Research has continually demonstrated that human bodies can gain strength, mobility, cardiovascular capability and endurance throughout our lives including the entire older adult demographic.
While individuals may have physical or medical issues limiting or affecting their movement, those circumstances are not due to their age and can occur at any point during someone’s lifespan.
Unfortunately negative assumptions concerning physical ability in older populations persists and often shows up in age-based titles for fitness classes and other kinds of physical movement events, using words such as “senior” “elderly” “silver” “golden years”.
Though instructors may believe that using age-based titles helps participants choose the correct class for them, do these titles explain what the class is or what physical movements are required?
Wouldn’t adding that information be more helpful than calling a class “senior yoga”?
Does an age-based title convey the idea that being an older adult is directly related to a lack of physical ability?
Or is it a helpful way of grouping those who are the same demographic and who might enjoy being in a community of people like themselves?
What do you think?