Niverville Service to Seniors is kicking off the new year with a new fitness class called Chair Fit. The program, designed for people 55 or older, involves low-impact exercise that helps to maintain a healthy body and mind.

“One of the biggest risks to seniors is frailty, which happens with aging and with lack of physical activity,” says Damien Gagné, Service to Seniors Coordinator. “This is why we chose to make Chair Fit part of our program.”

The class is being taught by Janice Burnette from Ritchot Senior Services and will be offered in three sessions. The first session will consist of three classes—January 11, 18, and 25—and will focus on a full body workout. Session two, focusing on strengthening the back and hips, will run in February and offer four classes. The third and final session in March will run for four classes and offer a full body workout program. The first session will cost $30, whereas the final two sessions will be $40. All sessions will take place in the Silver Courts common room.

This program is only one of many ways in which Service to Seniors gets involved in helping the local senior community. According to Gagné, the program’s main goal is to assist seniors in the Niverville and surrounding area to maintain their independent living status. This is done through a variety of ways, including free three-month rentals of wheelchairs, walkers, and canes, on the recommendation of medical professional, as well as setting up and servicing Lifeline, a personal response system.

The service doesn’t simply look to take care of seniors on a health level; they’re also provided with companionship and activities that will feed their souls and challenge their minds.

“We match up volunteers with seniors who require assistance with home and yard maintenance, drivers/escort service, and friendly visitor volunteers to keep [the] seniors company if desired,” Gagné says. “We try to create programming that helps keep seniors physically and mentally active, such as the men’s coffee program, Chair Fit, Folklarama trips, and much more. We connect seniors to other community programs such as the Golden Friendship Centre meal of the week, called the Life Lovers Seniors Lunch, [and] weekday affordable lunches available through Hespeler’s and deliverable in the community if requested.”

Gagné brings a fresh energy to the program, having begun his role as coordinator in late 2018. He has been working in the non-profit sector since 2003 and has worked at Winnipeg Harvest, with at risk youth, and as the coordinator for a healthy eating program in Winnipeg. He has also worked with adults with special needs.

“I am passionate about helping people,” he says. “My hopes for the program are that we reach more seniors, get a bigger and more active volunteer presence, and that seniors get the services that they require to live well.”