National Active Aging Week is September 22 – 28, 2008

Older adults can choose from an exciting selection of activities September 22 – 28, 2008

Surrounded by the theme of Choose an Active Life!, organizations across the United States and Canada are revealing the opportunities for older adults that will hallmark the last week of September. Active Aging Week, the annual health promotion event spearheaded by the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA), is dedicated to introducing older adults to a healthy and active lifestyle.

Public agencies and retirement communities, seniors centers and health clubs, city parks and recreation areas have planned fun and free events that encourage physical, intellectual and social well-being. Their guests will be adults 50 years and older who are interested in living life as fully as possible. What will they find? The host sites featured on the ICAA website are going all-out with:

• Dances, featuring live music and lots of musical styles and dance mats and Wii’s for the technology crowd

• Games featuring sports, and games for mental agility

• Open houses and free classes, demonstrations and brief “sampler” activities
• Fitness classes, yoga, tai chi, bicycling, walks and hikes
• Bowling, billiards and paddle ball
• Treasure hunts, tournaments
• Health fairs, seminars on health topics, screenings

Look for hosts in your local community by visiting the consumer section of the ICAA website.  Here is the link: http://www.icaa.cc/activeagingweek/aaw-public.htm

 

It is exciting to see so many professionals working to support their aging populations,” said Colin Milner, CEO of International Council on Active Aging. “Choosing an active life means choosing to be healthy and involved.” “ICAA’s Active Aging Week hosts are a wonderful resource for older adults and their families. As the week approaches and local media is launched, we’re finding entire recreation districts, for example the city of Victoria, and large groups of retirement communities, like Holiday and Brookdale, are on board,” Milner stated. “What a great opportunity for older adults.”

Plus, look for the rollout of these nationwide opportunities:

• The Metropolitan Opera launches its third season of The Met:  Live in HD, a series of live performances from the Met stage delivered via satellite in high-definition to movie theaters across the country.  The Met’s Opening Night Gala on Monday, September 22nd stars the incomparable Renée Fleming recreating three of her most acclaimed roles in fully staged excerpts from La Traviata, Manon and Capriccio.  Featuring red carpet and behind-the-scenes intermission features.  . Senior discounts are available. Visit http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/ and click on the HD Live banner for theater and ticket information.SilverSneakers, the popular program of fitness classes offered at fitness centers and supported by health plans, is encouraging their many locations to offer special opportunities during Active Aging Week. Find a nearby location at http://www.silversneakers.com/Default.aspx

• Foot Solutions, a national chain of shoe stores, is asking all 225 stores to offer foot assessments and demonstrations of their balance walking program. The store locator is at http://www.footsolutions.com/index.php

 To find Active Aging Week events in the local community:

• Look for announcements, newspaper and television stories, posters and fliers

• Visit the consumer section of the ICAA website and click on Active Aging Week: http://www.icaa.cc/activeagingweek/aaw-public.htm

As part of their continuing support of healthy lifestyles for older adults, Philips Healthcare, The Institute for Preventive Foot Health, THORLO, Inc. and The Metropolitan Opera are sponsoring Active Aging Week.

 

Source: New release from ICAA [Vancouver, September 2, 2008]