The Gateway Family YMCA Celebrates Older Americans Month

The Gateway Family YMCA encourages older adults to eat healthy, get active and social.

Union, NJ, June 07, 2017 --(PR.com)-- May is Older Americans Month and The Gateway Family YMCA encourages all adults to get motivated and develop behaviors that are crucial to healthy aging, including healthy eating, increasing physical activity and social interaction.

Adults 50 years and older currently make up more than 30 percent of the U.S. population, and will soon represent 45 percent of all Americans. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that adults 50 and older have a 70 percent chance of developing at least one chronic disease. While these numbers seem daunting, the good news is that making small lifestyle changes that include increasing physical activity, eating healthier and staying active socially can help older adults live better.

“The image of an older adult sitting on the porch in a rocking chair is long gone—today’s older adult is more active, engaged and in control of their health,” said Krystal R. Canady, CEO, The Gateway Family YMCA. “Community-based organizations like the Y provide the needed guidance to help them reach health goals, particularly when it comes to chronic disease prevention.”

The Gateway Family YMCA offers many ways for older adults to live healthier including Enhance®Fitness, a 16-week evidence-based physical activity program proven to increase the physical, mental and social functioning of older adults – particularly those with arthritis.

Participants in EnhanceFitness attend three, one-hour classes per week taught by certified Y instructor. Classes feature proven aerobic, strength training, balance and flexibility exercises that are safe, effective and modifiable for a variety of fitness levels. After four months, fitness assessments are conducted to track participants’ progress. In addition to physical benefits, the program provides a fun, social atmosphere that fosters relationships between program participants.

At The Gateway Family YMCA – WISE Center YMCA Branch, programs include the W.I.S.E. Adult Day Service program, Connections – an early intervention program for individuals with mild cognitive impairment or early stage dementia, Bereavement Support Group and Alzheimer’s NJ Caregiver Support Group.

The Y is one of the nation’s leading nonprofits strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Across the U.S., 2,700 Ys engage 22 million men, women and children – regardless of age, income or background – to nurture the potential of children and teens, improve the nation’s health and well-being, and provide opportunities to give back and support neighbors. Anchored in more than 10,000 communities, the Y has the long-standing relationships and physical presence not just to promise, but to deliver, lasting personal and social change.

For more information on how your family can live a healthy, active life, visit www.tgfymca.org
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The Gateway Family YMCA
Colleen Clayton
908-249-4811
www.tgfymca.org
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