By Robert Doherty
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

Seniorjournal.com states that people 65 and older now represent the fastest-growing category of YMCA membership, which has reached 20.1 million, according to recently released data. As the country’s demographics shift and nearly 78 million baby boomers begin to enter their 60s, fitness programs for older adults are growing rapidly. Finding the right gym can sometimes be a problem—paying too much, not knowing how to use the machines, or even what they do. But for the people at Linden Ponds, those problems don’t exist.

‘Equipment was much better’
"I used to go to the gym at the South Shore hospital. When we moved to Linden Ponds we saw that the equipment was much better, so I decided would do it," says Christina Archibald. "After a while, my husband decided he wanted to do it too—and he has."

What makes the Linden Ponds Fitness Center appealing to the people who live there is its convenient location—just a short walk down the hall. The Fitness Center, which is filled with state-of-the-art equipment, is designed to be less intimidating than many other gyms. And it starts with the staff.

Different than other clubs
"This place is definitely different than other health clubs. We have all the same equipment, but the atmosphere is much more friendly. People have fun in here," say Liz Patton, Linden Ponds’ wellness coordinator.

Two people who would agree with Liz are the Archibalds. "We use the stationary bikes; we do weight-resistance training. There are all kinds of machines here for every part of your body and we do a little of each. It’s been great," says Christina. "We do all kinds of things we thought we could never do and Liz has been a wonderful guide—very enthusiastic and helpful."