At the Y, a supportive community is a big part of wellness. At every age and every level of activity, you’ll find people just like you looking to live a little bit healthier. Many of our most our active participants are 50 years old and older – or as we call them 50 and better! So we decided to embark on a project to change society’s view of aging. We hosted a Gen-All Video Premier Party in September and debuted this video that provides a glimpse of different perspectives on aging from those ages 8 to 82.
Before watching the video, the audience participated in an electronic survey about aging. Among the results:
- 60% did not consider any age to be “old”
- 23% were afraid of getting “old”
Following the video, a panel of those age 17 to 99 shared their personal experiences about again. Both the video, the survey and the panel discussion opened the door for dialogue on how our community can grow from the enrichment of all ages.
At the conclusion of the event, we surveyed everyone again and found their views on aging were positively changed. Among the results:
- 84% did not consider any age to be “old”
- 6% were afraid of getting “old”
The Gen ALL video continues to air at all First Coast YMCA locations, Tiger Academy Charter School classrooms, social media platforms, community centers and other various partner locations throughout Northeast Florida. It has also been recognized by the YMCA of the USA.
