60 | MARCH 31 • 2022

C

OVID restrictions
turned many of us
into couch pota-
toes, and the problem may
have been more pronounced
among the clients of JARC.
The organization is dedicat-
ed to providing housing and
services to enable adults with
developmental disabilities to
live full and meaningful lives.
JARC serves 108 residents
in 21 group homes and more
than 40 people who live inde-
pendently.
During the pandemic,
many JARC clients exercised
less and ate more junk food,

said Shaindle Braunstein,
JARC’s executive director. But
in March, the group home
residents got a boost: a month
of free assisted stretches at
Stretch Zone.
The Michigan franchise of
Stretch Zone, with locations
in Bloomfield Hills, Royal
Oak and Livonia, is owned
by Howard Luckoff and Sam
Grey. They made the offer to
JARC as a way of celebrating
their fifth anniversary.
Luckoff, of Bloomfield
Hills, is a long-time JARC
board member and the orga-
nization’s immediate past

president. Now on the board
of the Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit, he
became interested in JARC
because one of his four chil-
dren, now 25, has develop-
mental disabilities. He and his
wife, Nancy, are members of
Temple Israel.
Gray, a chiropractor, lives
in Bloomfield Hills with his
wife, Lori, and is a member of
Congregation Shaarey Zedek.
Luckoff and Gray have
been friends since they met
in kindergarten at Burton
Elementary School in
Huntington Woods. After
Luckoff, a commercial real
estate attorney, retired from
the Honigman law firm, Gray
suggested they partner to buy
the Michigan Stretch Zone
franchise.
The JARC residents, many
of whom suffer from long-
term arthritis or pain from
old injuries, found the Stretch
Zone offer a good way to
increase mobility and reduce
pain.
“Many of these adults aren’t
able to access services that
can help their overall quality
of life,” Gray said. “JARC res-
idents are an important part
of our community, and we are
excited to welcome them into
Stretch Zone.”
Braunstein appreciated the
offer. “We want to keep them
(the residents) as mobile as
possible,” she said.
The company describes its
services as practitioner-
assisted stretching, which
some clients view as a mash-
up of yoga, massage therapy
and physical therapy. Trained
practitioners perform person-
alized routines using a pat-
ented strapping system and
tables to position, stabilize

and isolate muscles. The prac-
titioner does the work, and
the client gets the benefits,
Luckoff said.
“Sam describes it as ‘lazy
person’s yoga,’ but it’s so much
more,” he said. “The method
works by increasing the active
range of motion.” Luckoff says
he himself enjoys a stretch
session after a hard run.
Based in Florida, Stretch
Zone has165 locations in 16
states. Clients range from pro-
fessional athletes to arthritic
seniors.
The Stretch Zone method
promotes increased flexibility
over time, said Luckoff. New
clients often start with two
sessions per week, then cut
back when they start feeling
better.
“The product sells itself,”
Luckoff said. “I can’t think of
anyone who has tried it who
hasn’t liked it.”
Sheryl Garfinkel, who has
lived at JARC’s Keller Walch
Home in Farmington Hills
since 1991, enjoyed her recent
stretch session with practi-
tioner CJ Dedrich.
“When he was done, my
knee didn’t hurt anymore.
That makes me feel good,” she
said.
Her housemate Caryn
Martel, who has been with
JARC since 1994, is also a fan.
“I feel so much lighter when
I get up,” she said. “I want to
come again and again.”
Stretch Zone services
are not currently covered
by health insurance, said
Luckoff, but clients with
health savings accounts can
usually be reimbursed.
New clients interested in
giving Stretch Zone a try can
take advantage of a free intro-
ductory session.

Keeping it
Limber

BARBARA LEWIS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

BUSINESS

Stretch Zone celebrates its
anniversary with a deal for JARC.

COURTESY OF JARC

Caryn
Martel and
CJ Dedrich