Sunrise Senior Living Raises Awareness for Healthy Aging
Seniors Across U.S. Walk in Relays with Local Communities to Promote
Active Living
MCLEAN, Va.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Sunrise
Senior Living is proud to celebrate its participation in the
National Institute on Aging’s (NIA) Go4Life®
Month. Today, September 29, nearly 250 Sunrise communities across the
nation will recognize the importance of active aging by hosting
intergenerational, non-competitive walking relays. The walks not only
promote active lifestyles for seniors, but involve local community youth
and other organizations to raise awareness of the need for engaging in
regular physical exercise at all ages.
Go4Life® is the national exercise and physical activity campaign
for people over the age of 50. Launched by the National Institute on
Aging at NIH, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
this September marks the agency’s first annual Go4Life® Month to
promote the health benefits of exercise and physical activity for older
adults.
“At Sunrise, we believe in maintaining quality of life for our residents
and promote daily exercise programs that are fun and keep residents
engaged and active,” said Rita Altman, senior vice president of Memory
Care & Program Services for Sunrise. “With fitness being one of the
strongest predictors of overall well being, our partnership with NIA and Go4Life®
is another opportunity to bring awareness to simple ways seniors can
stay physically active at any stage of life.”
“It’s never too late for exercise to have a positive effect on your
health,” said NIA Director Richard J. Hodes, M.D. “We know that exercise
can reduce the risk of heart disease, obesity, stroke, diabetes, and
other chronic conditions. One recent study found that even sedentary
people in their seventies and eighties improved mobility and reduced
risk of disability through a regular program of structured physical
activity.”
Sunrise communities offer unique programming that enriches the mind,
body and spirit. Some physical activities and wellness programs include
daily walking clubs, low-impact aerobics, dancing, Zumba, strength
training, Wii Fit, tai chi, chair yoga and more. Each Sunrise community
has an Activities & Volunteer coordinator who leads the development of
an extensive programming calendar tailored to the unique needs and
preferences of individual residents.
The Sunrise walking relay events include partnering with local schools,
community centers and public officials to bring attention to the need
for regular exercise at every age. Another benefit of the nationwide
walks is the continued fostering of relationships between seniors and
children, which is shown to increase the psychological well-being of
older adults. According to the Journal of Urban Health, older adults who
regularly volunteer with children burn 20 percent more calories
per week, experienced fewer falls, were less reliant on canes, and
performed better on a memory test than their peers. As part of its
programming, Sunrise regularly includes intergenerational opportunities
for residents to enjoy.
Sunrise at Fox
Hill, located in Bethesda, Maryland, is one community participating
in the Go4Life®
relay today and will host several members from the nearby fire
department, local school children and members from NIA.
More information about Sunrise’s programming is available on our Programming
and Activities page, where you’ll find sample calendars for both
assisted living and memory care. For ongoing senior-related information,
including health and fitness tips, follow Sunrise on Facebook
and read The
Sunrise Blog.
About Sunrise Senior Living
Sunrise Senior Living, a McLean, Va.-based company, employs
approximately 30,000 people. As of September 1, 2015, Sunrise operated
304 communities in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom,
including 15 Gracewell Healthcare communities, with a total unit
capacity of approximately 27,300. Sunrise offers a full range of
personalized senior living services, including independent living,
assisted living, care for individuals with Alzheimer’s and other forms
of memory loss, as well as nursing and rehabilitative services.
Sunrise’s senior living services are delivered by team members who are
trained to encourage independence, preserve dignity, enable freedom of
choice and protect the privacy of residents. To learn more about
Sunrise, please visit SunriseSeniorLiving.com.
Contacts
Sunrise Senior Living
Corporate Communications
Jennifer Clark,
703-854-0329
or
Heather Clarke, 703-854-0324
