Getting Older: Fighting the Good Fight

By Our Town Gwinnett Staff

Though one is not actually fighting, but as you age, you’d better have your game face on, because as is often said, “Aging is NOT for the faint of heart!” You must attack aging offensively, or all too quickly you will be playing defense. That said, it is never too late to get healthy! The people who go to the Mountain Park First Baptist Church Wellness Center reclaim their health every day, their “youth renewed like eagles” (Psalm 103:5). It is challenging work to move sometimes, but with friends beside you who are going through the exact same things you are, exercise can actually be enjoyable.

Tucked away behind the Rockbridge Kroger, Mountain Park First Baptist Church Wellness Center attracts people from all over DeKalb and Gwinnett Counties. Though the Wellness Center is open for any age group, because it is only open in the mornings, it caters to the older adult crowd. The Center is run by thirty-five very capable and enthusiastic volunteers. They sacrifice their time and talents to make the community feel at home. It accepts supplementary insurance senior fitness programs like Silver Sneakers, Silver and Fit, and United Health’s ReNew Active for those who are over sixty-five. With these programs, you come for free, so there are no financial barriers. Even if you do not have the insurance coverage or are a younger person, the Center accepts donations.

In fact, a goal of the Wellness Center is to eliminate any barriers to exercising for the aging. There are recumbent and upright bicycles, elliptical machines, treadmills, a soft-impact indoor walking track, and indoor pickleball for all levels. A variety of fitness classes cater to beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. They are taught by a certified personal trainer with a specialty in exercise for older adults and adults with chronic diseases and by another certified instructor who’s been teaching for fourteen years. The most popular classes are Balance for Fall Prevention and Stretching for Flexibility, but low-impact cardio and strength-training classes are also offered. “When I first came to the wellness center,” says Charles Shepherd, “I was using a cane. Not long after that, I got rid of the cane. Now I look forward to going to Balance class.” Charles, who recently celebrated 80 years young, has been coming to the

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