Sensational Seniors: Seniors Walk To Address Health, Well-Being

By Genoa Barrow | OBSERVER Senior Staff WriterGoing at their own pace, several local seniors have discovered that walking helps them stay active and stay ahead of health issues that often plague older individuals.In South Sacramento, they gather for a senior walking club held at the Sam and Bonnie Pannell Meadowview Community Center several times a week.“We appreciate the exercise and the good vibes,” says community advocate Michelle Martin-Neal, who walks and recruits other older adults to join her.Before retiring as a state worker, Martin-Neal was a member of a walking group with her co-workers. They walked on breaks. Staying fit is a Martin tradition, she says.“My brothers played softball. My dad used to be a boxer. I come from a family that exercises.”Her mother, Ethel Martin, recently celebrated her 90th birthday. The 2023 passing of one of her brothers, Douglas Martin, who was on dialysis, drove home the importance of taking care of one’s health. She encourages another brother, Anthony Martin, to join her for the senior walking outings. Both he and his wife are recent retirees.“I had a job where I was always moving,” Anthony Martin says. “Once you stop, everything slows down.”Experts recommend low-impact activities that are...