Age-Friendly Riverview (AFR) is a group of three seniors working together to make Riverview an Age-Friendly Community by gearing programs and activities to older adults. Riverview Community Centre(RVCC) offers Age-Friendly programs including an Adaptive Fitness Class, Coffee and Cribbage, Pickleball, Creative Writing, and the CRISP ideas series.
According to the Age-Friendly Manitoba Initiative, “the age-friendly concept is built on the World Health Organization’s healthy aging framework, which encourages active aging by optimizing opportunities for health, participation and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age.”
“Our activities are designed for older adults but everyone is welcome,” said Beverly Suek, one of three members of Riverview’s age-friendly board.
The board applied for and received a grant from New Horizons. The board had plans such as a fitness class in mind, however they needed someone to organize their programming plans. The board hired Cathy Hunter to make their programs a reality. Hunter got the Adaptive Fitness Class, Pickleball, and Coffee and Cribbage going plus helped support the group in organizing and bringing back the Creative Writing course, and the CRISP Ideas series.
“We want to promote meaningful activities and conversations between people and to respect the knowledge and experience of older adults,” said Suek.
The Adaptive Fitness Class offers sitting, standing and walking routines aimed at seniors with mobility and balance challenges. The goals of this class are to improve flexibility, strengthen muscles, increase endurance and up your range of movement. This age-friendly fitness class began Wednesday, January 11. A drop-in class will cost you $7.00; a 10-week session costs $60.00. Please contact cathy@riverview.ca for more information.
Pickleball, another age-friendly activity aimed at beginners, runs on Mondays from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and on Thursdays from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Pickleball equipment has been purchased and is available at RVCC. It costs a pickleball player $5.00 for a drop-in class.
You can sign up for pickleball by going to https://old.riverviewcc.ca/pickleball/ or by reaching out to pickleball@riverviewcc.ca if you have difficulty with the registration system.
This popular racquet sport combines elements of tennis, ping-pong, and badminton. Singles or doubles, (two athletes per side) can play this sport. The first team or single to get 11 points wins the game, which usually lasts around 20 minutes.
This sport gives a player an aerobic workout, improves mobility, and tones the muscles. You may even make new friends at pickleball.
I know someone who drives to Garden City from Lord Roberts at least three times a week to play pickleball. She says the people she plays with more than makeup for the distance she travels to get to pickleball.
Coffee and Crib is a free drop-in program that runs every Wednesday from 1:00-2:30 pm. You can join friends and neighbours for a free cup of coffee over a game of cribbage, or any other game you’re in the mood for.
On the last Friday of every month from 1:00-2:30 pm, the CRISP Ideas series will bring a guest to lead a talk and then a discussion. CRISP stands for creative, relevant, intelligent, social & positive. All the money made goes to the community club, and it costs $5 payable at the door.
If you want to know more about these programs, phone 204 452-9944 or email cathy@riverview.ca.