ACTIVE AGING: DON’T TAKE GETTING OLDER SITTING DOWN

With each and every day, we’re aging. “You can’t help getting older, but you don’t have to get old,” joked comedian George Burns. There’s no need to take aging sitting down—in fact, as you getting older, you can get better. Said poet Stanislaw Jerzy Lec ,”Youth is the gift of nature, but age is a work of art.”

“Active aging” is the new buzzword(s) for growing older gracefully by keeping busy—emotionally, mentally, spiritually and physically. Staying active over age 50 is so important, there’s a whole week committed to it. The first week of every October is called Active Aging Week. This annual “holiday” celebrates how positive the process of aging can truly be.

While the goal of Active Aging Week is to get you up and moving, that should be your goal every week. Get out and take a stroll along Summit Pointe’s beautifully paved walking path. Get on the bike in our Somerset Room or outdoors. Join a low-impact exercise class with Elite Fitness. Take part in Saturday Stretch or go bowling with Summit Pointe friends. Limited by mobility? Chair yoga is a safe way to exercise without straining knees or joints.

But what about exercising your brain? It’s important to challenge your brain with games and new skills, like puzzles, learning a new language or even picking up an instrument.

Did you know that only one-third of how well we age is genetics? Two-thirds of our aging is attributed to are our personal lifestyle choices. In fact, attitude and lifestyle affect longevity and quality of life. That puts the power of how you age in your own hands. Check out Summit Pointe’s calendar of events for healthful activities. It’s how you can participate in active aging all year long!