Active living and the importance of maintaining a mobile lifestyle were on the menu as Aging Together as Community – Haliburton Highlands hosted its holiday social Dec. 2.
Around 50 people attended the event, held at Haliburton United Church. One of the organizers, Brigitte Gebauer, said it was a great way to end what has been a productive year for the group. With four guest presenters on-hand, sharing information about health and wellness programs and services available in the County, and leading live demonstrations, Gebauer said it was a great learning opportunity for anyone, young or old.
“Events like this are all about promoting some of the incredible things we have available to us here in Haliburton County, that help people to age in-place,” Gebauer said. “We try to get as much information as possible out to support seniors, and help caregivers, family and friends establish plans around active living.”
The Aging Together group held its inaugural meeting in January. Co-lead Bonnie Roe said the grassroots project is designed to bring community members of all ages together to build a shared vision of care for the Highlands’ older population.
“Through a series of community conversations, we have a collective desire to expand the current options of what aging looks like in Haliburton County,” Roe said, noting the group’s vision is to ensure “members of the local community can age with dignity and [with] the supports we would want for ourselves and our loved ones.”
Wilma Thompson, of Haliburton FLK Taoist Tai Chi, was the first presenter. She said tai chi is a moving meditation that reduces stress and helps people feel more energetic, balanced, strong and supple.
She led some volunteers through a quick demonstration, noting tai chi is accessible to anyone. Sessions are held Thursdays at the Haliburton United Church from 10 a.m. to noon.
Georgia Shank is a Seniors’ Fitness Instructor Course (SFIC) certified instructor. She runs balance and fitness programs through Sit to Fit Bodies in the County every week.
“It’s really important to integrate movement into every day of your life. Routine is important, consistency is key and it’s never, ever too late to get started with fitness,” Shank said.
She shared a story of a 70-year-old local who started attending her programs, with life-changing results.
“The key is finding something that speaks to you – whether that’s dancing, boxing, seated fitness, walking with a friend. As long as you integrate some form of activity into your life, you will be better off,” Shank said. “Our aim is to prevent early admission to long-term care and keep people as independent as they can be.”
Emily Clarke, a registered kinesiologist and certified matrix repatterning practitioner, told attendees movement can sometimes be the best medicine for a range of ailments. She specializes in working with people with Parkinson’s, but also offers functional fitness training, therapeutic exercise instruction, and assists people rehabilitating from injury and recovering from surgery.
Jennifer Stubbert and Melissa-anne Foster, from the Alzheimer Society Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland and Haliburton, run weekly Minds in Motion programming in Haliburton. It’s designed for people suffering with dementia or memory loss, and their caregivers.
“It’s all about having fun and making connections, we want people to come in, leave their issues at the door, and have a good time,” Stubbert said. “We do things like axe throwing, trivia, games. We’ve done pumpkin carving and different themed things around holidays.”
The program runs on Tuesday afternoons, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Haliburton United Church. It will restart in March, on an eight-week loop. Registration is required.
The Aging Together group has organized another gathering, taking place at Pinestone Resort Jan. 27 at 10 a.m. Gebauer said there will be more guest speakers, promoting ways for people to get active.
“We want to keep the momentum going,” Gebauer said. To learn more about the group, search ‘Aging Together as Community – Haliburton Highlands’ on Facebook.
