Active Aging

2 Active Aging Week September 27 - October 3, 2015 Caringandprotec�ngyourlovedonesisimportanttoyou. Prearrangingyourfinal arrangementsreleasesyourfamilyfromunnecessarydiscomfortandstressand providesthempeaceofmind. Wecanhelp. CalltodayandrequestyourFREEPersonalPlanningGuide Thomson"InThePark"FuneralHome&Cemetery - 204-925-1120 GreenAcresFuneralHomeandCemetery - 204-222-3241 KlassenFuneralHome -204-338-0331 ThomsonFuneralHome -204-783-7211 ByactingnowIcanprotectmyfamilywhenthey'llneeditmost A journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step — so does a journey of one mile. Take a step in a new direction and embark on your own personal journey during Active Aging Week Sept. 27 - Oct. 3. t he Active Living Coalition for Older Adults in Manitoba (ALCOA-MB) is once again partnering with the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) to encourage older adults to participate. Building on the success of last year's theme, Let the Adventure Begin, the 2015 Active Aging Week theme is Live Your Adventure. ALCOA-MB is also building on the success of its 2014 Active Aging Adventure Contest with an invitation to share more of your stories this year. ALCOA-MB executive director Jim Evanchuk says the contest is just one way to encourage older adults to break out of the everyday routine and try something different, or resume a pleasurable activity you haven't participated in for a while. "We're not just asking the people who are climbing Mount Everest to send in their stories, because a person's Mount Everest could be they made it to their mailbox," he says. "There are all kinds of adventures — if people give themselves permission to be a beginner again, good things can happen." Last year, Eleanor Dorst shared the story of how she started walking one day and just kept on going. Instead of waiting for a bus, she set out on a four-hour trek from downtown to Fort Richmond, a trip she now makes in half the time. Another adventurer went fishing for the first time in 50 years, and a few decided to pursue music and other arts. Retired registered nurse Anne Blair explained how she was enjoying all the benefits that being fit and healthy can bring. At 77, she counted a balloon ride, skydiving and volunteering among her post-retirement adventures, along with travel — including a trip to Las Vegas, during which a male stripper in the Thunder from Down Under show danced on her table. As the organizing body for the Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries 55+ Games, ALCOA-MB encourages everyone who is 55 and older to participate when Brandon hosts the Games in June 2016, as a competitor, spectator or volunteer. Wherever your adventure takes you, don't travel alone. Lend your talents to a volunteer organization, learn something new in a continuing education class, or join in group activities at a recreation or fitness club. Evanchuk is a member of the National Seniors Council (NSC), which is looking at ways to address social isolation among Canadian seniors. Older adults who experience social isolation are at greater risk of developing depression, alcoholism and social anxiety, and there's evidence of a connection between isolation and physical health. "That is a huge issue across our country — older adults just kind of slipping out of the networks and connections and disengaging, sometimes suddenly, sometimes not so suddenly," Evanchuk says. Active Aging Week is a good time to connect with your peers, become engaged in activities that promote health and wellness and become a more active participant in the community. ALCOA-MB urges all community and government organizations, sports and recreation groups to create opportunities for older adults — and it invites mature Manitobans to take full advantage of those opportunities. Make 2015 the year you Live Your Adventure. ● Cory Juan (above) and Richard Ritchie enjoy working out at the Wellness Institute, and Cory founded the Active Living Seven Oaks (ALSO) exercise program for seniors. Photos by Darin Kachanoski Adventure? Kickstart your life during Active Aging Week What's your

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