Seniors set free!

People in their 70’s and 80’s getting more active?  Playing?  Experiencing new joy in movement?  Doing things they never did before?  Yes!  And, I got the thrill of leading the charge with a focus group at a nearby retirement community. 

You see, I believe that if a person’s brain is working and their body is moving they can do SO much more than they think.  And, I believe it can be done at any age - babies through seniors.  I’m already changing the world one baby at a time, so I decided to prove my theory by transforming some local seniors.  The group consisted of men and women in their 70’s and 80’s who live in a local retirement community.  Some live independently in condominiums and some reside in assisted living.  Some are very mobile and some are not.  Some use walkers or canes, and one uses a motorized vehicle.  But, all are able to move their limbs to some degree.  And, they are eager learners because they agreed to participate in my focus group!   The community’s wellness coordinator also participated and everyone agreed to provide feedback.

I conducted a class once per week for three weeks and the class was about an hour long.  I led a simple warm-up routine and then introduced skill challenges.  The first week we focused on eye-hand coordination, week two was eye-foot coordination and week three was balance activities.  

The positive results were so much more than I expected (and I am a really optimistic person)!  These seniors blew me away because they learned so fast.  They started cautiously, gripping the backs of the chairs I had provided.  They hung on to the chairs with one hand and tentatively tried the throwing and catching activities.   ”Good job”, I said.  “You are getting it”!  “Try it with the other hand”.  We laughed together as balls and balloons flew around the room.  And you know what?  Those folks were transformed before my very eyes.  Gradually they let go of their chairs.  They started playing, moving faster, balancing better, BECOMING MORE CONFIDENT.  By the end of only one session together, these determined men and women had increased their depth perception, reaction time, tracking ability, and agility.  Best of all, they were more confident than 60 minutes before.  I know that confidence comes from something - it comes from ability - and when people increase their ability they increase their confidence!  It’s a beautiful thing. 

The next two weeks with these “young” seniors was just as rewarding as the first.  What can be better than helping people gain more ability, creating more confidence, independence and freedom?   Many of these folks thought it was “over” for them.  They expected to lose ability instead of gain it so they stopped using and challenging their bodies.  The good news is that my focus group was set free to keep learning and growing.  They learned that it’s still fun to play and learn.

I saw a report recently on a playground in England built for adults.  Senior citizens are swinging, teeter-tottering, and climbing.  They are laughing, playing, socializing, and getting stronger.  Why do we ever stop those things?  Playing and moving keeps all of us young in body and soul!  Spread the good news to a senior in your life, or challenge yourself.  It’s not over yet!