The American population is aging rapidly, meaning that more and more people are living longer. Many of these seniors are seeking ways to maintain their health and increase the quality of their lives.
One thing is certain — they must exercise regularly if they wish to age gracefully, keep their independence and maintain a great quality of life.
That’s where Graceful Aging comes in. “Our slogan is ‘Age with grace. Move with confidence,’” says Sarah Brumfield, a Certified Fitness Trainer and the founder of Graceful Aging.
Graceful Aging offers top-quality, in-home training to seniors to help them improve strength, balance and flexibility, to reduce fall risk and to increase longevity.
Serving Mountain Brook, Vestavia, Homewood and Hoover, Graceful Aging provides seniors in with individualized fitness programs they can enjoy in their own homes with professional trainers.
One-on-one sessions with trainers "ensure proper techniques and reduce risk of injury, but also build relationships that improve social and mental well-be-ing," Brumfield says.
“Our programs are individualized based off each client’s health history, current functional status and personal goals.” Following such a personalized program “is essential for living a happy and healthy life," Brumfield says.
Routine fitness can help improve mood and cognitive function and "reduce the onset or frequency of conditions associated with aging, such as heart disease, Type II diabetes and osteoporosis," she says. Brumfield is a certified personal trainer through the International Sports Sciences Association, specializing in senior fitness training, and is a licensed physical therapist assistant.
A Mississippi native, she became a physical therapist in 2005 and began helping seniors to regain their independence following injuries, surgeries and illness. After 15 years of working in the recovery setting, Brumfield shifted her focus and found her true pas-sion – preventative wellness and fall prevention.
“In working with seniors, I learned quickly just how detrimental a single fall could be,” she says. “Even for the fortunate few that do not sustain physical injuries from the first fall, the fear of recurring falls will lead to increased risk of falling. The fear itself can steal the quality of life from the aging adult. With my knowledge and experience, I am confident I can reduce the risk of falls by teaching proper techniques and providing strength, flexibility and balance training.”
A resident of Mountain Brook, Brumfield moved to the Birmingham area with her family in 2019 and opened Graceful Aging in 2021. Birmingham native Michele Smith is also a trainer with Graceful Aging.
A certified personal trainer and corrective exercise specialist through the National Academy of Sports Medicine, Smith has specializations in functional movement training, overall wellness and endurance and strength training. “Don’t wait until you have a decline in function or a fall to make health your priority," Brumfield says. Many Baby Boomers in the Birmingham area are getting that message, Brumfield says.
“Baby Boomers seem to be more health conscious than previous generations,” she says. “They value life-long learning and thrive to stay strong, both mentally and physically.”
Graceful Aging offers one-on-one 50-minute sessions, a monthly hybrid fitness training package, 25-minute add-ons for assisted stretching and mobility and home assessments. All equipment is provided.
For more information, call 601-597-2442 or go to gracefulagingbirmingham.com.
