For Immediate Release

Date: November 22, 2005
Contact: Barbara Schoof Conant
barbaraconant@aging.state.ks.us
Director of Communications
(785) 296-6154

Healthy seniors is the goal of statewide effort, Governor says Senior health initiatives in 15 communities to promote exercise

As part of efforts to help Kansans of all ages take steps to improve their health, a new HealthyKansas initiative designed to meet the special needs of Kansas seniors was announced today by Governor Kathleen Sebelius and the Kansas Department on Aging.

Healthy Aging: STEPS (Seniors Together Enjoy Physical Success) will help seniors in 15 Kansas communities increase their physical activity. One-hour classes, offered three times a week will focus on balance, coordination, and upper and lower extremity strength for the seniors.

“All of us benefit from exercise, but seniors in particular can enjoy health benefits from increased physical activity,” Governor Sebelius said. “It’s never too late to reap the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.”

Healthy Aging: STEPS is being funded through a $150,000 grant to KDOA from the Topeka-based Sunflower Foundation. It will start in Great Bend, Oberlin and Topeka during the first year, and six communities will be added each of the next two years. KDOA’s nine Life Long Communities will be among the first to take part in the initiative.

Secretary Pamela Johnson-Betts said the program is designed to improve the quality of life for seniors. “People of all ages benefit from increased activity,” she said. “But for seniors, physical exercise can enhance their quality of life by improving mobility and functioning that helps them maintain their independent lifestyle.”

KDOA is partnering with local community leaders to locate local instructors, class locations and to educate the public about the initiative. The Topeka Downtown YMCA will serve as headquarters for the training component of the grant. The 11 Kansas Area Agencies on Aging have agreed to help recruit participants for the classes.

The Sunflower Foundation: Health Care for Kansans is a Topeka-based philanthropic organization with the mission to serve as a catalyst for improving the health of Kansans. The Healthy Aging: STEPS initiative is modeled after a similar evidence-based project in Seattle/King County, Washington.