Exercise

• Exercise can help to prevent or decrease the symptoms of diseases such as: Coronary Heart Disease, Respiratory Conditions, Arthritis, Hypertension, Diabetes, Osteoporosis
• All exercises are gentle, and everyone can participate
• Led by screened, trained volunteers
• Will improve your ability to participate in activities of daily living
• May help prevent health complications associated with aging
• Can help to maintain independence
• Can broaden your social network
• Convenient! Choose between in-home or group exercise options

There is no cost associated with this service.

The Wellness Active Living Club (WALC) program offers weekly, fun and gentle fitness classes that are led by volunteer Seniors Fitness Instructors in locations throughout Waterloo Region. Classes are held weekly and are one hour in length. However, some sites may last a little longer as there may be a social component before or after the session. 

Our volunteers are certified by the Canadian Centre for Activity and Aging Model, as well as screened through our office.

Locations:

Kitchener:

• 233 Franklin Street
• Benton Street Baptist Church
• St. Paul's Lutheran Church - Bridgeport
• Gresham Place
• St. George’s Forest Hill Anglican Church
• KW Alzheimer Society on Frederick St
• Rockway Garden Apartments, St. Peter’s Lutheran Church
• Highland Baptist Church

Cambridge:

• St. Peter’s Place

Waterloo:

• Waterloo - Kitchener Mennonite Church
• Glen Acres Baptist Church
• Woodland Terrace
• St. Agnes Catholic Church
• First United Church
• St. Agnes Church, Highland Glen, First United Church

Townships:

• Duke Centre (Elmira)
• Breslau Mennonite Church
• Maryhill Firehall
• Bloomingdale

Our FABFIT program, which stands for Functional Ability, Functional Independence Training, matches trained volunteers who will visit clients in their own homes to provide instruction in gentle exercise techniques.

These gentle exercises are designed to help enhance and maintain functional ability and mobility, while decreasing the risk of falls and other preventable home-based injuries. This program is most suited for those who face barriers that prevent them from attending our group exercise option.

Any senior who would like to improve their health and well being, but is unable to participate in other programs due to transportation, health or cost, is welcome.

Everyone can participate - from chair exercises to walking!

Just call the office at (519) 772-8787 to find out more information about our exercise programs - and to find the WALC location closest to you!

WALC classes run from September - Early May.

Meet Bill and Gloria Coats, two of our phenomenal Wellness and Active Living Club volunteers.

Bill and Gloria are 80 and 76 years young, respectively, and have been teaching fitness classes to seniors since first receiving their certification in 1994.

After we retired, says Bill, We were both looking for ways to stay active, both for ourselves and in our communities.

Bill retired from a teaching background and Gloria from nursing, and both realized right away the importance of using what they knew to help people.

Teaching fitness classes was just one of those things that developed over time, that was a perfect fit for both of us.

At the time they were living in St. Jacob's, and began to volunteer with the exercise component of a Living Younger program that was being run by the local YMCA. The program encountered a few changes over the years, being picked up by the VON and then Grand River Hospital before ultimately coming to rest with CSC. Bill and Gloria continued to teach throughout the changes.

Truly a partnership, Bill and Gloria split duties in the class, with Bill often leading the warm up and Gloria leading the aerobics. Each bring their own teaching styles, but both agree that classes are best when taught with a laid back approach and a dose of humour.

We try to encourage everyone to do what they can do, says Gloria. We will be there to keep watch, to make sure everyone is safe, but we don’t push people - we like to see everyone honouring where they are at in their own bodies, doing what they can.

For Bill and Gloria, teaching WALC has been a fun way to spend time together, to meet new people and to continue to be motivated and active.

The thing that you want to watch when you retire is not to become inactive. Do whatever it is that you love to do - and just keep doing it. Don’t become stagnant.

Bill and Gloria certainly have taken their own advice, and have helped countless community members to stretch, bend and twist with care in the process. We thank them for this!

Phil Nyhoff, 61   

I started to come to the Benton Street group oh, for about two years ago now? I came as soon as the course started up! I had some very serious health issues – I had had two heart attacks at that point, and was still smoking. I needed to start really living a healthier, more active lifestyle. WALC really helped.

It is healthy in a lot of ways – you get good fellowship with the other people in your class. I’ve met a lot of great people. There is a gym at the apartment that I use sometimes, but it just isn’t the same.  

 The exercises are always just enough – they can be pretty strenuous sometimes! I guess it all depends on what you put into it. But you can really get a good stretch in, stretch the muscles. And then I’ve found that, over time, you are able to stretch that little bit more.

 I’d recommend WALC classes to any of my friends. It can really get you going! It’s pleasing, it’s something to do every week, and it is good for you.