When Paula Iwanaga retired in 2015, she made it her mission to stay physically active. “Prioritizing health is essential for seniors. Events like this provide opportunities to engage the mind and body for a more satisfying life.”
Celebrated every year on the last Wednesday of May, National Senior Health and Fitness Day is the largest health and wellness movement for seniors to stay healthy and fit. This is Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico’s (BCBSNM) second year collaborating with the City of Albuquerque Department of Senior Affairs as the exclusive event sponsor, bringing over 300 community seniors together to promote healthy living.
During the event, instructors led seniors in low-impact exercises, including yoga and Tai Chi, and BCBSNM’s community partners provided a mini-health fair that included balance tests, fall-prevention activities, medication assessments and wellness information. Seniors were invited to visit the BCBSNM Care Van where they received no-cost flu and Covid vaccinations and glucose and cholesterol testing.
The event also featured a Fitness Q&A with BCBSNM Chief Medical Officer Dr. Latha Raja Shankar, who reminded participants to get at least 150 minutes of moderate activity weekly to prevent illness. She offered participants this advice: “Find an activity you love and make it a regular part of your life because physical activity helps prevent heart disease and certain cancers, reduces blood pressure, improves brain function and prevents falls.”