News Archives: New Active Aging Fitness Practitioner Certificate
Tuesday, June 21st, 2011
Grande Prairie Regional College is pleased to announce the new Active Aging Fitness Practitioner Certificate. This eight-month program is accessible to a wide range of learners including those already working in the field, and is offered online through eCampusAlberta as well as face-to-face at GPRC Grande Prairie. The ten courses of the program offer vital information for working with older adults in safe and beneficial activities to enhance their fitness, health, and wellness. All courses are presented online in an easy and appealing format that supports learners throughout the world. An Active Aging Fitness Practitioner may anticipate excellent career opportunities in a rapidly growing field with a future: people are living longer, the Baby Boomer generation is moving into its senior years, and there is an increasingly widespread awareness of the link between physical activity and healthy aging. The certificate is being offered in addition to the Fitness Leadership Diploma program. “Entrance requirements for the Active Aging Fitness Practitioner certificate are less exacting than the diploma route,” explains Bethe Goldie, an instructor who has been key to the development of this program. “Most importantly, all of the courses are directly related to the older adults with whome these students plan to work.” Older adults in our region are already benefitting from the skills being taught in the Fitness Leadership program at GPRC, and the accessibility of the Active Aging Fitness Practitioner certificate for more learners will extend those benefits to even more seniors. Letters received recently from residents of Wildrose Manor in Grande Prairie emphasize the importance of practitioners specifically trained to work with the senior population. Comments such as “I am 87 years old, and I sure do enjoy the exercises. For me they are a must,” and “What a difference your exercises made in my flexibility. Continue the good work!” are regularly heard by students and their instructors. “We are very pleased that GPRC has received approval from Advanced Education and Technology to offer this new program,” says Susan Bansgrove, Vice President Academics and Research. “This certificate is responsive to the needs of our learners, and to the needs of the community our graduates will serve. We are confident that providing this training will continue to enhance and enable active aging in our region.” The new Active Aging Fitness Practitioner program was developed jointly with experts, professionals and stakeholders, and approved by Alberta Advanced Education and Technology in June 2011.