alive af_t er five.fittedzero.fitted or Ultra Mind for the
programme in collaboration with the University of Zurich. Senior Citizen. A few years ago when SpaFinder was
T_h e Spa at the Broadmoor in Colorado, US, of_f ers a ‘mind studying the spa lifestyle real estate trend, we discovered
massage’: a massage that incorporates Healing Rhythms, that one reason people resonated with the term ‘spa com-
an interactive computer biofeedback programme (see munity’ was because they were adverse to terms such as
picture opposite) with music modules to promote deep ‘retirement community’, ‘active adults’, ‘ageing’ or ‘elderly’.
breathing, meditation and relaxation. Similarly, the It isn’t a happy thought, or a good marketing strategy,
Fonteverde spa resort in Italy features a Music of the Brain to associate your of_f erings with images that conjure up
treatment where guests’ brain functions are mapped and an eight.fittedzero.fitted-year-old person not functioning well! Also, by
personalised music CDs to specif_i cally relax/boost their exclusively associating brain health with ageing and
brain are created. T_h e California Health and Longevity memory loss, you’re completely eliminating the potentially
Institute at the Four Seasons in California, US, (SBzero.fittedeight.fitted/four.fitted powerful interest from younger generations, who could
pfour.fittedsix.fitted) uses clinical hypnotherapy (along with meditation benef_i t from brain health and f_i tness, and who uniquely
and breathing therapies) to train the brain to concentrate, understand the life-long pursuit of wellness.
which is also aimed at improving moods and sleep. While the industry needs to be rigorous, stay abreast
of the developing medical research, and not make claims
DON’T BE NARROW-MINDED
for that which hasn’t been verif_i ed, the rise of focusing on
My word of warning to the spa industry is to avoid nar- the brain in spas is exciting and to be encouraged. Yes, the
rowly associating brain health programmes with growing trend is still in its infancy – but don’t be surprised to walk
old. Rather than just targeting ageing baby boomers and into a spa/gym in the future where everyone on exercise
people who are suf_f ering from, or worried about, memory machines is playing brain-boosting video games. We’re
loss, brain health of_f erings should be made available to sure to see a whole spectrum of mind-body therapies
all generations. Brain health af_f ects us at every age, and unfold that we can now only imagine. ●
SpSPa BuA BUSINESS 4 2009SineSS 4 2009
©
ccyyberertrekek 200909 Read Spa Business online spabusiness.comm // digital 4745
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