Active Aging

Caring and protecŸng your loved ones is important to you. Prearranging your final arrangements releases your family from unnecessary discomfort and stress and provides them peace of mind. We can help. Call today and request your FREE Personal Planning Guide Thomson "In The Park" Funeral Home & Cemetery - 204-925-1120 Green Acres Funeral Home and Cemetery - 204-222-3241 Klassen Funeral Home - 204-338-0331 Thomson Funeral Home - 204-783-7211 By acting now I can protect my family when they'll need it most SEPTEMBER 25 - OCTOBER 1, 2016 | ACTIVE AGING WEEK 3 Stay active & connected BY HOLLI MONCRIEFF GROWING OLDER DOESN'T HAVE TO MEAN SLOWING DOWN. TODAY'S SENIORS CAN — AND DO — LEAD VERY ACTIVE LIVES. ALCOA-MB PHOTOS Active Aging Week, which runs from Sept. 25 until Oct. 1 this year, provides an opportunity for seniors to connect with local programming within their communities and neighbourhoods. The week is also the kickoff to Seniors' and Elders' Month, which will be celebrated across Canada throughout the month of October. "October is the season of the senior, when organizations try to engage older adults and create opportunities for partnerships," says Jim Evanchuk, executive director of the Active Living Coalition for Older Adults in Manitoba (ALCOA-MB). "We encourage organizations to do something a little bit different in October to reach out and welcome the older adults in their communities — it's a great time to connect people to programs in their community." To aid organizations in that goal, ALCOA-MB has collaborated with the Manitoba chapters of the Canadian Association of Retired Persons (CARP) to offer $300 Connect with Respect grants. Several community organizations will be awarded this grant for providing programs and services that meaningfully engage older adults and create opportunities for ongoing social connections. "The funding will assist them in providing future opportunities for older adult participation in socially engaging activities or events," Evanchuk says. "We want to encourage people to make an extra effort to engage older adults." While more and more seniors understand the importance of maintaining physical fitness as they age, a lack of social engagement and connection can still be an issue. Exploring the Possibilities, the theme of this year's Active Aging Week, highlights the fact that there's more to active aging than attending exercise classes. "Active Aging Week, along with the Connect with Respect program, is a call to action to reduce the social isolation of seniors. Sadly, there are still many older adults who are not connected to what's going on in their community in meaningful ways," says Evanchuk. "Social connections contribute to the health and well-being of older adults, and perhaps even their longevity." Active Aging Week gives older adults many opportunities to try out new activities and discover one they'll enjoy. "We're trying to encourage as many people as possible to try something new and see if they like it. We want to make it really easy for people to participate," Evanchuk says. "We're helping people to dial into being active, and the social engagement part of this is really huge. This is a gentle reminder and an invitation to engage in healthy activities, which will enable you to better enjoy your life." For ideas on how older adults in your community can explore the possibilities, visit the following websites: ALCOA-MB: alcoamb.org ICAA-2016 Active Aging Week: activeagingweek.com/index.php Health Canada's National Seniors Day: seniors.gc.ca/eng/pie/nsd/index.shtml Older adults can contact 55 Plus Active Living Centres in their neighbourhoods to find out what events and activities are planned for Active Aging Week and Seniors' and Elders' Month. See the Ac- tive Aging Week Calendar of Events in this section for a list of key websites offering plenty of healthy active living opportunities for older Manitobans. "Through this movement, a lot more communities are tuning in to the needs of older adults. They're realizing it's still important to move to live and to be engaged as you age," says Evanchuk. "More people of all ages are buying in to the concept of lifelong learning. They're starting to get that it's better to stay involved before and after retirement." For those who are younger than 55, Active Aging Week and Seniors' and Elders' Month presents an opportunity to encourage and support an older adult in your life. To qualify for a Connect with Respect grant, participating groups will be required to plan and facilitate a program, event or activity any time between Active Aging Week (Sept. 25-Oct. 1, 2016) and the conclusion of Seniors' and Elders' Month (Oct. 31, 2016). Further details and entry forms for Connect with Respect are available on the ALCOA-MB website at alcoamb.org or by contacting the ALCOA- MB office by email at info@alcoamb.org or by phoning 204-632-3947. The toll-free number is 1-866-202-6663. The entry deadline to apply for Connect with Respect is Nov. 18, 2016. "We have lots of templates and ideas available for organizations — they don't have to create something from scratch," Evanchuk says. "Make sure you register your event and tell us your story."

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