September 21^st to 27^th is Active Aging Week. This event, led by the International Council of Active Aging (ICCA) is designed to spread the word about the different ways in which people age and how to stay more engage and healthy throughout your golden years. Adults age 50 and older are encouraged to participate in local activities with each day focusing on a different subject.

If your community doesn’t have activities planned for Active Aging Week get together with some of your friends to participate on your own and work toward building a bigger event for next year.

Organizations throughout North America are encouraged to hold free or low cost Active Aging Week events open to the public. Events are intended to be educational and fun. Likely locations for events already scheduled in your community are parks, malls, YMCAs, and Jewish Community Centers. You may also find events happening at health clubs, senior centers, and assisted living communities. Some activities may include group walks, health fairs, dances, exercise classes, concerts, and anything local organizers are able to present. Programming is encouraged to be flexible and accessible for anyone who wants to participate.

The ICCA has provided suggested programming for specialty days during Active Aging Week. These include:

• Sunday, September 21^st: Foot Health. Without healthy feet many average daily tasks can be difficult or cause excruciating pain. Learn how to keep your feet healthy as you stay active.
• Monday, September 22^nd: Walking. Walking is one of the best and easiest ways to stay active as you age. Get a group of friends together for a walk around a local park.
• Tuesday, September 23^rd: Falls Prevention. Falls can be devastating for older adults. This is one of the reasons that community living can provide safety and assistance to individuals as they age.
• Wednesday, September 24^th: Bone Health. Many adults, especially women, will feel the effects of osteoporosis as they age. Learn how to prevent it or manage it in your life.
• Thursday, September 25^th: Intergenerational Day. Stay Tuned for next week’s blog post about how Women for Living in Community has a few things to teach the younger generations.
• Friday, September 26^th: Walking/Group Classes. The ICCA has established events in cities throughout the country for individuals to get together and walk or take other fitness classes. Join one in your community.
• Saturday, September 27^th: Celebration. The last day of Active Aging Week is a time to let loose and celebrate. For people interested in developing communities for active aging local mixers or celebrations may be a great way to meet like-minded people. If there isn’t one in your area then throw a party!

Do you think you might participate in Active Aging Week? If so, how? We’d love to hear your stories. Share them in the comments or join the conversation on Facebook!

To learn more about Women for Living in Community, visit our home page.

Photo from a past Women for Living in Community MeetUp event.