International Council on Active Aging
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ICAA to power Facilities and Services Locator for AARP
Online directory will heighten awareness of wellness and fitness facilities and services that serve adults 50-plus
Vancouver, BC ; January 12, 2010— Staying active as we age is important to preserving independence and maintaining health, well-being and quality of life. To support healthier aging, the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA), a professional association that has been leading, connecting and defining the active-aging industry since 2001, is teaming up with AARP, a nonprofit membership organization that serves 40 million Americans 50-plus, to increase awareness of and access to age-friendly wellness and fitness centers and services. As part of this effort, AARP will promote the online ICAA Facilities and Services Locator on its website. ICAA, in turn, will expand its Locator listings to include AARP Service Providers with relevant offerings, making this tool even more helpful to users.
ICAA’s easy-to-use online directory features wellness and fitness settings (centers, clubs and residential communities), and community programs that can help people 50-plus achieve a more active lifestyle. Individuals can use a clickable map or search by facility type and location to find those facilities or services in North America that meet their specific needs. A hyperlink on the AARP website will take visitors to the Facilities and Services Locator on the ICAA site to start. Eventually the Locator, powered by ICAA, will be available on the AARP site itself.
“We are excited to support our ongoing relationship with AARP by heightening awareness of those wellness and fitness facilities and services that are committed to serving adults 50-plus,” says Colin Milner, ICAA’s CEO. “Many adults in this age group want to become more physically active, because they know it is a foundation for staying healthy and continuing to lead a full life as they age. However, the 50-plus population has wide-ranging needs and abilities when it comes to wellness and fitness,” Milner explains. “That’s why welcoming environments, appropriate programs and equipment, and knowledgeable professionals are so important to their success.” He adds that this new effort by ICAA and AARP “will help more individuals find the kind of facilities and services that will support their living a healthier, more active life.” Milner urges age-friendly wellness and fitness organizations
that are not yet listed on the Locator to take this opportunity to enroll their facilities or services, and let people in their communities know about what they provide.
“Many older adults want to find community programs or facilities that could help them be more active, but they don’t know where to find them. By teaming up with ICAA to promote a locator tool, we hope to reduce a potential barrier to exercise.” Cheryl Matheis, AARP Senior Vice President of Health Strategies.
The ICAA Facilities and Services Locator was created in 2004 as part of the association’s relationship with the American Academy of Family Physicians, which represents more than 94,000 physicians and medical students across the United States. The Locator was originally developed to provide adults 50+, as well as their physicians and family members, with a tool they could use to locate suitable wellness and fitness facilities. Among the supporting materials provided are checklists to help individuals select an age-friendly facility or personal trainer, as well as a physician’s toolkit about exercise and aging.
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About the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA)
ICAA is the world’s largest membership association dedicated to changing the way we age by uniting professionals in the retirement, assisted living, recreation, fitness, rehabilitation and wellness fields. These professionals develop wellness and fitness facilities and services for the growing population of adults ages 50 and older. The council supports its members with education, information, resources and tools, so they can achieve optimal success with this market. As an active-aging educator and advocate, ICAA has advised numerous organizations and governmental bodies, including the US Administration on Aging, the National Institute on Aging (one of the US National Institutes of Health), the US Department of Health and Human Services, Canada ’s Special Senate Committee on Aging, and the British Columbia ministries of Health, and Healthy Living and Sport.
For interviews or more information about ICAA, the ICAA Facilities and Services Locator, or aging-related issues, contact:
Colin Milner, CEO, International Council on Active Aging
Toll-free: 1-866-335-9777 (North America only)
Telephone: 604-734-4466; cell: 604-763-4595
Email: colinmilner@icaa.cc
