News room
News Release for Immediate Release |
Contact: Michele Skeele |
Older adults wisely invest their time during Active Aging Week
(Hendersonville, 9/1/09) — While the economic news may have consumers watching every penny, older adults can have confidence that when they spend their time at a free Active Aging Week event, they will have fun, learn a little and likely find ways to save money.
National Active Aging Week, the annual health promotion event of the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA), will be held September 21–27, 2009 at community and senior centers, retirement communities, malls, health clubs, and parks across the country. Locally, organizers for Henderson County are planning to offer a variety of activities throughout the week and have teamed with other regional organizers to strengthen planning efforts.
Events across Buncombe, Henderson, Madison, and Transylvania Counties include wellness fairs, walks, tai chi, yoga and strength training, complementary therapy sessions, health screenings, and more, beginning with a region wide kick-off walk in each county on Monday, September 21st. In Henderson County, meet at the Historic Henderson County Courthouse on Main Street beginning at 9:30 am. The first 30 registrants will receive a free pedometer, stop-watch, or exercise towel.
On Tuesday, September 22nd, the third annual Moving Towards Wellness Fair will be held at the Blue Ridge Mall from 10 am – 4 pm. Fitness demonstrations, exhibits, lectures and complementary therapies will be part of the festivities, with healthy snacks offered by the Hendersonville Community Co-op. Health Screenings will be provided by the Pardee Education Center and the Park Ridge Wellness on Wheels (WOW) van. Door prizes donated by area businesses and agencies will be given away throughout the day.
During Active Aging Week, fitness activities at locations across Henderson County will be available for free. "Attending an Active Aging Week event is a stimulus package you give yourself," points out Colin Milner, CEO of ICAA. "You benefit immediately, and there are no strings attached! A growing body of research concludes that older adults who are physically active, socially connected and intellectually involved have fewer chronic diseases, are less likely to experience dementia and live longer. Those are great benefits, and they are free or low-cost."
"It's no secret that the better you feel, the more money you save in healthcare costs," observes Milner. "The events organized across the country during Active Aging Week provide the resources older adults can use for a healthier, happier life."
For information about Active Aging Week events in Henderson County, call the Council on Aging at 692-4203 or visit their website, www.coahc.org. For a complete list of events across the counties, visit www.landofsky.org and click on Be Active, Start Now!
ICAA is the world's largest association dedicated to changing the way we age by uniting professionals in the retirement, assisted living, recreation, fitness, rehabilitation and wellness fields. The council supports these professionals with education, information, resources and tools, so they can achieve optimal success with the growing population of people who are 50 years and older. Current research about wellness and active living among older adults is available through ICAA Research Review, http://www.icaa.cc/newsletter.htm.
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