A recent ukactive report, backed by Public Health England, calls for more older Personal Trainers in the fitness industry to make gyms more welcoming for older people and at The Training Room we’re responding by giving extra support and incentives to older students who sign up to our Personal Training course.
New research shows that if one third of inactive over-55s were encouraged to be physically active, £7.67 billion could be saved for the NHS and healthcare system over the next 10 years.
ukactive is the representative body for the physical activity, fitness and health and wellbeing sector. Its recent report
“Reimagining Ageing” calls for an army of older fitness instructors to prove to their peers that you can live not just longer but healthier and better by being more physically active.
The Training Room’s CEO Andrew Powell, said: “As an ex-Army man, and now CEO of a company that trains some of the best Personal Trainers in the UK, I’m delighted to rally to the cause.
“If you’re over 50 and are a keen gym-goer, consider becoming a Personal Trainer. You could turn your passion into a new career and at the same time make a real difference to the health of your community. The wisdom, experience and empathy that older people bring, combined with the skills we teach, make older PTs some of the best in the sector.”
ukactive’s CEO Steven Ward said “The UK’s population is living longer than ever before, but those extra years are increasingly blighted by illness, frailty and immobility.
“Ensuring people are supported to remain active throughout their lives will require a major cultural shift in our perceptions of ageing, and a physical activity sector equipped with the tools to provide a positive experience for everyone who walks through the door.
“A professional and diverse workforce is vital to achieving that aim, as is ensuring it reflects the society we live in and the customers who use our services.”
ukactive’s Reimagining Aging report found that:
- Approximately 38% of people aged over 55 are classed as “inactive,” and sedentary behaviour also becomes more prevalent with age: close to half of people aged 75 – 84 are inactive (48%), alongside nearly three quarters (71%) of people aged 85+
- The decline in health, resilience and independence traditionally associated with growing older is closely tied to a loss of fitness, and declining levels of physical activity
- The physical activity sector has the potential to engage older people to a significantly greater extent than it is today. Among members of public leisure facilities, only one in five are aged over 55 –despite accounting for 36% of the adult population – suggesting that there is more to do to meet the needs of this growing cohort
ukactive says this represents a powerful opportunity for strategic collaboration between government, healthcare, and the public and private sectors to drive a reimagining of what it means to grow older in the UK.
The Training Room is looking forward to taking part in New Directions, a free event that brings together employment, training and volunteering opportunities for the over 50s organised by East Hampshire MP Damian Hinds at Alton College on Friday 26th October and is offering a discount of £250 on all its courses to those attending.
You can also qualify for the discount by calling Amanda Bowman on 07780 110724 and quoting “ALTON”.
If you're interested in attending the event, register here.