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Clarence and Ruth Braun, members of the Brock Functional Inclusive Training (Bfit) Centre, speak with Bfit staff member and Brock University PhD candidate Taranjot Kaur Dhillon (right) at the facility’s grand opening on Wednesday, Jan. 24.<\/p><\/div>\n
\u201cSince the institution\u2019s founding 60 years ago, Brock University has been wholly committed to serving its community,\u201d she said. \u201cWe aren\u2019t just in <\/em>this community, we are of<\/em> this community, and the official opening of this world-class centre is evidence of that.\u201d<\/p>\n With nearly 800 active members, Bfit offers a welcoming, accessible and safe space for seniors and people experiencing a variety of health situations to practise physical activity among their peers and with guidance from professional kinesiologists and students studying Kinesiology, Medical Sciences, Recreational Therapy and Gerontology.<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of our members enjoy coming to the facility because they feel like they\u2019re part of a community,\u201d said Deborah O\u2019Leary, Bfit Centre Director and Acting Associate Vice-President, Research, Brock University. \u201cThey make friends with people who have experienced similar life situations, such as a heart attack, cancer or losing a partner, and are inspired by members who make the time to prioritize their fitness and health.\u201d<\/p>\n O\u2019Leary said members enjoy interacting and bonding with Brock students who volunteer with Bfit\u2019s programs through their course curriculum, practicum placements and co-curricular programs such as Med Plus and Fit Link.<\/p>\n \u201cThe intergenerational aspect of Bfit\u2019s programs benefits both our members and students,\u201d she said. \u201cMembers receive support through individualized activity plans and supervision that ensures they are using the equipment and performing exercises correctly, while students have the opportunity to work one-on-one with seniors and people living with injury or disease, which prepares them for future careers in health care.\u201d<\/p>\n Jim Davis found Bfit more than a decade ago when he was looking for a gym that could provide the assistance he needed as a person with cerebral palsy.<\/p>\n “Having the students here has been excellent,\u201d he said. \u201cMy wife and I come here five days a week and stay here for three hours a day and we get all the help we could possibly need.\u201d<\/p>\n Carol Reid has been a Bfit member for 15 years.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s good for me to get me up and out of the house and moving,\u201d she said. \u201cThere are a lot of great people. It\u2019s a very caring community.\u201d<\/p>\n In addition to helping people in Niagara live healthy and active lives and providing students with meaningful experiential learning opportunities, Bfit also contributes to multi-disciplinary research that is advancing the understanding of human health and aging.<\/p>\n During his undergraduate studies, Matthieu Dagenais (BSc \u201916) worked closely with Bfit members to help build their confidence and maintain independence while improving their cardiovascular and muscular fitness, balance and stability. Now as a Bfit staff member and Brock PhD candidate in Applied Health Sciences \u2014 Population and Behavioural Health, Dagenais is conducting research under the supervision of Kinesiology Professor Kimberley Gammage that investigates positive body image and physical activity across the lifespan.<\/p>\n \u201cThrough research at Bfit, members contribute to the training of students and inform studies that help develop new and modify existing programming that aims to improve the health, well-being and quality of life for older adults, including the Bfit members themselves,\u201d he said. \u201cOur lab\u2019s research has led to the enhancement of online fitness programs that promote exercise, social interaction, quality instruction and well-being in diverse populations.\u201d<\/p>\n The positive impact Bfit is making in the local community can also be attributed to its ongoing partnerships with community organizations and the financial support it receives from industry and government.<\/p>\n The Centre\u2019s SeniorFit program is supported by TD Bank Group through the Ready Commitment, and its online exercise programming received a $25,000 boost this past June from the Government of Ontario via the Seniors Community Grant. Bfit also recently received a $30,000 donation from the Rankin Cancer Run to support Active Beyond Cancer, a new group exercise program for people living with cancer.<\/p>\n \u201cBrock University is showing leadership when it comes to ensuring everyone has the opportunity to participate in this province,\u201d said Daisy Wai, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister for Seniors and Accessibilities. \u201cBfit and Brock University\u2019s SeniorFit classes are so important for seniors. The classes and Centre will help more seniors be able to stay fit, healthy and socially connected.\u201d<\/p>\n Bfit\u2019s new space is also possible thanks to the federal, provincial and municipal representatives who championed capital investments for the Canada Summer Games, and the University\u2019s continuing partnerships with the Niagara Region, the City of St. Catharines and the City of Thorold.<\/p>\n For more information on Bfit\u2019s programs and initiatives, visit the Centre\u2019s website at brocku.ca\/bfit<\/a><\/p>\n\n\t