May is both Older Americans Month and National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. Let’s show some love to the Black seniors in Montgomery County who are walking, dancing, gardening, stretching, and staying strong into their 70s, 80s, and beyond!
Regular physical activity is one of the most powerful tools Black seniors have for staying healthy. Moving the body helps manage hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and other conditions. Exercise also reduces the risk of falls, improves sleep, lifts mood, and helps protect the brain from dementia. Even a short daily walk can help seniors maintain and improve their energy and balance.
Montgomery County Recreation and Holy Cross Health offers Senior Fit, a free 45-minute fitness class for adults 55 and older. Seniors looking for gentle, low-impact options can explore AAHP’s free Fitness and Weight Management classes in yoga and Tai Chi/low-impact exercise held online on Zoom. Montgomery County’s eight senior centers offer exercise rooms, dance classes, pickleball, and walking groups, and several host active adult programs. If you haven’t exercised in a long time or have a chronic condition, talk with your doctor before exercising or beginning an exercise program.
This Older Americans Month, let’s champion our own health and the health of the elders around us. Invite a friend on a morning walk. Try a new class together. Celebrate the birthdays, the anniversaries, and the years of wisdom by keeping our bodies strong enough to enjoy them.
Sources:
Administration for Community Living