According to the Mather Institute, only 43% of people age 65 to 74 meet the daily recommendations for physical activity.

In this fourth week of National Wellness Month, senior living fitness advisers demonstrate ways to overcome negative beliefs regarding physical activity and provide recommendations on how to motivate healthier habits. Being physically active is associated not only with numerous health benefits, it can even result in greater happiness.

Why do most older adults avoid participating in regular physical activity—even when they know it’s important to their health? Often, the root causes are beliefs about physical activity, individual abilities, and psychosocial barriers such as lack of personal confidence. Givens Communities helps residents overcome obstacles and cater to individual needs, leading to tailored workouts, joining a class, or receiving instruction with a fitness or therapy professional.

Givens Estates in Asheville has four distinct fitness areas provide ample space to accommodate everyone. It features fitness room with rowing machines, treadmills, recumbent bikes, and weight machines, and more than 1,700 square foot yoga and aerobics studio offers classes for all fitness levels.

Givens Highland Farms in Black Mountain provides a variety of wellness and recreational opportunities, with social group activities such as yoga, Tai Chi, line dancing, and strength and stretching classes. Regular programs are hosted by community leaders, experts, and university professors on health and fitness topics. The campus and surrounding community are readily available for biking, hiking and walking.

Givens Gerber Park, an affordable community in south Asheville, offers a fitness center, wellness clinics and health programming, as well as an on-site clinic. There is a Community Nurse, and Resident Services Coordinators, all of whom help residents age well. Staff conducts non-clinical assessments for wellness and social needs, and schedule speakers for health and wellness education.

Givens Great Laurels in Waynesville overlooks Lake Junaluska, which has walkways and quiet kayaking and canoeing. Onsite there is a fitness center, frequent health and wellness programs, a community nurse and resident services coordinators, resident-organized events and programs, and fulfillment of nutritional needs and healthy diet planning in conjunction with MANNA Food Bank.