Active seniors = healthy seniors - Leisure and Aging Section

Parks & Recreation, June, 2003

Parks and recreation agencies are making a positive impact on the health of their communities. Programs as varied as water aerobics, Pilates, swing dance and gardening not only are fun, they're also helping this growing population to stay healthy and prevent disease. The added benefit is that healthy seniors reduce community costs and help contain budgets, which can then be redirected to parks and recreation. See the connection?

Seniors may be intimidated by traditional fitness programs. Hold open houses to introduce this population to the options you can provide (classes, machines, activities, support groups). Let them meet the instructors, see that their peers are attending, even have them complete a survey so that everyone agrees on needs and expectations. Agencies can team up with seniors' homes, public health departments and hospitals to coordinate the programs.

Jump on the bandwagon by coordinating Active Options programs in your community. NRPA's Active Options program is an effective disease-prevention model for older adults using a collaboration among community, clinical and medical resources. Active Options is an affordable and high-quality community resource that increases physical activity among older adults through parks and recreation agencies.

The program was developed and piloted in Foothills, Colo. On the basis of the town's success and core knowledge, NRPA developed a handbook for Active Options to help members develop similar programs (and documentation to share with your community leaders). For more information, go to the NRPA Store at www.nrpa.org.