SOCIAL CONNECTIONS VITAL TO HEALTH
It’s obvious that the Y’s fitness classes promote healthy habits and physical activity, which is shown to improve cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of chronic disease.
What’s not obvious is what happens in those classes aside from the physical fitness: the opportunity to build deep connections with one another and create life-long friendships.
Research is proving that social relationships are vitally important to our health. Friends keep anxiety, depression and isolation at bay.
Strong connections with our peers and regular interactions with caring individuals improves our outlook on life. This is crucial at a time when the suicide rate for older adults in Oregon is higher than the national average and has been since the 1950s, according to a 1997 report from the Oregon Department of Human Resources.
The American Psychological Association stated in 2017 that social isolation and loneliness could be a greater threat to public health than obesity.
“Being connected to others socially is widely considered a fundamental human need — crucial to both well-being and survival,” said Julianne Holt-Lunstad, Ph.D. professor of psychology at Brigham Young University. “Yet an increasing portion of the U.S. population now experiences isolation regularly.“
At the Y, group exercise classes stave off social isolation and loneliness because of the family-like atmosphere: there’s friendly competition, camaraderie, and connection even outside of the workout.
Y members Kathy Pyfer and Barbara Hascall have come to Y fitness classes for 10 years. They are especially fond of the low-impact aerobics class and love to plan times to get together with the rest of their class outside of the workout. As a group, they have hosted brunches and potlucks at each other’s homes. They have also gone on excursions together, visiting the Albany Carousel and the Oregon Garden, going wine tasting and touring the Salem courthouse.
While they have fun and laugh together, they also support each other through the more difficult times in life.
“As people in the class age, they go through different stages of life: losing their spouses or partners, having their kids move away, downsizing homes and retiring. There’s always someone who has already gone through that stage and can help guide and support others during their new transition,” says Y Fitness Instructor Colleen Glick. “They are there for each other through the changes and evolution of aging. It’s truly beautiful to watch.”
Barb Marshall joined low-impact aerobics a year ago when she retired. Even though she is relatively new to the class, Barb has grown extremely close with the group.
“People check in on you here,” says Barb. “They make sure you show up and they make sure you’re alright.”
Barb is happy to have found a core group of friends and a routine she looks forward to now that she is retired.
The Y members in low-impact aerobics are just as close with their long-time instructors, Colleen and Kari, as they are with one another. Kari has been subbing and teaching the class for more than 19 years.
“The relationships that I have with the members in that class are so special. We have such a bond of shared life enjoyment, achievement, support and success,” Kari says. “It brings me such pride knowing that I have helped build an environment where people make friendships and lasting connections.
