This year, my mom started going to the gym for the first time. The new-found interestwas in part a social decision. My mom – who is formally known as Cairine Coulis-Brown but will always be Ma to me – has experimented with all sorts of group activities in retirement, everything from dance classes to choir. But the other major factor was making sure that as she aged, she didn’t have to give up the things that mattered to her most.
“Am I still able to do what I could do five years ago? Am I going to be able to stay in my house easily? I like being able to travel easily,” said Ma, who is in her seventies.
During a recent chat, she referenced articles I’d written about slips and falls and muscle mass. The Public Health Agency of Canada reports that falls are the leading cause of hospitalization and death for people aged 65 and older. And muscle mass decreases approximately 3 to 8 per cent after age 30, with the rate of decline even higher past 60
Since last spring, she’s been training as part
Since last spring, she’s been training as part of Bfit at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ont. Her programis designed for seniors and focuses on balance, co-ordination and muscle maintenance. It costs just $60 a month.
While mom had been hesitant to start – in her mind, gym training meant sweaty, high-intensity cardio or picking up heavy weights – the structure felt suitably challenging and surprisingly fun. With just a few sessions a month, she’s noticed a big difference.
Kimberley Gammag, director of the master of professional kinesiology program and SeniorFit director at Brock, isn’t surprised.
Health Canada recommends 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic
Health Canada recommends 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic activity a week for people 65 years and older. But “for someone who isn’t currently active, the most important thing is to get any type and amount of physical activity,” Gammag said. “Something is always better than nothing. And the biggest reductions in mortality risk occur in those who go from not doing any physical activity to doing just a little bit.”
Ma’s exercise journey got me thinking about what working out looks like as we get older, how routines and priorities change, and what advice I could glean from physically fit people past 60. I spoke with a number of notable Canadians looking for answers.
