Keeping active is important, and Don of Mission who has been married to Joyce for 62 years, knows the importance of participating in physical activity as one ages.

Don participates in chair yoga provided by Mission Community Services and supported by United Way donors through the Seniors Active Aging program.

Made possible through a partnership with the Ministry of Health and the UBC AART team, the program is free for local seniors.

Don, 88, said the program has done a great deal for his balance and flexibility and it relaxes him.

Without the funding by United Way of the Lower Mainland, Raman Narang, Program Coordinator, Social Prescribing with Mission Community Services, doesn’t believe they would be able to provide a program so robust.

Raman also reported, through a United Way story available HERE, that another local senior with COPD approached her following a chair yoga class, saying she no longer requires her puffer or asthma machine since the program helped her with her breathing.

Raman said another local senior with COPD approached her following a chair yoga class, excited to report she no long required her puffer or asthma machine because the class activities helped her immensely with her breathing.