More than 3,000 events planned for older adults as Active Aging Week® 2015 begins

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[Vancouver, BC. September 25, 2015 ]—Older adults will celebrate aging and the many possibilities to live well in more than 3,000 events starting on September 27, as the 13th annual Active Aging Week® begins under the theme “Live Your Adventure.” Created in 2003 by the International Council on Active Aging® (ICAA), Active Aging Week® invites people 50 years of age and older to enjoy activities and events that support a healthier, richer, more active life. Host organizations across North America and in Finland and Australia hope to inspire participants to embrace the adventure of wellness in daily life. And not just for the seven-day stretch, but throughout the year as well.

Active Aging Week adventures come in many forms. Last year’s activities included dances, tournaments, health fairs, brain games, food demonstrations, pilates, group walks and hikes, yoga, scavenger hunts, art classes, table tennis, indoor skydiving, hot-air balloon rides, and much, much more.

This year, the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services’ Texercise program, ICAA and WellMed have challenged Texas communities to host activities, events and programs that highlight healthy aging. Communities accepting the challenge will offer their residents opportunities to participate in a variety of health and wellness activities, including the Texercise Classic 12-week program, Age Like a Champion training, and Age Well Live Well educational series. Organizations hosting these events will include Age Well Live Well collaboratives, Parks and Recreation Departments, Area Agency on Aging and many others.

In addition to celebrating with a series of wellness activities, the American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA) will conduct its morning walks and yoga at Tamaya Resort in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in recognition of Active Aging Week.

The Villages retirement community in central Florida, the largest of its kind in the United States, will also host Active Aging Week, with more than 20 events planned.

Promoting active aging and healthy lifestyles, the “WALK! with Aegis Therapies” 2015 is a five-day guided wellness program that will take place in more than 750 locations. The program encourages participants to walk 15-30 minutes daily as well as to engage every day in an activity that supports a different wellness dimension. Anyone can join in the fun this year. An online, at-home guide is available by registering at www.walkwithaegis.com.

Besides Aegis Therapies/EnerG® by Aegis, other national sponsors taking steps to promote Active Aging Week include the Institute for Preventive Foot Health (IPFH), Nestlé Skin Health, SwimEx and Sysco. These organizations will provide materials and information for presentations on foot health, skin health, aquatic fitness, and nutrition, respectively. Another sponsor, CaptionCall, will offer workshops, mini-expos and materials at host sites to explain about hearing health and how loss of hearing can affect wellness.

Active Aging Week activities are free or low cost, educational, and presented in a safe, fun and friendly atmosphere, says Colin Milner, ICAA’s founder and executive director.

“We want older adults to explore new adventures and activities they can benefit from on a regular basis,” Milner says. “These can be physical, intellectual, artistic or stimulating in other ways, and consistent with our philosophy of people living as fully as possible in all areas of life, regardless of age or health conditions.”

Active Aging Week 2015 runs from September 27 until October 3. The event is led by ICAA in partnership with the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition (PCFSN), and the National Institute on Aging’s Go4Life® Campaign.

For more information about Active Aging Week, visit www.activeagingweek.com

About Active Aging Week
Active Aging Week was started in 2003 by the International Council on Active Aging as an international event celebrating aging and active living by engaging older adults in wellness activities in a safe, friendly and fun atmosphere. It is held every year in the last week of September.

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 questions:

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