Seniors Fitness Offerings Meeting Demands
by Jeffrey Reed, Editor, LondonOntarioSports.com
As an infant, my first word was, ball – or so my mother told me. Here we are, almost 65 years later, and sports still has a grip on me. I’ve been active in athletics during my entire lifetime, but today, while the spirit and passion is young, the reflection in the mirror continues to age.
Thankfully, today’s society has matured in its availability of age-related offerings for active seniors. Here in the Municipality of Strathroy-Caradoc, the launch of an Active Days recreational program for adults 55-plus now provides a myriad of activities for seniors with a variety of interests and ability levels. The program offers activities ranging from bridge to pickleball that support physical, cognitive, emotional and social well-being.
The Canadian population continues to age – 20 per cent of us representing 8.1 million Canadians are now aged 65 and older. Statistics Canada says by 2068, one-quarter of Canadians will fall within that age group. It’s no surprise, then, that municipalities and the fitness industry as a whole are embracing seniors’ activities.
A recently-published study from McMaster University’s Physical Activity Centre of Excellence reported that older adults who participated in its five-year study were able to maintain and even improve muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness. In fact, the study said participating seniors were able to slow – and in many cases reverse – age-related declines in cardio fitness and strength.
For five years, McMaster University researchers monitored cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle strength – a one-two punch, according to the study, which is critical to determining one’s quality of life, independence, and risks of illness and death. Among their findings, researchers found men experienced slower declines in cardiorespiratory fitness than expected, while women’s cardiorespiratory fitness actually improved, and both men and women maintained greater muscle strength than expected for their age.
According to ParticiPACTION (est. 1971), the Canadian non-profit charitable organization which encourages us to get healthy by being active, 46 per cent of adults are meeting national physical activity guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week. It says physical activity impacts Canada’s economy, social and environmental well-being and healthcare costs. And, ParticiPACTION says 61 per cent of Canadians agree that sport, physical activity and recreation contribute to a reduction in feeling lonely.
A recent study from Heart & Stroke reveals some alarming yet predictable statistics in terms of overall well-being. According to the report, only about half of Canadian adults meet their weekly physical activity recommendations.
In 2003, I was handed a wakeup call when I suffered a TIA – a transient ischemic attack, or mini stroke. My entire family tree is riddled with both heart disease and history of strokes, so genetics have always been against me. Stuck between a long baseball career and a few years away from becoming a five-days-a-week walking golfer, I had put myself in a precarious spot which opened my eyes to the importance of a life-long commitment to fitness, proper diet and avoiding unnecessary stress.
Programs like Strathroy-Caradoc’s Active Days 55+ go a long way in battling an inactive lifestyle and promoting healthy aging. For more information on its program listings, visit Strathroy-Caradoc.ca.
Note: I’m guest speaking at the Active Days 55+ Speaker Series this Friday, Oct. 9 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at Longwoods Hall at Caradoc Community Centre in Mt. Brydges. Visit the municipality website above for more details.
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Award-winning writer and broadcaster Jeffrey Reed is one of Canada’s longest-running sports journalists. He is publisher and editor of LondonOntarioSports.com, London’s Trusted Source for Sports News & Information. Contact him at jeff@londonontariosports.com.
