Active Aging Week kicks off September
26…Program will highlight the importance of
physical activity for
older adults
VANCOUVER, BC (September 22, 2005)--"Many
health conditions we associate with aging
are actually a result of disuse," says Colin
Milner, chief executive officer of the
International Council on Active Aging (ICAA),
the world's largest trade association for
the senior fitness and wellness industry. He
adds, "By becoming more physically active,
older adults can significantly improve their
quality of life."
To highlight the importance of physical
activity for an aging population, the ICAA
and hundreds of thousands of older adults
will celebrate Active Aging Week, September
26 to October 1, 2005.
To mark this national health observance,
more than 1,200 fitness and wellness
facilities across North America will open
their doors to the public, with many
offering free fitness classes, health fairs
and special events. The following events are
among those planned to celebrate the
weeklong program:
* ICAA CEO Colin Milner kicks off Active
Aging Week on September 26 with an early
morning radio interview on WNPV 1440AM in
Pennsylvania.
* Silver Sneakers, a fitness program for
older adults offered in 1,200 locations
throughout the United States, will honor its
members with the Presidential Active
Lifestyle Award during awards ceremonies and
recognition events held for Active Aging
Week.
* The Chicago Department on Aging and
Alliance Rehabilitation will sponsor an open
group-exercise class and lunch at the east
end of the Windy City's Navy Pier at 10:30
am on September 26.
* On September 27, the ICAA will host an
exclusive Independent Aging Agenda Event
designed to provide input to the Policy
Committee of the 2005 White House Conference
on Aging. Fifty industry thought leaders
will participate in the meeting, which will
focus on how to increase physical activity
and improve health outcomes among older
adults.
* Many suburban Chicago sites will host exercise classes at 9 am on
September 27. These sites include Fairview
Village in Downers Grove, Friendship Village
in Schaumburg, and the North Shore Senior
Center in Northfield. Alliance
Rehabilitation's SeniorFITness exercise
physiologists will lead the classes, which
are open to the public.
* The Active for Life® National Program
Office (NPO) will take part in a Capitol
Hill Briefing of the Congressional Fitness
Caucus on September 29, as part of NPO's
recognition of Active Aging Week. NPO
representatives will share information with
the nation's lawmakers about the importance
of physical activity for older adults. The
Active for Life® program is funded by the
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Many other events will also take place
during Active Aging Week. The program will
wrap up on October 1, coinciding with the
15th annual International Day of Older
Persons. This
World Health Organization initiative
promotes the importance of keeping aging
adults worldwide both healthy and
productive.
Active Aging Week is supported by Silver
Sneakers; Thera-Band, and the Thera-Band
Academy; THOR-LO, Inc., and the Institute
for Preventive Foot Health; The President's
Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, and
the U.S. Administration on Aging's You Can!
Campaign.
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