We started with a 6:am aerobics class 3 times per week at a local community center. It grew over 5 years into several classes with 15 – 40 participants each class session. This is where the organizing parties of AHFT first became acquainted.
All board members participate regularly in the exercise programs offered by our organization. They all have a personal stake in the game, giving much incentive for organizational success. This board of directors has experience in both board membership and board leadership. We currently we cannot have group classes live and in person so all efforts are going to this website. I am an American Council on Exercise (ACE) fitness trainer and group instructor, giving me the ability to design and deliver programs for Adult health & Fitness Today. I have been self-employed for 30 years and have experience in opening and operating a business. At AHFT we all walk the walk and talk the talk, regarding healthy lifestyle and team commitment.
Documented Program Outcomes – Program evaluation and report in collaboration with HARC Data, “Stay Strong Live Long; The Impact of Strength Training and Healthy Lifestyle Choices on Adults 50+”. Secondary Data Analysis: Secondary data analysis in collaboration with HARC Data; Examining escalating Medicare Costs, “The 2030 Problem” is the Baby Boomer generation (the largest number of seniors in history) and Medicare bankruptcy. These reports are not published but are formally printed to serve as evidence of positive program impact, and articulate the critical state of American health and our healthcare systems today.
The “need” is access to classes and information in order to make healthy choices long-term. The general societal “need” is evident daily: escalating obesity at all ages, “self-imposed” debilitation and illness from “sitting” most hours in the day and neglect due to lack of resource.
- Regular exercise and healthier lifestyle choices are important decisions to make, for achieving a higher-level quality of life for all age groups.
- Older adults (45+) are recommended to pursue the same level of activity as their younger counterparts, and need to maintain regular physical activity throughout the remainder of their lives. (National Institutes of Health and American Council on Aging)
- Many adults in the Coachella Valley neglect a healthy lifestyle. For example, HARC’s 2016 data revealed that about 60.5% of Coachella Valley adults (175,000+ adults) are overweight or obese, ushering in a multitude of potential illnesses. With focus on older adults (55+), about 58.8% are over overweight or obese (71,400+ older adults). Looking again at older adults (55+), 22.6% (28,800+ older adults) don’t engage in aerobic activity, and 61.1% (77,000+ older adults) don’t engage in strength-building exercises. Clearly, there is a need for regular exercise and thoughtful nutrition in the region.
- The people that come to participate are the “NEED”. “Lou is 92 years old and drives to exercise class Mon-Thurs because he made friends there and because He Can!” “Cathy is 65 years old and comes to 6:15 Aerobics class Mon-Wed-Fri before work so she can continue to work … indefinitely.” We can still have this online until we reconvene in person.
