Active Aging

SEPTEMBER 25 - OCTOBER 1, 2016 | ACTIVE AGING WEEK 11 55+ only. This building consists of a series of interconnected buildings aligned loosely around a central entrance and courtyard located at 571 St. Anne's Rd. Seine River Haven contains both 1 bedroom and 2 bedroom units available for rent immediately. Rent starting at $899.00 with an additional $35.00 for parking. Maksim can be contacted at 204-946-3606 or mantipev@sam.mb.ca. KEEP THINKING A 55-Plus Enrichment Program ourses that investigate dimensions of the Christian faith, our world, and life in it, all without any assignments or examinations! cmu.ca/xplore CANADIAN MENNONITE UNIVERSITY 6-3166 PORTAGE AVE 204.832.9963 Keeping in motion. . . Canadians Reliable, Knowledgable & Discreet Quality Products, Quality Services • Continence Management Professionals • Mobility Aids • Sales, Rental & Service Dept. • Custom Seating Celebrating 25 Years It's not news to anybody that an active lifestyle is a key to staying healthy as we age. But how to add activity to your life isn't always so clear. That's why the Wellness Institute at the Seven Oaks Hospital is holding its annual Active Aging Day Sept. 27 to provide Manitobans with inspiration and ideas for making healthy lifestyle changes. The event is an open house, which kicks off with a panel discussion, followed by a variety of exhibitors, free hearing screenings and the opportunity to watch and try a number of activities that are ideal for older adults. "Often people are unsure if they are able to perform a new exercise or activity. It's both satisfying for them and myself when they take that leap of faith and realize they can," says Ashley Derlago, health education and lifestyle co-ordinator at the Wellness Institute. "That's one of the main reasons we offer the event; there are so many opportunities for older adults and activities they can do whether at the Wellness Institute itself or in the community." The day begins at 9 a.m. with a panel and Q-and-A session featuring three healthy-lifestyle experts at the institute: dietitian Carolyn Somerville, director of health and fitness programs Darren Brereton and long-time member Jim Evanchuk, executive director of the Active Living Coalition for Older Adults in Manitoba (ALCOA-MB), which is housed at the facility. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., visitors can meet with representatives from dozens of organizations with specific programs and services relevant to healthy and active living, including pharmacists from Taché Pharmacy at Seven Oaks Hospital, or they can visit the open house activity area, where they can try out some of the featured activities. Helping them to give it a try will be the Wellness Institute's Active Aging ambassadors, members from the facility or the community who are great role models for others their age and have found ways of incorporating activity into their lives. The presence of the Active Aging ambassadors provides "a nice inspirational feeling for the event," says Derlago, noting that among them are individuals who have made lifestyle changes to recover from health challenges as serious as a heart attack. People who haven't moved their bodies for a while might think an activity will be too much for them, says Evanchuk, who's also an ambassador for the Wellness Institute. The ambassadors help people to think "if he can do it, I can do it," he says. "In most cases, people enjoy something once they cross that invisible barrier," says Evanchuk A prime example is the relatively recent but booming sport of pickleball. "A snowbird came to me one time and said 'Why don't you have pickleball in the 55 Plus Games?'" says Evanchuk, whose organization puts on the games. "I said 'What's pickleball?' Since then I have become positively addicted to the game." Participants in Active Aging Day can get a chance to try out the sport — an American invention that's like a king-size table tennis game played with paddles on a badminton court. "We've gone from a handful of snowbirds to thousands of players all over Manitoba," says Evanchuk. Urban poling — walking with poles designed to promote walking, help with stability, balance and posture and reduce the risk of falling — will be another attraction. Participants will be able to try walking with the poles, which are easy to grip and specially designed to provide support on a variety of surfaces from pavement to polished floor tiles in malls. Evanchuk has seen how using urban poles has allowed people living with chronic back pain and conditions such as Parkinson's disease to improve their health through walking. Seniors' spinning (stationary cycling) and stretch and strength classes are also on the agenda for the activity portion. In addition to taking in the featured activities at the open house, participants can soak up the atmosphere at the Wellness Institute. As a division of Seven Oaks Hospital, the Wellness Institute, a Certified Medical Fitness Facility has a medical adviser and offers a number of medically supervised programs for people recovering from injuries or living with chronic illnesses, looking to lose weight or quit smoking, or seeking to return to work after injury or illness. But it's also a full-service fitness facility open to anybody over the age of 16, and offers Sunday family days, sports classes for kids, and a wide range of programs in yoga, aquatics, spinning, sessions with personal trainers and more. "We are a very inclusive facility so on a given day you may see someone walking with oxygen exercising next to someone that might be running," says Derlago. That range of activities and facilities makes the Wellness Institute a hub for the community and encourages a friendly buzz of conversation as members meet and mingle on the track or gym floor or in the Storm Café after a session. And that, Derlago and Evanchuk say, is as important for members' health as getting their bodies moving. "Social engagement is important as you age, so we offer lots of opportunities for socialization to occur," says Derlago. "They're making an effort to contribute to their well-being and to socialize," says Evanchuk. "You can feel and hear the hum of conversation at the café." Active inspiration BY BOB ARMSTRONG Active Aging ambassador Joe Zarrillo. WELLNESS INSTITUTE PHOTOS ACTIVE AGING DAY Seven Oaks Wellness Institute 1075 Leila Ave. Tues., Sept. 27 Free 55-plus open house 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Discover active aging to stay independent and able to do the things you love. Whether you're 55 or 85, ready to try new activities or adapting to health challenges, there is something for you. Active Aging keynote: Independently Healthy – Powerful Choices for Healthy Aging 9-10 a.m. Most people hope to live a long life, with both their health and independence. The million-dollar question is what to do to make this possible. Join Wellness Institute health and lifestyle experts as they present some of the latest research on this age old question. Discover the powerful choices and healthy habits proven to help achieve healthy aging. Registration is required as space is limited.

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