The National Kidney Foundation has partnered with the YMCA and others to battle against diabetes and kidney disease.

"It's actually our follow up program, educational program to our free kidney screenings that we do around the state.  This educational program is also free,” said Dawn Pasikala of the National Kidney Foundation.

The once weekly, one month program covers important areas.

"The first one is kidney disease, of course.  The second one would be nutrition, the third one would be physical activity and the fourth, just kind of culminates all of the classes and we actually take them out to a super market,” said Pasikala.

Some of these same participants will be taken to the supermarket to study food labels, learning about what foods are good to eat to battle obesity, diabetes and high cholesterol.  In the meantime, the YMCA offers exercise classes for seniors and others at all levels of fitness.

"So exercise helps this so we designed classes to help them with that and also balance and muscular strength with osteoporosis - it helps with bones and what's really great about the classes we have for the seniors is they hold each other accountable,” said Kathy Lohman of the YMCA.

Lohman says the classes are designed to keep the seniors fit but emphasizes that another important aspect of the classes is to keep the seniors socially active.  Experts agree this is important as we age.

And there is virtually something for everyone.

"We have tai chi for arthritis which is really good for balance for seniors.  Yoga stretch, which they don't have to go down on the mat, they can sit in a chair or do standing poses,” he said.

YMCA

#941-3344  

National Kidney Foundation

#593-1515