Active seniors in Montgomery County are everywhere!
No matter your age it’s always important to exercise and eat healthy especially when it comes to aging. Individuals with varying levels of physical health can exercise to maintain or increase strength, flexibility, and balance. Luckily there are a ton of low-cost or free programs locally that cater to seniors when it comes to exercise and health.
For instance for the 28th year, Montgomery County will be hosting the Senior Games from May 6th-10th. Locations for the various events will include the Montgomery County Community College in Blue Bell. Several other specialized area facilities participate, too.
Some of the events include golf, tennis, swimming, basketball, billiards, table tennis, shuffleboard and more! Online registration is now available (click here). The mission of the Montgomery County Seniors Games is to
"...stimulate senior adults in Montgomery County to be active in sports and recreational events in order to maintain physical and mental well-being"
In addition the Philadelphia Freedom Valley YMCA is partnering with Pfizer to start a new program called 50 Moving Forward. The program will run for the next six months. At the Spring Valley YMCA in Limerick, Montgomery County, nearly half of the members are 50 or older. This program will give these members an opportunity to learn about healthy eating and fitness. Members can also participate in health screenings and vaccinations. The program will not only help with physical health but also with mental health. You can sign up at the YMCA website.
Research has shown that participating in exercise especially in a group setting can help prevent dementia. According to the Alzheimer’s Research & Prevention Foundation, your chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease can be reduced by 50% by engaging in physical exercise.
And why be physically active in a group setting? Because being social is part of what makes us human. We like being in contact with other people. Isolation isn’t good for our brains and according to a study by RS Wilson et al., loneliness was associated with more than double the risk of developing dementia in 832 older individuals.
There’s no excuse for not exercising in Montgomery County with all the great activities for senior care available!