By Tom Wakefield
Centretown seniors are sporting snowshoes and skis, turning Ottawa’s snowy paths into an outdoor gym.
In fact, only temperatures lower than -30 degrees Celsius stop members of Ottawa’s Seniors Active Living Club from exercising outdoors.
“People are surprised by the abilities of our seniors,” says Peggy Macleod, administrator for the Seniors Active Living Club. “There’s this myth of seniors being frail and inactive.”
The four-year-old, city-run program allows seniors to sign up for outdoor physical activities year-round at a cost of $60. The club’s 150 members, aged 65 and up, cycle and hike in the summer.
Sports like cross-country skiing and snowshoeing were scheduled to begin Jan. 17, but were delayed by the cold snap earlier this month that sent temperatures plummeting to – 50 with the windchill.
The City of Ottawa doesn’t allow the program to operate in temperatures below -30 degrees.
“In past years, we’ve normally had to cancel half of the winter program because of the cold,” say Peggy Macleod, administrator for the Seniors Active Living Club. “But when you’re offering activities twice a week, I think members still get their value’s worth.”
Gerry Glazin, a 65-year-old retired management consultant, calls his membership in the club an investment in his health. An avid skier, the Centretown resident suffers from high cholesterol, and finds the club’s programs the perfect way to stay in shape.
“I’m more active with the program now than I was before,” says Glazin. “I make sure I get out every day.”
“The club’s a great motivator. It gets you out and forces a commitment.”
Sybil Willette agrees. At 70, Willette has participated in the club since its beginning and now sits on the club’s planning committee.
“It’s all very safe,” explains Willette. “All members wear whistles, and no one is allowed to go out without a cell phone with them.”
Like her Centretown compatriot Glazin, Willette realizes the health benefits of being active.
“I just had a bone-density test, and I was in the top range for people my age,” Willette says. “I attribute that to exercising.”
By staying active, seniors are reducing their risk of chronic illness, says Valerie Judd, a nurse and health educator with the Sandy Hill Community Health Centre. Exercise helps to avoid problems ranging from poor balance and weaker bones to obesity, diabetes and heart disease, she says.
“Exercise is good for everybody,” says Judd. “But for seniors especially, it gives them better self-esteem and helps them maintain a sense of autonomy.”
Still, Judd advises seniors to consult a physician before they take on a program, such as the cross-country skiing offered by the club.