10 ACTIVE AGING | SPRING 2021
One of the best - and safest - ways to stay active is to go for an urban pole walk in one of the city's many pristine parks.
Photo by Darin Kachanoski
Get up and get
moving
BY JIM TIMLICK
W
e may have to remain
physically distanced
for some time yet
because of the pandemic, but
we need to remember that
being physically active is still an
essential part of healthy living,
says the head of Active Aging in
Manitoba (AAIM).
"We want to encourage people to sit less
and move more," says AAIM executive
director Karin Whalen.
Of course, being physically active in
these socially distanced times is not as
simple as it once was. That's why AAIM,
like many other organizations, has shifted
to delivering many of the programs and
services it normally offers in-person to
online platforms.
It's popular Steppin' Up With Confidence
(SUWC) peer-led exercise program for
adults 55 years of age or older is now
available virtually. Several of AAIM's peer
leaders have also recorded virtual exercise
classes that are available on social media
platforms such as YouTube.
Peer leaders are also reaching out to older
adults by phone as part of the program
and walking them through exercises they
can do together. Whalen says this version
of Steppin' Up is not only allowing
participants to be more physically active,
but also helping them deal with the social
isolation they may be facing as a result of
the pandemic.
AAIM is also now offering an audio
version of its Take a Minute to Move
campaign on its website (activeagingmb.ca).
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