Active Aging Week hosts roll out good times for older adults

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Special events highlighting Active Aging Week, September 20-26, 2010, are great places for older adults, their families and friends to be active their way

VANCOUVER--Have you seen the media announcements and flyers, or heard the radio and television reports? Across the country, local communities are preparing events for Active Aging Week, the annual health promotion event of the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) that will be held September 20-26, 2010.

Joining an Active Aging Week celebration is a perfect way to get out of the house, learn new things, meet others and maybe even win a raffle prize. As the World Health Organization states, “active aging” means optimizing opportunities for health, participation and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age. That’s what Active Aging Week is all about: giving people 50 years and older a chance to experience this year’s theme, “Be active your way.”

Hosts in the local community organize the events to make sure they are appealing and appropriate. You’ll find:

• Workshops on health topics, from Alzheimer’s disease to low-fat cooking
  
• Walks, strolls and rolls
  
• Health fairs
  
• Special demonstrations of exercise classes
  
• Music and theater performances (and participation)
  
• Games and challenges

And a lot more!

Ready to join an Active Aging Week event? These are organized by local organizations, such as seniors and community centers, retirement communities, seniors housing locations, health clubs and Ys.

• Look for announcements in your local newspaper and television and radio stations, and on community information websites.
  
  
• Find flyers in community centers, common rooms and hallways. Contact your local area agency on aging or health department aging services department.
  
  
• Find a list of host sites on the ICAA website. Go to www.icaa.cc, click on the Consumer section, then Active Aging Week.
  
  
• Visit Active Aging Week on Facebook, Active Aging Week, then enter Active Aging Week into the search bar. Be sure to go to ICAA’s official site to find many Active Aging Week events.

“The images of aging are changing,” observes Colin Milner, CEO of ICAA, “and today it is known that staying physically and mentally active leads to better overall health, improves mood and brain health, and encourages older adults to contribute to society, their communities and their families. That’s why the special events of Active Aging Week open the doors to new, fun and educational activities.”

Active Aging Week 2010 is sponsored by Aegis Therapies, the Institute for Preventive Foot Health, Thor•Lo, and MATRIX Fitness Systems.

About Active Aging Week
Active Aging Week is an annual event held the last full week of September (prior to October 1, International Day of Older Persons). The week was initiated by the International Council of Active Aging to give as many older adults as possible the means to experience activities and exercise in a safe, friendly and fun atmosphere. During the week, host organizations provide a variety of free activities, such as classes, educational seminars, access to fitness facilities, health fairs and community walks.

About the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA)

ICAA, a professional association that leads, connects and defines the active-aging industry, supports professionals who develop wellness facilities, programs and services for adults over 50. The association is focused on active aging—an approach to aging that helps older adults live life as fully as possible within all dimensions of wellness—and provides its members with education, information, resources and tools. As an active-aging educator and advocate, ICAA has advised numerous organizations and governmental bodies, including the US Administration on Aging, the National Institute on Aging (one of the US National Institutes of Health), the US Department of Health and Human Services, Canada’s Special Senate Committee on Aging, and the British Columbia ministries of Health, and Healthy Living and Sport.

For interviews please contact:

Contact: Colin Milner, CEO, ICAA
Toll-free: 1-866-335-9777 (North America)
Telephone: 604-734-4466; cell: 604-763-4595
colinmilner@icaa.cc

Contact: Marilynn Larkin
Communications Director, ICAA
212-315-3301
mlarkin@icaa.cc