Calling All Physical Activity and Wellness Programs in West Virginia!

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. ( June 1, 2005 ) - The hardest part about any exercise program is getting started. West Virginia University Center on Aging (WVU CoA) is attempting to come to the rescue for the nearly 300,000 adults aged 60 and older in West Virginia who want to start exercising, but do not know how or where to begin.

The plan includes development of an on-line community resource guide to exercise programs and recreational activities that would appeal to all ages but would be especially appropriate for older adults, ages 60-plus. The database of programs will be available to all West Virginians and is part of a national data collection program sponsored in part by the National Council on Aging based in Washington, D.C.

"We are calling on all organizations, for-profit and not-for-profit, to contact us for listing in this database." said R. Turner Goins, associate professor and associate director for research at the WVU Center on Aging." Our goal is to provide our citizens with choices and ideas on how to improve their physical activity levels. We know that people want to improve their health, but sometimes, they just don’t know how. This resource guide will be one way they can find the answers."

WVU Center on Aging is joining forces with the national Healthy Aging® Campaign in the development of such initiatives to promote positive aging in the state. The Healthy Aging® Campaign is a national not-for-profit organization, whose charter is to help educate the public on the issues of physical, social, mental and financial fitness. Tips and techniques on positive aging can be found at their website: www.healthyaging.net

Information on activity programs appropriate for adults 60-plus will be included in an online resource guide that will be made available to older adults and health professionals on a state-wide and national basis. Those whose information is selected will be entered in a raffle. Grand prize is a treadmill and a hardcopy of the book "Healthy Aging® Inspirational Letters from Americans." Secondary prizes include such items as a copy of this informative book and pedometers.

To be listed in the guide, any group offering physical activity programs are asked to share their information as a public service by filling out a form on to www.wvseniors.org or by calling toll-free at: 1-800-743-1796.

10 TIPS FROM THE WVU CENTER ON AGING AND THE HEALTHY AGING® CAMPAIGN
Summertime is a good time to get started on the exercise program you promised you would start on New Year’s Day. Research shows that what’s good for the body is good for the spirit as well. Try these tips for improving your positive outlook on life. Remember: positive aging is not just about physical fitness – it’s the combination of mental, social, financial and physical wellness that provides the platform for successful aging.

Tips for getting started:

Look for daily opportunities to exercise in work and play. Force yourself to walk by parking your car several parking aisles away from the store or your office entrance and walk briskly!
1. Choose an exercise you like and stick with it.
2. Use the buddy system. Arrange to have a friend meet you - It’s harder to say no to exercise when you exercise with a friend.
3. Walk, swim, climb, bicycle, dance, fish!
4. Join a walking group or visit your local health club, recreation center, park, church, or senior center.
5. Engage in 30 minutes of aerobic exercise and weight-bearing exercise every day.
6. Contribute time to your community through local volunteer groups, religious organizations, or civic groups
7. Stay in close contact with friends and family. Write, email, or call someone daily
8. Keep your mind exercised, too, by reading, learning a new skill, and researching something that interests you
9. Develop a hobby -- it’s never too late to learn how to play the piano!
10.Establish financial goals, stick to a planned budget, sign up for a retirement plan.

Remember, it’s never too late to start!

The WVU Center on Aging is part of the Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center at West Virginia University . The Center works through research, education, clinical service and technology to improve the health, wellbeing and security of older people and those who care for them in West Virginia and across the nation.

For more information about the physical activity listing for older adults in West Virginia, please call 1-800-743-1796.

These tips are provided by The Healthy Aging® Campaign. For more information, log onto www.healthyaging.net, www.ruralaging.org/rhan, and www.wvseniors.org, or contact the WVU Center on Aging at (304)293-2968.