BoomerAge Duluth promotes active aging, connection

from The Woman Today October 2020

MASKS YOU CAN LOVE E

By Abigail Blonigen

Eating right and staying active are often what comes to mind when considering what it means to have a healthy lifestyle. However, another crucial aspect to a healthy life — brought to light by the isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic — is human connection and social interaction.

Judy Gordon started the group BoomerAge Duluth in 2014, about a year after her husband passed away. She was looking for people her age who shared the same active lifestyle and enjoyed being outdoors.

“I didn’t want to go hiking in the woods by myself,” she said.

Gordon searched the online event platform Meetup for an outdoorsy group, but didn’t find one in the area that did the type of activities she wanted to do, so she decided to create her own.

She made the group age specific so it would be an opportunity for baby boomers to connect and to show the community would accommodate differing levels of ability.

“BoomerAge was formed to bring together adults over the age of 50 interested in getting and staying physically fit and to promote the concept of active aging,” reads their Meetup page. “We are committed to improving the quality of life for a new generation of seniors.”

Gordon chose Meetup as a platform because it makes it easy for members to post an event without having to call several friends to get a group together.

“If you’re looking for someone to go for a hike, walk or paddle with, you don’t have to call five friends to see who wants to go with. You can just throw it out there and whoever wants to do it can join you,” said Gordon.

The fitness group grew quickly at first, and has been a consistent community for several years. There are currently 52 members on the Meetup site, with about 15 people making up the core group, ages ranging from 60 to 75.

Gordon attributes the success of BoomerAge to members taking on the initiative to host meetups. Because the responsibility of organizing events is shared, “BoomerAge has provided a full calendar of fitness activities for members including but not limited to: hiking, walking, biking, tennis, and pickleball, skiing, skating, rock climbing, snowshoeing and dancing” since its inception, according to their page.

“Each one of us has a niche for some kind of fitness,” said Michelle Stebbins, another member of the group. Stebbins was injured at the age of 40, resulting in several surgeries and mobility restrictions.

“I joined BoomerAge and it totally got me back up and on my feet,” she said.

Now in her 60s, Stebbins has been a member of the group for about five years, with her niche being adaptive fitness.

“I would say, ‘Okay you guys are doing eight miles. I’m not sure I’m up to that yet, but at what point can I meet you?’ So instead of saying I can’t do that, I say what can I do?” said Stebbins.

Stebbins recalled a kayaking trip where she was partnered with a woman who had a visual impairment and could not drive. Due to Stebbins’ knee and back problems, she cannot lift a kayak.

“I drive her car, and she lifts my kayak. Instead of saying no, we just figure out how to do it,” she said.

Because the group is age specific, members are accommodating and understanding of each others’ limits.

“In the years since we’ve started, we’ve gotten older,” said Gordon. “A number of us have had hip surgeries — I’ve had hip surgery and shoulder surgery — o we’re not quite as eager to do as much as we did before, but we’re trying to stay active and healthy.”

Both Gordon and Stebbins emphasized how important it is to have a community geared toward physical activity, for camaraderie, accountability and just plain fun.

“It’s all about endorphins, in my opinion,” said Stebbins, who has been able to manage her chronic pain through exercise.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, BoomerAge has shifted some of their events, as many of the members are considered to be at higher risk. Their weekly current events group has moved from Valentini’s to Zoom, which has actually allowed more people to participate.

Fortunately, most of the group’s events are outside, but they’ve been mindful to cap attendance at 10 people, masking and social distancing as appropriate. Gordon has also been teaching Zumba classes via Facebook live once or twice a week as a means for people to get active while staying at home.

BoomerAge is always looking for new members, especially those who are willing to host meetups. One can join by making a profile on meetup.com, searching for BoomerAge Duluth, and requesting to join. There is a $15 per year membership fee to pay for the organizer cost of hosting the site, but creating a profile is free.

For those who are interested in incorporating more physical activity in their lives but are unsure where to start, Gordon said, “I would tell people to walk at least a little every day. I would suggest that they try combining fitness with their social activities. Instead of just going out to eat or drink with friends, go for a walk together first, and then go out to eat or drink.”

Stebbins echoed the social aspect of exercise.

“Find someone to join you. Motivation is contagious,” she said. D

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