Benson Center Offers Mental & Physical Growth

The event calendar at the Clinton Senior Center lists “Exercise with Bobbie” as one of the Center’s activities on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 10 to 11 A.M. It is an Enhanced Fitness course that has been led by former Physical Education teacher Bobbie Steinhauser for the past 14 years. It is helping to keep senior citizens moving, improving in mind, body and social interaction.
“I taught physical education at rural schools in the area for 40 years, and also served as a principal and superintendent,” said Steinhauser. “Then I retired and was enjoying myself when I read an article in the paper about the need for a volunteer leader for Enhanced Fitness at the Clinton Senior Center. I knew that it is hard for one person (like myself) to have the motivation to exercise, but if I led a class like this I would have to exercise again.”
Steinhauser underwent a three-day training session in order to teach the class, and to prepare herself to have class members move every muscle in the body. Her classes include a 10-minute warm up when they do simple things to get moving. Then, there are 20 minutes of cardio, and 20 minutes of stretching. Steinhauser said that they don’t do jumping, because that is not good for most seniors.
“Before COVID, we had up to 30 people in the classes,” said Steinhauser. “We had fun talking and exercising without realizing that we were working, because of the social contact. With the arrival of COVID we continued the classes, but did them virtually through Zoom. The attendance dropped to about 8 to 10, because many people did not have good internet at their homes, or they didn’t have the skills to connect to Zoom. We are now back in the Senior Center, but still offer the virtual option. There is even one member of the class who is in Canada and I wouldn’t want to lose her if we gave up virtual classes.”
Steinhauser said that each person has a chair available if it is needed for rest or if someone is off balance. She said that some of the exercises require that one foot be off the floor. The exercises practiced are good for balance, coordination, and endurance. They also keep people with arthritis moving. Steinhauser said that even some of the class members in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease have seemed to be reversing or slowing some of the symptoms.
“I have had several class participants in their 90s, but I remember one in particular who was 93, and came in to class with a walker,” said Steinhauser. “His 60-year-old wife brought him in because he had been in the hospital and didn’t seem to be improving in his movement. He became my ‘poster child.’ Within six months he put his walker away, didn’t have a cane and started coming to class early to help set up chairs. When his wife told me he was still having trouble lifting his arm, I remembered that he loved to eat cupcakes that she baked and put on the counter for him. I told her to put them on top of the refrigerator so he would have to reach for them. After that, he got better motion in his arm.”
Steinhauser said that she is always looking for more class members, and those interested in the virtual route can call the Clinton Senior Center to get on a list so Care Connection can connect them. She said that there is another volunteer who is capable of taking over a class if necessary, but other volunteer class leaders are also welcome.
The Clinton Senior Center is sponsored by Care Connection for Aging Services. The Center is located at 970 E. Sedalia Avenue, and can be reached by phone at 660-885-3482.