North Suburban YMCA's 5th Annual SeniorPalooza Health & Fun Fair Celebrated Older Adults
The North Suburban YMCA hosted their 5th Annual Seniorpalooza, a health and fun fair for older adults, on Wednesday, September 22. This free community event brought together over 200 participants for demonstration classes, presentations, health screenings, gift raffles and educational booths.
The event began with a YMCA Education Series (Y.E.S.) presentation by Illinois Bone & Joint Institute. IBJI Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Sean Sutphen, DO spoke on "Arthritis of the Hip and Knee and How to Stay Healthy and Active as You Age." This kick-off presentation was offered to pre-registration guests, day of drop ins, and virtual zoom participants and was completely filled before the event started.
After the presentation, the Health and Fun Fair, which was open and free to the community, was held in the NSYMCA gym and featured over 35 local senior-focused organizations hosting educational and inspirational booths. In addition, the event offered many health screenings including Balance and Fall Risk Assessments by IBJI Physical Therapist Donna Ishak; Hearing Screenings and Video Otoscopy by Hearing Health Center; and flu shots administered by Walmart.
"I have been to many of these health fairs in the past and this one is by far one of my favorites," said Deerfield resident Jane Cartier. "All the vendors were so engaged and informative and the Y really made an extra effort to make you feel safe and welcome under the circumstances. I have to add too that the Y always makes seniors feel important in the community."
"At first we were on the fence about whether to run it 'live' this year, but with the safety protocols we had in place, we are very happy we did,"states Kim Nyren, director of Community Investment for the NSYMCA. "We had more participation from vendors and guests than expected, so listening to our members' request to have it this year paid off. We also feel that events like these that educate and provide health related services are very important to our adult senior community."
Sponsors of the NSYMCA SeniorPalooza include Illinois Bone and Joint Institute, Northwestern Medicine, Allstate, Wintrust Community Banks, Waterway Carwash, My Personal Bookkeeper, Margolis & Weldon Law, The Northbrook & Glenview Heralds, Verilife, Team Trux/@ Properties, Whitehall of Deerfield, Walmart Pharmacy, Shalom Funeral Services, Ruby's Therapeutic Massage and many more.
"What a great event this year," exclaimed Ashley Delaney of Whitehall of Deerfield, one of the vendors at the event. "We love supporting the Y's efforts in bringing valuable education to this demographic. We were pleasantly surprised at the turnout since this is one of the first health fairs to run since shelter in place. It shows that people want a little normalcy in their lives right now."
For more information about Seniorpalooza or other events at the NSYMCA contact Kim Nyren at knyren@nsymca.org.
About the North Suburban YMCA
The North Suburban YMCA services Northbrook and 14 surrounding communities with programs and tools that help its residents become healthier, more connected, and confident, ensuring that everyone, regardless of age, income, or background, has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive. The NSYMCA focuses on Youth Development, Healthy Living, and Social Responsibility and is a charitable organization, inclusive and welcoming to all in our community. Learn more at www.nsymca.org.