“Thank you for showing me new exercises to help keep these old bones moving… I have incorporated some of your exercises into my long running daily exercise program.”
“I didn’t think I could do exercises, but now that I’ve seen these, I know I can.”
These are some of the comments from participants in the Move Today gentle exercise program that is currently being conducted at Senior Centers under the auspices of JCC MetroWest. Move Today is an exercise program for older adults designed to improve strength, flexibility, and balance in a safe manner. A major focus of the program is good posture. The exercises can be done standing or sitting in a chair and include resistance training and Tai Chi and are appropriate for older adults at all levels of the heath spectrum.
The JCC’s Move Today exercise program is part of a statewide initiative by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services. Staff and volunteers from the JCC have been trained to implement the 12 week exercise program at a number of JCC Senior Centers and Jewish Community Housing Corporation (JCHC) buildings. The program is successful because it can be adapted to different levels of ability, it uses simple equipment, and key points are continually stressed, such as maintaining good posture, lengthening the spine, bending properly, and
breathing during exercises.
One of the components of Move Today is a “functional reach test” to measure balance and flexibility, which is conducted at the start and conclusion of the 12-week program. Results can be measured and evaluations have been very positive. One woman improved two inches in her functional reach test and indicated that she felt her posture had improved from the class. Another woman indicated that she “loved the class” and that her goal of walking “more
gracefully” had been met.
The Move Today program is coordinated through the Senior Volunteer Opportunities Program which receives generous support from the Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey. For more information about Move Today or to inquire about volunteer opportunities, contact program coordinator Susan Galatz at 973-530-3447 (sgalatz@jccmetrowest.org).
