CARDIAC ATHLETIC SOCIETY EDMONTON

Heart Murmurs
November 2011

CHRISTMAS PARTY (AND FOOTBALL FROLIC)

As noted last month, the Christmas Party is scheduled for Sunday, November 27 at 4:30 PM. Interestingly, we have scheduled some football game (the Grey Cup) as background entertainment for our Christmas Festivities.

To celebrate both events at the same time, we will have a TV to watch the game and great food to celebrate Christmas!

You need to book your tickets as soon as possible by contacting Dave Ingledew (780-955-2728) or Stuart Embleton (435-2602) either by phone or at the Tuesday and Thursday exercise classes.

CASE MEMBERSHIP FEES FOR 2012

CASE Membership fees are applicable to the calendar year, January to December. CASE membership provides the member access to all social and educational events and subscription to the CASE Newsletter. There are specific charges for some events such as the annual barbecue, Christmas party, social breakfasts and golf. This same access is extended to the spouse of a member.

The CASE exercise program is conducted at the Kinsmen Sport Centre (KSC) under the supervision of our long-time and well-qualified instructor, Lynn Bohuch. A City of Edmonton facility pass is required to enter KSC and take part in the exercise program.

Holders of a CASE membership card will receive a substantial discount when purchasing an annual pass, whether paid monthly or in lump sum. Spouses who wish to join the exercise group will need to purchase their own CASE membership in order to receive the discount on the City pass.

CASE membership cards for 2012 are available immediately from Ron Kirschner at exercise class, by mail or at the Christmas party. We believe the City will increase fees effective January 1, 2012, so we recommend purchase of your CASE card and City facility pass in later December to avoid the expected fee increase in January.

DARTS AND FUN NIGHT

More than 30 members participated in our first social recreational event held at the Strathcona Legion on October 24th. Healthy social relationships often are as important as physical exercises in maintaining a good healthy lifestyle. The Program and Education Committee promises that other events will be interspersed with the normal educational sessions held monthly in fall, winter and spring.

TO GO OR NOT TO GO... CASE IS CONSIDERING MAKING A MOVE OF THE EXERCISE PROGRAM TO THE TERWILLEGAR RECREATION CENTRE:

Some members have indicated that they would prefer to see the exercise programs moved from Kinsmen to Terwillegar. Executive members have been looking into this option. A survey was conducted in October to assess whether a move had merit given that it would cost a bit more in annual facility passes.

The survey results indicated that a move to the Terwillegar Recreation Centre would be welcomed by most members and in fact we might have more members attending exercise classes there than at the Kinsmen Recreation Centre. The results from the survey were as follows:

39 people replied to the survey.

·      Of the 39 respondents 29 said Yes to move and 10 said No

·      Of the 10 that said No, 6 said they would come occasionally, 2 said they would still come regularly, 1 said they would come sometimes and only 1 said they would never come. However that member wouldn’t go to either location due to health conditions.

·      Of the 29 that said Yes, 8 of these members indicated that they either do not attend the Kinsmen Sports Centre at all or only seldom attend classes there. However they indicated they would come regularly to the Terwillegar Recreation Centre.

What this indicates is that if classes were held at Terwillegar there would be more members participating in exercises than is currently the case at Kinsmen. To aid in attracting new people it is recommended that we play volleyball between 4:00 and 4:40 PM and schedule the exercise class to be held from 4:45 to 5:30 PM. This would help to accommodate the needs of class participants who are still working regular office hours.

We are still consulting with the City staff to determine whether a move such as is being proposed fits into their scheduling.

WALKING IS GREAT EXERCISE BUT...

This is the time of the year when accident rates are at their highest. Please pay extra attention when driving or walking, as roads and surfaces may be slippery due to ice and snow. Here are some safety tips when walking:

·      Use proper foot wear that provides traction on snow and ice (rubber and neoprene composite). Avoid plastic and leather soles.

·      Take small steps to keep your centre of balance under you.

·      Walk slowly and never run on icy grounds.

·      Keep both hands free for balance.

·      Use handrails from start to finish where possible.

·      Avoid carrying loads on stairways; or carrying loads that you can't see over.

·      Keep your eyes on where you are going.

·      Test potentially slick areas by tapping your foot on them.

·      Step - Don't jump from vehicles and equipment.

If you find yourself in a situation where you are going to fall, the following tips might help avoid serious injury:

·      Roll with the fall.

·      Relax as much as possible when you begin to fall.

·      Toss the load you are carrying.  Protect yourself instead of the objects being carried.

·      Don't put your arms out in front of you to break your fall.

Finally, when entering buildings, remove snow and water from footwear to prevent creating wet and slippery conditions indoors.

NOT YOUR FATHER'S CANE

Boomers increasingly opt for trekking poles and walking sticks: Jayah Faye Paley started out 15 years ago teaching a smattering of 70-year-old women and others how to use trekking poles to navigate the hills surrounding San Francisco.

Now, the 53-year-old certified trainer from Pacifica, Calif., teaches multiple classes all over the country, including at Yosemite and Rocky Mountain National Park, and at adventure stores, local recreation stores and senior activity centers. Her roster of students has expanded to people in their 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and even 90s.

They want balance, stability and endurance to drive their exercise routine to greater heights — even with inflammatory joints that limit weight-bearing pressure on hips, knees and feet. "Trekking with poles is walking with serious attitude," says Paley, who has sold more than 12,000 copies of her trio of DVDs on using poles for hiking, Nordic walking or basic mobility.

As boomers age and remain active, interest is soaring in trekking poles as well as walking canes and sticks. Sales of the aluminum or carbon variety, sold singular or in pairs at sporting goods stores and websites, increased 21.5 percent to $29.9 million for fiscal 2010,

Support for active lifestyles: The newest technology includes quick, external locks on two sections of the poles that are easy for people with arthritis to operate and easier to adjust for uphill and downhill trails.

Poles enable walkers to go farther along forest trails by spreading their weight onto two lightweight devices, which helps alleviate pressure on fragile hips and knee joints. Senior citizen centers and YMCAs offer classes across the country to teach proper technique.

Heinz Johnson, 82, a hike leader in San Antonio, says he and his wife use aluminum walking sticks on trails. "Lot of value to the poles," says Johnson, who likes the stability that the devices lend for walking over rocks and through small streams on hiking trails.

Courtney Coe of REI.com, an outdoor adventure retailer and hiking tour sponsor, says more than 50 percent of the people who sign up for the company's tours fall into the over-55 crowd. "We don't track who uses trekking poles on our trips; however we recommend trekking poles on just about all of our hiking trips," she says. "People have commented frequently on how helpful the poles are on the tour du Mont Blanc and Everest base camp trek."

Getting a leg up: Older adults have found that walking poles can reduce load-bearing weight on their knees, hips and spine. "They found a very simple tool that with very basic training they could enjoy the outdoors, get exercise and rotate their spine," Paley says. "You are using muscles that support and elongate the spine."

But poles aren't just for hikers. They can also be a godsend to injured weekend athletes. Walter Johnson, 68, of West Palm Beach, Fla., and Highland Park, Mich., found the Nordic-style poles with rubber tips for concrete use kept his exercise regimen active after a painful setback in 2009. "All my muscles atrophied after knee surgery," says Johnson, They helped him walk up to 20 miles a day for two years until his legs healed sufficiently to resume cycling.

"The three things a physical therapist looks at with a client is structure, issues and goals," says Paley, adding that height, weight, adjustability and grip are factors. Specialized poles can accommodate hand arthritis, Parkinson's and inflamed hip abductors.

by: Maureen McDonald | from: AARP Bulletin | June 24, 2011
Source: http://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/info-06-2011/walking-poles-help-boomers-stay-active.html

 

 

UPCOMING EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

Event	Date	Time	Place
Executive Meeting	Mon. Nov. 14	9:00 AM	SEESA
Social Breakfast	Wed. Nov. 23	9:00 AM	SEESA
Christmas (and Grey Cup) Social	Sun. Nov. 27	4:30 PM	Malmo
Executive Meeting	Mon. Jan. 9	9:00 AM	SEESA
Social Breakfast	Wed. Jan. 25	9:00 AM	SEESA
Education and Self Help	Mon. Jan. 30	7:00 PM	SEESA
Executive Meeting	Mon. Feb. 13	9:00 AM	SEESA
Social Breakfast	Wed Feb. 22	9:00 AM	SEESA
Education and Self Help	Mon Feb. 27	7:00 PM	SEESA
Executive Meeting	Mon. Mar. 12	9:00 AM	SEESA
Social Breakfast	Wed. Mar. 21	9:00 AM	SEESA
AGM and Education and Self Help	Mon. Mar. 26	7:00 PM	SEESA

 

Notes: SEESA: (The South East Edmonton Seniors Assoc).            address is 9350 82nd Street, Edmonton

            Malmo: (Malmo Community League)                    address is 11525 48th Avenue Edmonton

            Mazankowski Heart Institute                                 address is 8840112 Street, Edmonton