Alabama Center Helps Seniors Get Active, Get Moving, and Get Fit

09/08/2009

Huntsville, AL—Loss of strength, endurance, flexibility, and balance are often seen as inevitable consequences of aging. However, the National Institute on Aging believes that when older people lose their ability to do things on their own, it does not happen just because they have aged. More than likely, it is because they have become inactive. Carolyn Harris, center director of the Community Network Learning Center (CNLC) which serves the Valley Gardens II Apartments multifamily community, witnesses firsthand how inactivity can affect the quality of life among seniors. To help get the senior residents “moving and fit,” Harris has focused on offering activities and programs that do just that. In April 2008, when she saw a television special about how people from all different age groups were using Wii, the interactive Nintendo game system, to exercise and become physically fit, Harris was excited. With Wii, people were using games from tennis, to bowling, to golf as a fun way to exercise in the privacy of their homes. Harris knew immediately that this would work for seniors in her community. She saw the Wii system as a great way to provide a variety of easy exercise movements that would help the property’s active seniors maintain their muscle tone and increase their blood circulation, yet would have minimal impact on their skeletal bones and joints. Wii Gets Seniors Moving The CNLC already offers a senior program that involves stretching and flexibility movements to help keep seniors mobile and prevent falls. Harris felt that the Wii system would enable the center to build on this foundation. The Wii class would introduce the seniors to technology, and Harris thought it would be a fun activity that they could do with their children and grandchildren. Enthusiastic about the idea, Harris spoke with Valley Gardens II Apartments Property Owner Barbara Kennedy about purchasing a Wii system for the center. Kennedy was familiar with the system because her grandchildren own a Wii. She agreed with Harris that purchasing a Wii for the center would be a good investment. Due to the popularity of Wii, many of the Huntsville stores were sold out of the system. Kennedy had to arrange with her daughter in Montgomery, Alabama, to purchase the system, three controls, games, and other necessary equipment, and ship everything to the CNLC. Shortly after securing the center’s Wii system, Harris and CNLC Program Coordinator Katie Boggess hosted a game day to promote it to a small group of active seniors. The residents gave the Wii system rave reviews, and since then, Harris and Boggess oversee a biweekly Wii exercise activity for the seniors. “The number of participants in our Wii program has remained steady,” explained Harris. “We average about eight seniors per activity, mostly women. We normally meet from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. We have found that the women prefer games like bowling and tennis, while the men prefer golf. We play one game at a time but switch to several games during the day. The most difficult thing for the seniors is mastering the use of the game controller. However, they usually get the hang of it in a few minutes. Once they learn that, the rest is easy.” In addition to getting valuable exercise, which helps to strengthen their mobility, reduce joint stiffness, and increase range of motion, the center’s Wii activity is a great way for the residents to socialize and get out of their apartments. The Wii activities also help the seniors improve their balance, which helps prevent them from falling and seriously injuring themselves. Showcasing Seniors in Action The CNLC’s Wii program recently received some local media attention. When the local CBS affiliate Channel 19 WHNT was sponsoring a fitness program called Move It! to encourage people to become more active, they contacted the CNLC to inquire about their senior fitness programs. Harris told them about their Wii activity, and the station asked if they could visit the center and film the seniors in action. On May 22, 2009, local TV personality Robert Reeves and a camera crew visited the CNLC. The seniors, ranging in age from 60 to 89, were excited to see Reeves and had fun demonstrating their Wii bowling activity. “Reeves was impressed to see them moving about and having fun,” said Harris. He interviewed two residents about how they felt about the activity. They told him that they enjoy the program and it is a fun way to do exercise. They also told him about the many other activities the CNLC offers seniors, such as bingo, nutrition and health classes, special birthday lunches, and other social gatherings. It was great publicity for the center!” Before leaving, Reeves participated in a bowling game with the seniors and promised to come back and play with them. “This event with Channel 19 WHNT is great exposure for our center,” concluded Harris. The segment will air June 2 on the evening news, at noon on June 3, and in the morning on June 6. The Wii exercise program is a great benefit for the seniors who participate. It is keeping our seniors active so that they can continue to participate in more community activities.” For more information about Neighborhood Networks centers in Alabama, contact: Marcia J. Fullerton Birmingham Multifamily Program Center Medical Forum Building 950 22nd Street North, Suite 900 Birmingham, AL 35203-5302 (205) 731–2630 x 1089 For more information about the Community Network Learning Center, contact: Carolyn Harris Community Network Learning Center 3601 Bob Wallace Avenue SW Huntsville, AL 35805 (256) 539–3300

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National

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