SEPTEMBER 12, 2026 | Active Aging Week 3
Creating social connections is another benefit to getting active. Joining a walking group, dance class, or community activity can give people the opportunity to connect with others while improving their physical health.
“It can be as easy as starting with a 10- or 15-minute walk and slowly increasing that as they feel a bit stron- ger and adapt to the extra activity in their life,” Brown says. Ways to start include parking farther than usual from where you are going, doing stretches at home or taking the stairs whenever possible instead of using an elevator. “It’s just important to keep moving. That’s the key thing,” Brown says. “...move more, sit less. That’s a big part of it.” She says research shows sitting for over an hour is similar to smoking 15 cigarettes as far as how detrimental it is to our health. “I usually say to people if you have to sit for a few hours, at least get up every hour or every half hour,” Brown says. Brown says she hopes Active Aging Week will motivate older adults to take that first step. “It’s never too late to get active. Peo- ple can get more fit, more mobile, more flexible at any age,” Brown says. Overall, the goal behind Active Aging Week is to find something enjoyable, keep moving and see how an active and fulfilling life can continue at any age. n
“It’s never too late to get active. People can get more fit, more mobile, more flexible at any age.”
– LINDA BROWN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ACTIVE AGING IN MANITOBA
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