ICAA joins national Go4Life® campaign

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New public-private initiative encourages exercise, physical activity for older adults

VANCOUVER--The International Council on Active Aging (ICAA), a professional association that leads, connects and defines the active-aging industry, announces that it is joining the National Institute on Aging (NIA) at the NIH in Go4Life, a new national exercise and physical activity campaign for people age 50+. The goal of Go4Lifeis to provide resources to older adults that they can use to incorporate exercise and physical activity into their everyday lives. This federal campaign is based on research showing that exercise and physical activity can help people stay healthy and independent, and prevent some of the chronic conditions associated with aging.

“We are extremely excited about the Go4Life campaign and pleased to join the NIA,” says Colin Milner, ICAA’s founder and CEO. “This campaignsupports ICAA’s vision. Our association believes that physical activity is a key driver in the way people experience, and view, aging in today’s society. It’s important for older adults to know that they can continue to be active, independent and engaged in life at any age.” Adds Milner, “We are eager to bring this important message and outstanding Go4Life resources to the communities we serve.”

Go4Life will be an essential part of ICAA’s Changing the Way We Age® Campaign, a groundbreaking initiative launched in May 2011 to help shift society’s perceptions of aging. Featured on the www.changingthewayweage.com website, Go4Life will be integrated into the ICAA campaign as an ICAA Champions Program Partner. Individuals and organizations that are ICAA Champions—volunteers who serve as role models and educators—will be encouraged to deliver Go4Life exercises and resources as part of their outreach efforts.

“You’re never too old to exercise,” says Richard J. Hodes, MD, director of the NIA. “Go4Life is based on a number of studies demonstrating the benefits of exercise and physical activity for older people, including those with chronic health conditions. This new campaign reaches out to older people who traditionally have not embraced exercise and shows them how to start exercising safely and keep going.”

The center of Go4Life is an interactive website—www.nia.nih.gov/Go4Life—which provides information for individuals, families and friends, organizations, and health care professionals. It features exercises, success stories, and free materials to motivate the growing numbers of older people to start exercising, and keep exercising to improve their health and achieve a better quality of life.

Participating organizations will incorporate Go4Life into their own health and wellness activities, disseminating campaign web links and materials to their members, employees, or customers. Many partners also will directly sponsor events or activities aimed at engaging older adults in exercise and physical activity at the community level as the campaign moves forward.

More information about Go4Life is available at www.nia.nih.gov/Go4Life.

About the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA)
ICAA, an 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 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 more information about ICAA, see www.icaa.cc.

About the National Institute on Aging (NIA)
The NIA leads the federal government effort conducting and supporting research on aging and the health and well-being of older people. The Institute’s broad scientific program seeks to understand the nature of aging and to extend the healthy, active years of life. For more information on research, aging, and health, go to www.nia.nih.gov.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the US Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

Go4Life is a registered trademark of the US Department of Health and Human Services.

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