ACE expands partnership with ICAA

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Fitness Industry Leader and ICAA Co-Brand Curriculum for Older-Adult Communities

VANCOUVER--The American Council on Exercise (ACE), America’s leading authority on fitness and the largest nonprofit fitness certification, education and training organization in the world, today announced that it has collaborated with the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA), an association that leads, connects and defines the active-aging industry, to offer professional development for staff members who provide fitness and wellness programs in senior living and community-based senior centers throughout the country . As an extension of the existing partnership between ACE and the ICAA formed in March of 2009 the dedicated education tracks are designed to enhance the knowledge and skills of rehabilitation, nursing, recreation and fitness professionals who provide fitness and wellness programs to mature adults. The initiative was unveiled this week at the International Council on Active Aging Conference 2010.

“We are thrilled to see a growing interest in fitness and physical activity at older-adult facilities,” said Scott Goudeseune, ACE president and CEO. “As a result of the growing awareness in understanding the critical nature of physical activity for this population, we are pleased to be able to enhance our partnership with the ICAA by co-creating specific professional development tracks to help advance the knowledge, skills and abilities of individuals working in these environments and provide safe and effective programming for the 50+ population.”

In developing this important programming, ACE drew from its decades of knowledge and research in the fitness arena and leveraged data gathered by ACE and ICAA representatives after interviewing leading employers representing a cross-section of senior living communities and community-based senior centers. These efforts quantified their professional development needs, as well as the resources necessary to enhance the delivery of fitness and wellness programs for residents and participants.

“By expanding our partnership with ACE through this co-branded curriculum, we are empowering older adults to improve their quality of life,” said Colin Milner, executive director of the ICAA. “We know that this demographic is seeking safe, relevant and effective fitness-based programming, and it is our goal to offer the highest quality educational tools available to ensure that they receive it. Given that the individuals delivering training at these centers come from variety of backgrounds, these tracks strengthen their expertise while providing them with specific lessons and guidelines to follow.”

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About the International Council on Active Aging

The International Council on Active Aging® is the professional association that leads, connects and defines the active-aging industry. ICAA 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 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