Seniors flock to get fit with program’s help

The State Government’s SilverSport program has been met with enthusiasm by seniors in the City of Kwinana since it was introduced earlier this year.

The program, which enables residents over the age of 60 to participate in fitness activities without the financial stress, now has more than 200 applicants.

Kwinana has 14 registered SilverSport providers catering to participants with an average age of 73.

The most popular activity is swimming, with 63 of 224 participants indicating that as the reason why they joined.

Bowls is also extremely popular.

Statewide, the oldest applicant for the program is turning 95, while in the oldest in Kwinana is swimming enthusiast and 88-year-old Medina resident, Maria Lazic.

Lazic heads to the Kwinana Requatic Centre every Thursday to participate in a specialised aqua class with a physiotherapist.

She has been coming to the pool for 16 years and said swimming helped her emotionally and physically.

“I don’t like to be cooped up and I like being able to socialise and keep fit,” she said.

“The SilverSport program has made a real difference in the cost for me as well.”