Virtual Event Resources

Welcome to the virtual resources section for National Senior Health & Fitness Day Spring or Fall celebrations, set for Wednesday, May 26th, and Wednesday, October 27th. Here you’ll find a selection of online tools that will help you plan and execute a Senior Day celebration on the Internet with your participants. We have handpicked a group of outstanding websites and tools for you to choose from.

What to choose:

Feel free to pick and choose the things that work best for your participants, as you know them better than we do! Below you’ll see fitness and activity resources, nutrition resources, and more, along with a group of video conferencing services you can sample to see which one best meets your needs.

How to organize:

You can organize your virtual Senior Day any way you would like! We have provided you with a blank template here on our site that you can open and save that will serve as a guide for the resources you select. Simply cut and paste them from this page and you have a road map for your event. You can make things simple and basic, or go all out—your choice!

Fitness and Physical Activity Resources

Sit and Be Fit — a great resource for easy-to-follow exercises designed specifically for older adults. The Sit and Be Fit program was founded by Mary Ann Wilson, RN, and is recognized by the National Council on Aging (NCOA) as a "best practices" program in health promotion and aging. Try this Sit and Be Fit feet exercise with a towel. There are many other great videos available to share on their YouTube channel.

National Institute on Aging — looking for some good exercise videos to share with older adults—virtually? These three hand picked resources are ones you may want to consider for your population. They are easy to follow and appropriate for many older adults.

Exercise Warm Up — specifically created for older adults, this simple warm up is under 5 minutes and easy to follow.

10-Minute Sample Workout — a nice, short workout that only requires a stable chair, towel and hand weights (or other evenly weighted objects).

20-minute Sample Workout for Older Adults — features a warm up; strength, flexibility, and balance exercises; and a cool down.

7 Strength, Balance and Flexibility Exercises — seven simple exercises for older adults that can be completed in under 15 minutes!

4 Lower Body Strength Exercises for Older Adults — 4 lower body strength exercises - back leg raise, side leg raise, chair stand, and toe stand.

6 Upper Body Strength Exercises for Older Adults — 6 upper body strength exercises designed specifically for adults over age 50.

Stand on one foot

CDC / STEADI

Chair Rise Exercise — Recommended exercise for strengthening legs.

How to Get Started With Chair Yoga – from the University of Arkansas

How to Practice Chair Yoga – exercise video from Michigan State University

Tai Chi Warm Ups – exercise video from Michigan State University

Nutrition Resources

Tufts

My Plate for Older Adults — An overview of how older adults can benefit from using MyPlate for Older Adults.

MyPlate for Older Adults information [English PDF | Spanish PDF].

The MyPlate App — Older adults that want to try using their smartphone to meet healthy eating goals can download the MyPlate App from the U.S.D.A.

Tips to Reduce Salt and Sodium — Smart tips from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute on how to lower salt and sodium intake. (PDF)

Choosing Nutrient Dense Foods — This brief video from the National Institute on Aging discusses healthy eating for older adults in terms of food choices.

Here are some nutrition and recipe videos/resources to share with your participants for the virtual event. Simply send them the link!

ChooseMyPlate – Quizzes and a word scramble online, as well as great educational resources for older adults. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

Main site:
https://www.choosemyplate.gov/browse-by-audience/view-all-audiences/adults/older-adults

Quizzes:
https://www.choosemyplate.gov/quiz
(U.S. Department of Agriculture)

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' award-winning eatright.org brings consumers the latest science-based nutrition information. Visit eatright.org for more information, and share these links with older adults for your virtual event.

Overnight Oats — Information on how to make overnight oats — a simple, healthy breakfast option.

Refrigerator Organization — Tips for how to best store foods in your refrigerator to help keep things fresh and healthy.

How to Wash Fruits and Vegetables — Learn more about how to rinse produce properly.

Colorado State University Extension — Nutrition and Aging

Tips for Eating Vegetarian – healthy tips from the U.S. Department of Agriculture

Fall Prevention Resources

National Council on Aging (NCOA)

Making Your Home Falls-Free — Video — NCOA teams up with the American Occupational Therapy Association to demonstrate simple ways to prevent falls at home.

Navigating Outdoor Fall Hazards — Falls prevention information for navigating outdoors, such as getting in and out of the car, and more. Kathy Cameron from the Center for Healthy Aging and Emily Nabors from the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology lead this demonstration.

Falls Free Checkup — 12 Question Quiz

CDC

Stay Independent: Learn more about fall prevention (with quiz)

CDC / STEADI

Stay Independent: Prevent Falls

COVID-19 Resources

Coronavirus.gov – News, information, and updates on the COVID-19 crisis from the CDC, White House, and FEMA.

"Common Questions and Answers About COVID-19 for Older Adults and People with Chronic Health Conditions" is a resource page developed by The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. It offers some tips and helpful hints for older adults that those that care for them.

The Federal Trade Commission — resources for how to avoid scams related to the coronavirus

Centers for Disease Control — details on how to utilize cloth face coverings to help slow the spread of COVID-19, including how to make your own

Miscellaneous

CDC — My Mobility Plan (Tool)

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) — Sunscreen: Test Your Knowledge Quiz

Video Conferencing Services

Click here for a PDF copy of this list of video conferencing services.

Zoom
Cost: Varies, ranges from $15 to 155+
Max # of Participants: 500/webinar, 100 meetings
Format: Livestream/webinar, video conference
Pros: High quality, easy to use
Cons: Time limit, need account or app to use, possible security issues
Click here for helpful information.

YouTube Live
Cost: Free
Max # of Participants: Unlimited
Format: Livestream
Pros: Can be public or private
Cons: Must have YouTube channel to stream, requirements for mobile streaming
Click here for helpful information.

Facebook Live
Cost: Free
Max # of Participants: Unlimited
Format: Livestream
Pros: People can view livestream without having a Facebook account
Cons: Video quality can be slow or less high-res than other platforms, must have account to stream
Click here for helpful information.

Skype Video
Cost: Free
Max # of Participants: 50
Format: Video conference
Pros: Encrypted, offers subtitles
Cons: Must have account
Click here for helpful information.

FreeConferenceCall.com
Cost: Free
Max # of Participants: Up to 1,000
Format: Video conference
Pros: Easy to use
Cons: Audio quality can lag, must sign up for free account
Click here for helpful information.

Tutorials for Videoconferencing and Webinars
Thinking of using Zoom, but not sure your seniors will be able to navigate the platform? Florida State University's Institute for Successful Longevity launched some tools that can help! Feel free to share the following with your participants so they can fully participate in any activities you'll be sharing on that platform for virtual Senior Day:
• How to Create a Zoom Account
• How to Join a Zoom Meeting
• How to Schedule a Zoom Meeting

(Keep in mind that Zoom can also be a good tool for older adults to use to stay connected during this period of increased social distancing.)