10 ACTIVE AGING | SPRING 2021
BY JIM TIMLICK
Get up and get moving
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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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
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