Originally published September 19, 2014
By Daniel Perez
UTEP News Service
Anita Haddad had medical and personal circumstances over the past few years that have kept her from being as healthy and independent as she once was. She wants to fix that and believes a new UTEP satellite program will help her achieve her goals.
Haddad was the first applicant for the planned Physical Fitness in the Golden Age exercise program that will open Oct. 7, 2014, at the Gary Del Palacio Recreation Center, 3001 Parkwood Drive on the East side.
The no-nonsense senior is still dealing with the effects from a ruptured brain aneurism five years ago. Her goals are to lose weight, strengthen her legs and improve her balance. She cannot wait to start.
“I decided to sign up (with Golden Age) because I know their people are trained to work with older adults and will individualize programs depending on the person’s needs,” she said. “The timing is perfect. I badly need help getting my strength back.”
Haddad is among a handful of seniors who already have shown interest in the program that was started by Sandor Dorgo, Ph.D., associate professor of kinesiology and the program’s director.
Dorgo created the fitness program at The University of Texas at El Paso in 2006 and has worked with the city for more than a year to create a satellite fitness center that is more accessible for older adults on the growing East Side.
UTEP entered into an interlocal agreement with the City of El Paso earlier this month. The accord began Sept. 9 and will last until May 31, 2015. The new site will provide seniors with a supportive environment where they can work on their strength, health, agility and independence, said Dorgo, an international expert in strength training and conditioning.
The program is open to seniors age 60 and older with a doctor’s note stating they are healthy enough to start an exercise routine. People interested in learning more about it can attend an open house from 8 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Sept. 30, at the Del Palacio center. Participants will have exclusive access to the center for 90-minute classes starting at 6 and 7:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays from Oct. 7 through Dec. 11. The cost will be $60.
Participants will use the center’s equipment – treadmills, stationary bikes and elliptical machines, free weights and weight machines – as well as items transported to the center such as medicine balls and resistance bands. Exercises will be done under the supervision of certified kinesiology graduates and undergraduates doing their fieldwork.
“Our mission is to increase the physical activity and physical function of the region’s older adults,” Dorgo said. “The main benefits to the participants will be access to an age-specific physical fitness program in a conducive environment for older adults with the proper support system provided by experts who will give individualized attention and make individualized modifications at a reasonable price.”
As part of his research, the UTEP professor reviewed the most recent U.S. Census Bureau numbers. He found approximately 170,000 people live in the ZIP codes surrounding the Del Palacio center. About 27,000 are age 60 or older and those numbers are expected to increase. He also referred to studies that showed seniors who exercise their bodies and brains enjoy longer, healthier and more productive lives.
The University’s Center for Civic Engagement, which encourages community-based teaching that enriches student lives, facilitated the establishment of the contract, said Azuri Gonzalez, the Center for Civic Engagement’s director.
“We’re excited to build a partnership that aligns with our mission,” Gonzalez said. “The real-life experience that our students receive will benefit them in their careers. We’re thrilled that this agreement helps meet a key community need, so it’s a win-win for the city and the University.”
Tracy Novak, director of the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, said the city always looks for opportunities to enhance its programs and sees the partnership with UTEP as a way to address a growing need among older adults.
“We were familiar with the success of Dr. Dorgo’s program and of the long-lasting effects the exercises have had on seniors,” Novak said. “We’re excited to see how it will go at the Gary Del Palacio center and see where it grows from there.”
For more information about the program, visit goldenagefitness.utep.edu.