Welcome to the CCAA Outreach Website!

Why Train with Us?

Because Boomers Value Quality and Experience!

Baby Boomers. The population in Canada is aging. Between 1981 and 2005, the proportion of seniors (65+) in Canada increased from 9.6% to 13.1%. This aging of the Canadian population will accelerate over the next three decades, particularly as individuals from the Baby Boom years of 1946 to 1965 reach the age of 65. The number of seniors in Canada is projected to increase from 4.2 million to 9.8 million between 2005 and 2036, and proportion of seniors is expected to almost double, increasing from 13.2% to 24.5% (StatCan, 2006).

Redefining “Senior”. Boomers have a different outlook on aging then their parents did. They feel young and vibrant and want to continue feeling that way well into their 80s and 90s. This group knows that exercise and healthy living are great ways to combat the effects of aging, and they are looking for physical activity programs and opportunities in the communities where they live. This is great news for fitness professionals and service providers for seniors across the country. Senior fitness instructors and restorative care specialists offer a service to a market that is growing, has time to research the best physical activity options in their communities, has the desire to be involved in high quality programming that is going to make a real difference in their lives, and has the disposable income to pay for it.

Boomer Money Matters. Over the last 27 years, the proportion of seniors with private pensions, RRSPs, and/or CPP/QPP benefits has grown noticeably. The proportion with private pensions and RRSPs has more than doubled between 1980 and 2007 from 29% to 67%. The proportion earning CPP/QPP benefits increased from 50% to 90% during the same period (HRSDC, 2008).

We do one field REALLY REALLY well. The Canadian Centre for Activity and Aging specializes in carrying out research on physical activity and aging, and based on the evidence, designing and implementing exercise programs that are safe and age-appropriate. The Senior Fitness Instructor Course (SFIC) and Restorative Care Education Training (RCET) courses were developed and evaluated by qualified professionals in the field of health sciences, as well as in consultation with the CCAA’s Research Director, Dr. Don Paterson, and his team of research scientists and post graduate students in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Western. 

Leaders in the field. The current CCAA owes much to Dr. Peter Rechnitzer for his early research work at The University of Western Ontario in rehabilitating post-coronary patients with physical activity. David Cunningham joined this work in 1969 and in 1981 a research study called the Retirement Research Study was initiated and provided much information on the exercise training of the elderly. More importantly, this study led to the setting up of a major survey of elderly ages 65 to 85 in London that was called “The Self Paced Walking Study”. This study conducted between1988 and 1990 provided many important reports on the aging and longevity of the elderly. The work of Drs Rechnitzer and Cunningham laid solid foundation for the research that is currently conducted at the CCAA, as well as the physical activity programming that is delivered to older adults on a daily basis.

Former CCAA director, Nancy Ecclestone, co-chaired the development and publishing of the 2003 International Curriculum Guidelines for Preparing Physical Activity Instructors of Older Adults. This paper is a consensus document that outlines each of the major content areas that experts recommend should be included in any entry-level training program with the goal of preparing physical activity instructors to work with older adults. Thirteen countries contributed to the final document. The principles and perspectives of the World Health Organization (WHO) Active Ageing Policy Framework are reflected in this document. Twelve organizations and coalitions endorse the guidelines. CCAA leadership training programs have been developed to meet these guidelines. 

In 2006 the process to inform new Canadian physical activity guidelines was initiated by the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology. Dr. Don Paterson, CCAA Research Director, received funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada, and conducted a systematic review to examine the relationship between physical activity and health in older adults. The new guidelines were launched in January of 2011 in partnership with the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology, and if followed, will play an integral role in reducing the risk of chronic disease, premature mortality, loss of function and disability, and possibly affect some cognitive functions in older adults. These health-related indicators are what Canadian older adults will strive to achieve with the hopes of living an independent and active life well into their 80s and 90s.

References

1. Boyer King, E (2004). Engaging the Aging: Marketing to Europe’s Seniors. Retrieved October 26, 2011 from the brandchannel Website: http://www.brandchannel.com/features_effect.asp?pf_id=228

2. Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) (2008). Financial Security – Retirement Income. Retrieved October 26, 2011 from the HRSDC Website: http://www4.hrsdc.gc.ca/.3ndic.1t.4r@-eng.jsp?iid=27

3. Turcotte, M. and Schellenberg, G. (2006). A portrait of Seniors in Canada. Chapter 1. Demographic trends and the geography of aging. Retrieved October 26, 2011 from the Statistics Canada Website: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/89-519-x/2006001/4122092-eng.htm

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