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Seniors BC

Physical Activity

Promoting Physical Activity

The broad benefits for older people of being moderately active are well documented and associated with improved length and quality of life. All it takes to begin to get the benefits is 10 minutes of physical activity, three times a day.

Physical activity significantly contributes to active aging by maintaining functional ability, enhancing psychological health, preventing and managing chronic diseases, premature death, illness and disability, and improving quality of life and independence. Older people in British Columbia are less likely to engage in enough physical activity to gain health benefits when compared to younger adults. The benefits of physical activity for older adults go beyond the personal benefits and contribute to less need for health care.

To encourage more physical activity among older adults, the Ministry of Health works with partners such as the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association, the Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology, and the BC Seniors Games Society to develop tools and resources, share information, and promote opportunities.

Physical Activity Tools and Resources

ActNow BC promotes healthy living choices to improve the quality of life for all British Columbians. The ActNow BC website has many resources available to support physical activity, healthy eating and tobacco reduction for older people.
  • ActNow BC Seniors’ Community Parks. These Parks provide specialized outdoor recreation equipment designed to improve mobility, coordination and balance for older adults. Parks also foster social interaction through associated amenities provided by municipalities, such as walking paths, public art, benches and community gardens. The following 18 communities have built Parks: Abbotsford, Burnaby, Courtenay, Cranbrook, Dawson Creek, Kamloops, Kelowna, Nanaimo, Nelson, North Cowichan, North Vancouver (District Municipality), Oak Bay, Prince George, Richmond, Sidney, Surrey, Terrace, and Vancouver.

  • ActNow BC Seniors’ Community Parks video vignettes demonstrate how to use the equipment that has been installed in 12 of the 18 parks. These videos serve as a guideline on how to use each piece of equipment, teach proper form and technique, and provide alternate exercises adapted to various levels.

  • Move for Life!, a physical activity DVD for older people, was created through a partnership between the B.C. Recreation and Parks Association and the Ministry of Health. It provides physical activity instruction and tips for older people and demonstrates how physical activity can improve their lives. The DVD is available free of charge to individuals or organizations in British Columbia. Move for Life! can be downloaded from the ActNow BC website, or British Columbians can call the Health and Seniors Information Line at 1-800-465-4911 for a free copy.

  • Fact sheets outlining safe physical activities to address specific health conditions, including arthritis, osteoporosis and heart disease, developed by the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology Health and Fitness Program of British Columbia, can be viewed by visting ActNow BC.