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Show 187 THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH The goal of this Fitness Hour with Seniors Integrative Service Project was to connect University of Utah students with the local senior population. This served many purposes, one being to act as a stepping-stone towards breaking the barriers that students have towards the elderly population. By facilitating this interaction between students and seniors, our project will help dissolve stereotypes and biases towards the elderly population. Another one of the main objectives was to provide a safe and fun opportunity for seniors to participate in physical activity. The goal of this is to build relationships in the senior centers between students and seniors as well as between seniors and other seniors in the center. Other goals included helping maintain physical fitness levels and having fun through physi-cal activity. 2011 is the first year that the Baby Boomer generation, those born in 1946-1964, will be turning 65. This large number of seniors will increasingly become more impactful on society. More and more seniors will need exercise programming and my major of Exercise and Sport Science emphasizes promoting physical activity and preventing disability. Not only is this program promoting physical activity, but it also does it in a safe way. Elderly populations are different physiologically from younger groups. Falls and hip fractures are not always common in seniors, but when they do occur, the effects can be devastating. By improving strength and balance, this project helps remove some of the factors that can lead to falls and hip fractures. FITNESS HOUR WITH SENIORS INTEGRATIVE SERVICE PROJECT Michael K. Chen, Katherine G. Hobbs (Janet M. Shaw) Department of Exercise and Sport Science University of Utah service learning scholars Michael K. Chen Katherine G. Hobbs Janet M. Shaw |