Health

Feeling Fit Club: All Gain Means Less Pain

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For some older adults, San Diego County’s Feeling Fit Clubs can be a place to get a little exercise and socialize with fellow seniors. But for some, like Ruby Griffin, the exercise classes are literally transformational and vital to their quality of life.

Griffin, who turns 69 later this month, has completely turned her life around after discovering the exercise classes held three times a week at the Gary and Mary West Center in downtown San Diego.

“I’ve been coming here for four years and I’ve lost 75 pounds, so the exercise is good for me,” she said. “The exercise keeps me from being in pain.”

She used to suffer from knee and back pain, and it was a struggle to even walk before she stopped by the center one day inquiring about exercise classes. She credits instructor Patty Frisby with helping her to turn her life around.

“Since I’ve been in here Patty has taught me to take care of myself. It’s not just exercise; it’s taking care of the whole body – your mind, your spirit,” she said. “She works on all of that with us and I really enjoy it.”

Griffin said the club is like a family and it keeps her from being depressed and down because of the energy level and new friends she’s been able to meet. There are about 25 regular participants every class.

Griffin probably feels like a youngster as well. Her friend and fellow Feeling Fit Club participant is 96-year-old Agnes Haddox. Haddox can do all the same exercises the youngest members of the club, which is for older adults over 60 years old.

“I’ve been coming here for about two years after I heard about it from my neighbors,” she said. “I grew up chasing jackrabbits so I always concentrated on speed and strength, but Patty has taught me alignment and posture as well and I can do so much more now.”

The goals of the club are to offer a safe and comfortable environment for older adults to develop and maintain their physical fitness. The program was started 15 years ago and is led by exercise physiologist Gretchen Vurbeff. Some classes have grown to as many as 60 participants.

The hope is older adults will be able to have better balance, have fewer falls, increased strength and be more resistant to chronic illnesses. The program also encourages social interaction, builds self-esteem and provides health and fitness education.

“An older adult joining the Feeling Fit Club can expect to improve their strength, endurance, balance and flexibility while socializing with others in a fun environment,” said Kari Carmody, a health promotion manager with AIS. “Staying socially active is beneficial for mood, memory, and being connected which are all important aspects of staying engaged as we age.”

Lily Chu, 62, says she has never been healthier her entire life. She was born premature and was a skinny youngster. She recently wrote a column for a Chinese magazine about her experience joining the Feeling Fit Club and encouraging others to participate.

“I feel I have more energy and I’m brighter,” she said. In fact, “the world’s brighter and I’m more cheerful since coming here.”

The San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency’s Aging and Independence Services has Feeling Fit Clubs at nearly three dozen locations across the region. The newest classes began this week at the Otay Recreation Center, 3554 Main Street in Chula Vista and will meet on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 to 10 a.m.

A Feeling Fit Club program can also be seen twice a day on County News Center TV. CNC TV can be found on Time Warner Cable channel 85, Cox Cable channel 19 or 24 and Uverse channel 99 or you can watch online.

Tom Christensen is a communications specialist with the County of San Diego Communications Office. Contact