Active adults take advantage of outdoor opportunities

Paula Jones has a cure for the summertime blues: extreme sports.

The 65-year-old retiree joined a group of friends who look for thrills in and around Las Vegas.

"We took the zip line downtown and did the rollercoaster in Primm last year," Jones said. "It's important to not forget how to have fun like you did when you were a kid in the summer. Having a group of people who also like to get out keeps me young."

There are many opportunities for active seniors to get involved in through the summer.

Around the Bend Friends is a hiking club for people 50 and older. Since its inception in the early '90s, the club has grown from a handful of locals to more than 400 members from around the world.

"Snowbirds come in during the fall and spring and we have a dozen or so people who come in two to three times a year from all over - New Jersey, Alaska, Hawaii - just to hike with us," said Chris Dempsey, hike program coordinator for Around the Bend Friends.

Some who come in to the club can only hike a mile or so when they begin. They join to become more active in their golden years.

"I think it certainly expands your life span and activity span to be involved in a club like ours," he said. "We have people pushing 80 that are out there on a regular basis. They are more active and alert than if they were sedentary, sitting and watching TV. Being active does a lot for your life."

The club takes regular hikes and plans more extensive, rigorous hikes throughout the year.

"Our older members, they are still getting around the difficult hikes; they look forward to keeping active," he said. "There are a lot of benefits to staying active. There's also a little bit of social to it that is really important," Dempsey said.

The Around the Bend Friends club hikes 12 months out of the year. From December to February they enjoy hikes in and around the Lake Mead National Recreational Area and in summer they go to Mount Charleston and Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, where the climate is cooler and easier for older climbers.

The club has finished 40 hikes a month since last summer, meeting new people along the way.

"We've brought in a lot of hikers," Dempsey said.  "Not everybody hikes and not everybody hikes all the time, but we have 100 people this year that got 100 miles in, which means they got 20 hikes a year in."

The club encourages its members to stay active outside of hiking, although the hiking is an overall workout for body, mind and spirit.

"Hiking, and hiking with people that are into it, gives you a number of things," Dempsey said. "You get to go to areas that not a lot of people get to see. People aren't going to know where these trails or routes are so by joining a group like this you get to see a lot of things that aren't available if you just look at a travel book. There's a lot of camaraderie. Obviously, from a physical standpoint, you are doing cardio workouts and then there is the scenery. It's all really worth it."

The club fees are $5 to join. Go to www.aroundthebendfriends.com for more information about weekly hikes.

For those who prefer indoor activities, local community centers are vital for active adults, said Roney Fuller, facility director for Centennial Hills Active Adult Center.

"Programs in general are very important as far as keeping seniors active," Fuller said.

The Centennial Hills center was the first to open in the valley as an active adult center rather than a senior center to incorporate wellness within that community.

"When people are (engaged), they are more productive to society, happier, healthier," Fuller said, adding that the center attracts seniors who have not participated in fitness programs before.

"We've got five senior centers in the city of Las Vegas, and in each one of those centers is some type of activity, either weight room, treadmills, bikes and yoga, tai chi, from beginning to more advance and so much more," said Fuller, a 19-year employee of the city of Las Vegas.

Swimming activities tend to be popular among adults 50 and older.

"Water aerobics, lap swimming, any sort of water activity is great for the aging body because you are getting that muscle workout without the pounding," she said.

The centers also offer a physical workout that involves a social aspect.

"Walking groups are also very well received because we bring the outside elements in," Fuller said. "It's a safer environment, and it is climate controlled. We are keeping seniors out of the casinos and giving them something positive and incorporating that heath and wellness part of growing older."

The centers offer the traditional senior activities, such as card playing, quilting, knitting and monthly luncheons to extend its social branch.

"Sitting at home is horrible for you," Fuller said. "The seniors are looking for the traditional as well as a challenge."

In that respect, the city of Las Vegas has introduced technology classes, from Skype to Kindle. The city has partnered with University of Las Vegas, Nevada to extend its technology classes.

"We are becoming so technical, so tech driven, but we are losing that side of the human side and that's what we need and that's what we provide," she said. "That's what it is about, having that sense of community and continuing to be involved in what is happening."

The city of Henderson has a very comprehensive senior services program that includes hosting dozens of classes, events and special activities year round. There is a social line dancing event planned for 5-7:30 p.m. June 29 and again on July 27. It is $5 per person and is for ages 50 and older, hosted at Heritage Park Senior Facility, 300 S. Racetrack Road.

"Our 50-plus patrons enjoy events that have a strong element of social interaction," said Kim Becker, communications and marketing supervisor for the city of Henderson. "This event includes socialization, dancing and refreshments."

This summer the city has 18 excursions planned for trips to Lake Las Vegas, Super Summer Theatre and more.

"Our excursions are very popular and usually fill up very quickly," Becker said.

The price varies depending on the excursion. Patrons can call Heritage Park Senior Facility for details at 267-2950.

The benefits of local parks and recreation are considerable for locals.

"Many seniors are looking for ways to stay fit and active, so low-impact fitness programs like yoga and tai chi are popular options," Becker said. "We also offer a class on fitness room basics, which pairs the participant with a staff member who is a certified personal trainer, so patrons can learn how to properly use the fitness center equipment to develop a workout routine.

"I also think that the social interaction can't be overstated. We have many patrons visit us every day who don't have family in Southern Nevada, so for many of them our staff members and their fellow patrons are really their extended family."

Each center looks forward to its seniors and looks out for them.

"There is a sense of belonging in our facilities and in our programs that is an essential part of a person's well-being and overall happiness," Becker said. "Many seniors will tell you that our facilities are their home away from home."

More than 1,000 people visit Heritage Park Senior Facility each day, plus another 300 or more visit Henderson's Downtown Senior Center.

"This is for a mix of organized classes as well as daily activities like board games, billiards (and) crafts," she said.