Over, Equipment invites seniors to take their fitness routines outdoors
IF OLD AGE is no place for sissies, as Bette Davis once famously said, who’s to say a playground is no place for old age?
Seniors’ “playgrounds” are gaining ground in other parts of the world, and Recreation Playsystems of St. Clements wants to help Canada get in on the action.
After all, why should children have all the fun? Lappset, a Finland-based company, has designed a line of exercise equipment specifically for seniors and Kathy Hirsch of Recreation Playsystems says the concept can change the face of aging. The idea is to set up the equipment outside, providing a seniors’ space with the same benefits as a traditional children’s playground: social interaction, creative interaction, fresh air, exercise and, ultimately, better health. Think of it as a long-overdue extension of the fitness craze, and one that won’t give seniors that fish-out-of-water feeling they sometimes have at traditional gyms.
“With the increase of outdoor exercise classes and in-the-park boot camps, people are making their choice clear,” Hirsch says. “People want to bring the gym outside when they can. There really is no better place to stay fit.”
The concept of senior fitness already has legs overseas. According to the Lappset website, the company has built more than 1,000 senior parks in 23 countries, from Europe to Asia and Australia.
Recreation Playsystems recently received the rights to distribute the equipment in Canada, and they’re hoping it will help spark a similar movement here.
Hirsch says that Canada is onboard, but only to a point: there’s an understanding that fitness is a necessity for seniors, but there’s also a long way to go to make it a part of everyday life.
Few people are aware of the Lappset products or even the concept of outdoor fitness for seniors, she says. Yet staying physically active is critical, especially for people over 65. Aging bodies have to cope with motor skills and muscle tone that naturally deteriorate.
So what’s so different about this equipment?
According to Hirsch, the Lappset equipment is ergonomic for all ages and stages of adulthood from the active baby boomer to the medically fragile senior. The sets are available in wood or steel and can remain outside year-round.
Circuits on the equipment help improve mobility, cardio, balance, strength, flexibility and motor skills, and give seniors more confidence in negotiating various surfaces. These skills are critical for maintaining independence and the ability to carry out everyday tasks such as bathing, climbing stairs, sitting down and getting up. Other benefits include improved memory and observation skills.
The routines, designed by physiotherapists, can be done independently or in groups. The real focus for this equipment is preventive exercise in a fun and social atmosphere. The equipment can be grouped around “stretch and flex” or “strength and >>