Shawnee Senior Happenings: Senior fitness programs
Good morning, Shawnee! In 1965, President Johnson signed the Older Americans Act into law, thus establishing the Administration on Aging and funding designed to meet social services for older adults. It has been renewed several times since then, and in Shawnee the Central Oklahoma Economic Development District (COEDD) administers Title III grant funds for such things as Health Promotion.
Here at the Shawnee Senior Recreation Center a portion of our senior fitness program is funded through the Title III grant. We are thankful to COEDD and their continued support for healthy living activities for seniors.
As you may know, the Senior Rec Center offers programs and activities for individuals aged 55+. We are located at 401 N. Bell, in the same building as the former high school gym, with open hours of Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Since we are a part of the City of Shawnee Recreation Department, we provide opportunities to pursue an active lifestyle while making healthy choices. Each of us can benefit from staying active as we age. If you happen to be age 55+ you can participate with us as we have a variety of fun and engaging programs for all types of folks! You’re invited to stop by for a tour and see if you can find something you might enjoy!
We offer 14 group fitness classes per week, which are free to individuals age 55+. You will find a wide variety of classes, with each one designed to provide safe and effective exercises no matter your personal fitness level, as well as helping individuals gain balance, strength, and flexibility to mitigate fall risk.
Our classes include Tai Chi for Better Balance which is offered on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, 8:15-9:15 a.m. This slow steady movement class taught by Cyndi covers the basics of Tai Chi targeting the development of overall balance. In addition, the SAIL class taught by Angie helps with core strength and fall prevention. The full name is “Staying Active and Independent for Life” and it meets Monday and Wednesday afternoons 1:30-2:30 pm. and Friday mornings 10:00-11:00 a.m.
An Enhance Fitness class is taught by Beth which provides overall strength and balance to help individuals maintain active living. It meets on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings, 8:30-9:30 a.m. and offers an overall fitness conditioning experience. Chair Fitness classes with Angie meet 10:00-11:00 a.m., with Chair Fitness Stretching offered on Mondays and Wednesdays, while Chair Fitness Strength meets Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Lastly, our Restorative Gentle Yoga class with Angie meets each Tuesday and Thursday afternoon from 3:30-4:30 p.m. This class uses modified and gentle yoga movements to improve flexibility and reduce stress. All exercises can be performed while seated in a chair, standing to the side of a chair, or utilizing a mat. Your choice!
For more information about our fitness class schedule, as well as our Pickleball sessions, you can call us at 405-878-1528. Each week you will also find crafts such as quilting, crochet, knitting, and a new arts and craft club. In addition, we have music, dancing, singing, card games, billiards, dominos, puzzles, as well as lots of coffee and iced tea.
We’d be happy to mail you one of our activity calendars which shows all the details of our programs at the Senior Rec Center, plus the lunch menu for the Project Heart meals served at the Community Center located at 804 S. Park. For more information about Project Heart lunch program, please call their office at 405-275-4530.
Barry from Heartland Home Health will be checking blood pressure on Tuesday morning, February 15 from 9:00-11:00 a.m. You can drop in to have yours checked and then stay to enjoy some Gospel Singing from 10:30-11:30 a.m. You can also say hello to a therapy dog or two, as they often visit us on Tuesdays.
Our next Wellness Wednesday focus will feature an informational table hosted by Brookdale Senior Living. Jonna will offering community wellness resources as well as answering questions about their services. This will be offered Wednesday, February 16 from 9:00-11:15 a.m.
Lastly, to stay up-to-date on all the local senior happenings, you can tune in each Wednesday morning at 8:35 a.m. for the "Mike in the Morning Show," found at KGFF on your radio dial at 100.9 FM or 1450 AM.
Take care, and we will see you soon at the Senior Rec Center!
This article originally appeared on The Shawnee News-Star: Shawnee Senior Happenings: Senior fitness programs
