Dedham Health & Athletic Complex: Focusing On What You Need

Like a snowball corralling down a hill with fresh powder at full speed, Dedham Health & Athletic Complex has consistently grown since opening in 1978. Tucked next to Dick’s Sporting Goods, behind Pizzeria Uno and IHOP on Providence Highway in Dedham, the 250,000 square-foot facility is warm and welcoming at the core, but daunting to first-time visitors – just based on its pure size and scope.
 
“Every time someone walks in, the comment is, ‘I had no idea,” said Lars Lambros, the Director of Medical Programs at Dedham Health. “Whether it’s the water park that they didn’t think we had, whether it’s the three pools, whatever it is. Most people come here for a specific reason. They come in to play tennis or they come in to lose weight or they come in to work out or they come to rehab, and then they realize the other things that are here for them and they take advantage of it.”
 
Emily Shyloski, who works hand-in-hand with owners Lloyd and Roberta Gainsboro as the xxxx, is guided by a simple principle when she comes to work every day.
 
“I think Dedham Health is a place that grows with you,” said Emily. “Dedham Health has incredible areas for kids, and if those kids stayed local for their whole lives, they could stay with us through their fifties, sixties and beyond. Keeping in mind that Dedham Health has something for everyone commands our focus. When I come to work every day, I’m making sure we encapsulate everything Dedham Health has to offer and we’re consistently producing a collection of quality offerings that let people always know we are here for them.”
 
Lloyd Gainsboro, in many ways, is inspired by some of the greatest entrepreneurs of our time and consistently thinks about new ways to evolve. The Summer Club is one of Dedham Health’s signatures, showcasing the region’s most remarkable pool area – 146,000 gallons of water, two large tube waterslides each 172 feet in length and a wave pool that’s activated in 15-minute intervals. For more than four decades, guests of all ages have enjoyed time frolicking in the sun. Again, that’s just one of the many incredible amenities.
 
You’ll find numerous tennis courts, with world-class instructors. You’ll find a swimming instruction program considered among the best in the state. You’ll find a Speed & Strength program that specifically targets developing athletes from ages 7-18, with sport-specific speed and agility training. You’ll find physical therapists who are licensed and equipped to work with people of all ages and abilities. Group classes, strength training, martial arts and kids programs are also on the menu, in addition to a new Restoration Lounge to help you feel better, recover faster and perform your best.
 
“First, we focus on why you walked in the door,” said Lars. “We focus on your needs and once we understand your needs, we show you what we have that can facilitate those needs. Then we can expand on that. A lot of people come in for rehab work and we’re told, ‘My doctor says I have to start exercising because I have this problem with my knee.’ Perfect, we can do that. We have the track, and the pools, which are going to alleviate the pressure on the knee. We’ll evaluate your needs and then expand on what we have that helps you with your needs.”
 
The Restoration Lounge has recently been completed, located behind the front desk and featuring state-of-the-art recovery equipment, from a TheraJet Massage System to a SolaDerm Red Light Bed, TheraVive PEMF System, and much mor.
 
“The Restoration Lounge is Lloyd’s baby,” said Lars. “He’s always asking ‘What’s next? What’s out there? What’s to come? What can we do?’ He calls himself the hunter. He brings the bears through the door and we try to manage his bears. He’s very creative. The Restoration Lounge is a place where people can relax, heal and restore. There’s a lot of different boutiques in the area now that offer this, but I think we are doing it in a very unique fashion. The technology is new to us, but we have people walking out of that room, who just can’t believe the changes they’re feeling. It’s not just a massage or a feel-good – it’s a healing power.”
 
The Restoration Lounge is just the latest in a collection of majestic eye-catchers born from the imagination of visionaries.
 
“It’s the same thing with the playroom when people walk down that corridor,” said Lars. “It’s Las Vegas meets Disney! Everything is grandiose. Lloyd is the thought and Roberta is the discipline. He calls them ‘Cha-order,’ because Lloyd is the chaos and Roberta is the order. They work really well together and bring the very best to the most important people, our members.”
 
In the end, that’s what matters most – the satisfaction and comfort of the people who choose to walk through the door. There are no better advocates or ambassadors, so once you experience Dedham Health, the team wants you spreading the word.
 
“The vast majority of people who do walk through our door, they walk through because they’re referred by a friend or a family member,” said Lars. “That speaks volumes for us. If someone leaves and says to his wife or his kids or his friends, ‘That place is great, go check it out,’ that’s the most important thing that we can have.”