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Active Aging
St. Alexius Medical Center took part in Active Aging Week activities at the Waterford this week. St. Alexius’ Great Plains Rehabilitation Services was happy to be there, offering people information on their services. Julie McDonald, for KFYR, put this story together. It features Great Plains. It’s the last week of September, which means aging adults around the world are taking steps toward living fuller lives during Active Aging Week. “They do look forward to it because they take something away from it, whether it’s a way to get active in their life, to promote some good habits in their life, maybe that they hadn’t thought About St. Alexius. It’s never too late or too early in life to start those habits,” says Waterford Enrichment Director Amy Miller. Kris Todd from Dakota Osteoporosis was at the Waterford today offering free heel screenings to check bone quality. She says osteoporosis is a bigger problem than people think. One in two women will develop the condition, and one in four men. But there are things people can do to prevent deterioration. “Calcium intake, depending on your age. Taking vitamin D helps the calcium to be absorbed. Weight bearing exercise, walking or aerobics. A lot of times, people can’t participate in aerobics, so yoga or pilates class are good,” says Kris Todd of Dakota Osteoporosis. Other presentations today included information on sleep apnea, respiratory conditions, and tools available to people living with a number of medical issues. “Diabetes is pretty prevalent here in the Dakotas. We do see people who suffer from stroke or Alzheimers or MS or any of the other diseases that may affect them that would require the services we provide, whether it be in their homes or in an orthotic or prosthetic setting,” says Eric Kilzer of Great Plains Rehabilitation Services. The goal of Active Aging Week is simply to motivate people to live healthier. Because as the council says, how well people age has much more to do with how well they function, and a lot less to do with the years. |
