GALLERY: Roper YMCA celebrates National Senior Health and Fitness Day

WINTER GARDEN — The staff at the Roper YMCA in Winter Garden celebrated National Senior Health and Fitness Day May 27, by offering a variety of information and demonstrations for its senior members, as well as its usual offering of the Silver Sneakers program.

Representatives from Orlando Health and Health Central Park offered blood pressure screenings and postural analysis, and a representative from WellCare Health Plans offered information while the Roper YMCA staff offered healthy snacks and a calendar of summer activities.

Before the Silver Sneakers class, which takes place at 12:30 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, Julia Walker gave a Zumba demonstration.

Dawn Bonic, who oversees some of the senior programs offered at the Y, said the purpose of the Silver Sneaker sclass and others like it is to help with functional fitness for seniors.

“The main purpose of the class is to maintain muscle strength and toning, a little bit of cardiovascular fitness as well as maintaining and enhancing balance, coordination and flexibility,” Bonic said. “The main purpose of all of that is to help with anybody who has arthritis to keep the joints more mobile, and it keeps the muscles strong to support those joints. 

“The functionality as they age, to be able to still lift and put the groceries away without straining, to remain independent,” she said. “There’s also a social aspect to the program, as well.”

Contact Steven Ryzewski at [email protected].