Seniors enjoy exercise class, friends from home
Carol Groves, 82, of Butler, is getting ready for her exercise class. It meets every Thursday at 11 a.m., and Groves looks forward to working out with her friends and maybe some socializing afterward.
But her group doesn’t gather to work out in a gym. Thanks to technology, they meet virtually every week each in their own homes.
The virtual exercise classes are offered by LIFE Butler County, 231 W. Diamond St., an all-inclusive program of medical and support services to help older people maintain independence in the community.
Recreational therapist Desiree Cronkhite peers into a computer screen moving her arms while leading a virtual exercise class in an empty conference room at LIFE Butler County. She can watch and communicate with her students through the center’s computer. She engages and encourages each participant with her friendly voice as they exercise together.
Cronkhite said the group of between two to 20 seniors meet every week via Zoom since October when LIFE Butler County was closed because of the COVID pandemic.
The aerobic session, during which participants follow along on their Grand Pads or their own computers, lasts about a half hour.
“They are doing range-of-motion and stretching exercises,” Cronkhite said. “It’s pretty basic. There are no aerobics or anything like that.”
According to a study by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, community-based exercise programs are important in helping sedentary older adults in improving their strength and endurance, as well as reducing the risk factors associated with falls.
“It’s part of an ongoing effort to keep participants active and engaged during the pandemic,” said Karen Ostrosky, a physical therapist at LIFE Butler County.
Cronkhite said, “We want to keep them moving.”
It also gives seniors a chance to interact with other participants during and after the exercise class — something that seniors, isolated in their own homes during the pandemic, need.
The center is closed to in-person activities and won’t re-open until the county’s positivity rate falls below 10%. The positivity rate in Butler County, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, is currently at 33.9%.
“Despite the pandemic, exercise is still needed,” said Ingrid Tallarico, LIFE Butler recreation therapy manager. “This is a way to keep (seniors) moving, mobile and socially connected.”
During a recent class, Groves watches intently and moves her arms, fingers and toes as Cronkhite takes the class through the workout.
Side stretchers are one of Grove’s favorite exercises, but seeing her friends is equally important to her.
“It’s great,” Groves said. “I get to see my friends when we are working out.”
She said she feels energized after each session. “I can move around better, feel stronger and don’t ache as much,” she said after a recent workout. “I feel like I can run up the (Butler) hill.”
When the workouts are over, Groves and her friends continue to communicate online.
“I talk with my friends — we talk about our kids, vacations and just life,” she said.
Cronkhite said LIFE Butler County has other Zoom activities, such as puzzles, scheduled for 3 p.m. each weekday.
“We miss seeing people,” said Cronkhite, referring to LIFE Butler County’s 180 clients.
