AARP Florida Supports Summer Health and Wellness Virtually

In a time of a pandemic, organizations have had to convert to virtual programming. In these hot summer days, AARP Florida is hosting a variety of health and wellness classes geared toward its members that can be done in the comforts of their homes.

For the 50 plus, a demographic deemed more vulnerable to COVID19, staying safely physically distanced remains the ongoing trend. So too are the effects of isolation and back-to-back virtual meetings that can take a toll on those working from home.

“We’ve partnered with Sonya from Q-Wellness because, not only is she a well-qualified instructor, she’s a 28-year U.S. Army Veteran,” said Michelle Cyr, AARP Tampa Bay associate state director of outreach in the Tampa Bay area. “Sonya suffered injury when she served so she’s a great example of how her yoga practice has helped her maintain her current fitness levels and stay active.”

The summer and early fall series kicks off with a Facebook Live seminar Aug. 6 where Quijada goes over the various forms of Yoga she’ll facilitate weekly. Classes include chair yoga, Hatha yoga, yin yoga and iRest Yoga Nidra. All forms are geared toward beginners but all levels are welcome as the classes emphasize the mind-body connection.

“Yoga is all about listening to your body and honoring your limitations without regard about what you used to be able to do, what you want to do or what your classmates are doing,” said Quijada. “If I want to move in my body in my 70s and 80s to live on my own, then I have to consider the long term effects of pushing through the pain.”

Join the AARP Florida Team starting Aug. 13 for a weekly evening series on Thursdays for the next several weeks. Classes are free but people will need to register to receive the class link to join. Register by clicking here.