Active Aging Week Promotes Quality of Life for Seniors

(PRWEB) September 15, 2004

Millions of older adults suffer from chronic illness that can be prevented or improved through regular exercise, yet more than a third of adults over age 65 remain inactive. This month, an alliance of wellness organizations is setting out to change that fact.

The International Council on Active Aging (ICAA), with the support of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, has joined forces with Lady of America and Jazzercise, Inc. to bring free fitness classes and health information to older adults for the second annual Active Aging Week. The international observance, held Sept. 27 through Oct. 3, will team fitness and wellness facilities that cater to the senior population with local fitness instructors to offer seniors free fitness classes and workouts.

Hundreds of facilities are currently scheduled to participate in the second annual Active Aging Week, including Lady of America, with 760 locations, and Goodlife Fitness Clubs, with 80-plus locations in Canada. This includes 10 Lady of America and Ladies Work Express facilities in the Tampa Bay Area. Add to this aggressive promotional campaigns, including statewide initiatives in Texas and in New South Wales, Australia, and the message of active aging is sure to reach more than 1 million older adults this year.

“As people get older, they’re frequently told what they can’t do. But the truth is, you’re never too old to become physically active,” says Judi Sheppard Missett, Jazzercise founder and CEO. “Often, the physical frailty attributed to aging results from under use, rather than wear and tear. Our goal is to help people understand the advantages of regular exercise and provide fun and simple ways for them to get active and stay active.”

Betsy Rutkowski, Director and Owner of Lady of America, encourages adults ages 50 and older to take part in these activities. “At any age, you can enjoy a better quality of life and health by being physically active,” says Rutkowski.

Apart from increasing energy, strength and self-esteem, regular exercise also helps to maintain mental capacity and aid in the management of debilitating conditions such as arthritis, high blood pressure, diabetes and osteoporosis. For older adults in particular, this translates into increased independence, with exercise helping to increase strength and flexibility and lower risk for disease.

“Many people still don’t realize that physical inactivity is contributing to a number of the chronic diseases affecting older adults, including heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer and high blood pressure,” says Colin Milner, International Council on Active Aging CEO. “We want to spread the word that there are simple steps we can all take to improve the health of older generations.”

More information about these activities is available by calling Lady of America at (727)843-8288. This facility is located at 5213 US Highway 29, New Port Richey, FL.

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