Community center open for active seniors

March 19, 2009 5:06 pm
Couples enjoy dancing at the community center Feb. 14 during the Senior Sweetheart Valentine’s Day Dinner and Dance.
Couples enjoy dancing at the community center Feb. 14 during the Senior Sweetheart Valentine’s Day Dinner and Dance.

BY ALLISON SCOTT

Are you 50 plus? Are you looking for some meaningful activities? Are you feeling achy and tired? Are you taking care of everyone else but yourself? Do you need to get busy?

These are all questions to ask yourself when looking to ward off the “evils” of father time and all of the baggage he wants to bring with him. The “old school” thought was that it is a natural progression for seniors to slow down and become more sedentary. Unfortunately, if you allow yourself to do this you lose ground in all areas of your health. Physically: your balance, strength, flexibility and endurance will decrease. Mentally and emotionally: you will find your senses dulling, your memory worsening and feelings of loneliness and despair easily flooding your thoughts. You have the ability to stay away from these progressions by choosing to join, volunteer, move around and get busy.It is also sited in many health studies that your social lifestyle has just the same amount of weight in remaining healthy as your physical lifestyle. The effects of having meaningful activities in your life has been very well documented and will help seniors remain healthier and happier well into their 80’s. You can find the information sited above and more regarding, seniors remaining active, online at aarphealthcare.com and pbs.org/caringforyourparents.

With all of this being said, The Greater Maple Valley Community Center would love to help you along in this journey. By offering regularly scheduled senior programs, we are looking to meet some of the needs of the “spry” seniors in our community. We have opportunities to volunteer and give back, trips and outings, bingo, active games such as ping-pong, Wii sports and Wii bowling team, low impact yoga, and a new program in collaboration with Lake Wilderness Golf Course: Divot and Dine – this is four golf lessons and lunch at the community center starting on May 4. We are also interested in offering a Hiking group that would meet weekly to hike and explore our beautiful wilderness in the area. We would love to hear your ideas and wishes. If you have other interests or activities that you would like to see offered here in Maple Valley please call or email Allison or Linda. allisons@maplevalleycc.org or 425-432-1272 or visit our website at www.maplevalleycc.org

Scott is the senior program director at the Greater Maple Valley Community Center.