These seniors are engaged in an important aspect of their well-being - exercise. There is a program on Kauai, run by the county's office on elderly affairs, that extends the concept of elderly exercise.

It's called Enhance Fitness.

"It's an evidence-based program and by that we mean it's been tested and researched. There's evidence to show the effectiveness for our older adults," says Naomi Sugihara from the Kauai Elderly Affairs Agency.

Any physical activity is good. But Sugihara says the Enhance Fitness program incorporates a number of exercise disciplines.

"We have warm-ups, stretching, cool downs, aerobics, balance exercises are all incorporated into the program and of course balance helps our older adults with fall prevention."

The program also includes strength training to tone aging muscles. And there are practical aspects as well.

"Simple things like - they do exercises like stepping over a log, getting in and out of the tub, so those exercises really have helped them in their everyday life."

Enhance Fitness started in Seattle some years back and recently the national team came to Kauai to check on the program. Sugihara says they were impressed.

"The average age is 80 and it's five years older than the national average so that really caught their attention as well as the ethnic diversity of our seniors."

The program is held three times a week for an hour at a time. Beyond the simple health benefits of the Enhance Fitness program, Sugihara says the social aspect of a group activity is vital to the overall welbeing of the seniors.

"So it's kind of a mind, body, spirit type of program and friendships have developed because of their participation in the program."