Active Aging Week kicks off September 26…Program will highlight the importance of physical activity for older adults

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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