Aging Well

It’s no secret that inactivity increases with age; by age 75, about one in three men and one in two women engage in no physical activity.

Dottie Davi is not one of those people.

At age 79, she regularly works on cardio, strength training, balance, and flexibility. She doesn’t do it alone. Her partner is Sunni Stipp, who teaches the Age Well class at Pinamonti Wellness.

“We meet four days a week for supervised exercises,” Stipp said, “and Dottie is a regular.”

Stipp says the class combats what the CDC is concerned about — that as we age, we lose strength and stamina. Remaining physically active helps maintain the ability to live independently and reduces the risk of falling and fracturing bones. It reduces the risk of dying from coronary heart disease and of developing high blood pressure, colon cancer, and diabetes. It reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression. And it helps control joint swelling and pain associated with arthritis.

Davi says it makes her feel happy and healthy to be active at Pinamonti Wellness.

“It’s the best place in town,” she said. “The people are so nice to us older ones and they take good care of us. They come out to my car and get me when I arrive and walk me back out when I’m done.”

To owner Brian Pinamonti, it was a no-brainer to offer not just a class to that demographic, but other Age Well opportunities, as well.

On Tuesday, the Crawford County Health Department provided a free Age Well Advantage Day to older members of Pinamonti Wellness, including a fall prevention session by Janie Terry, flu shots, free blood pressure checks, and chair massages.

Dottie was among those who took advantage of what the day offered, ensuring that her health and wellness are on track.

“I like that all this is in one place,” she said. “It’s one stop and you’re done.”

Terry says older members who don’t care to participate in a class but who want a safe, well-lighted, even-surfaced place to walk indoors out of the weather and do so on the facility’s indoor walking track, which is bordered by a railing. And, she invited older residents who are interested in setting up a personal plan for physical activity to call or visit Pinamonti Wellness.

"It's never too late to get started being active," she said.
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