Charlottesville, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) –  Jane Saltzman, fitness manager at The Center at Belvedere, joined Cville Right Now Live to discuss the importance of staying active as we age. 

Saltzman highlighted how The Center caters specifically to adults aged 50 and older, offering a variety of fitness classes and activities designed to promote everyday mobility and independence. “The idea is you are exercising with your peers,” she explained. “It is a very different situation than if you were in a more public place… It’s more about how you function through the day, each day, how you feel when you wake up in the morning, how those first steps in the morning are very different when you’re post 50.”  

She also emphasized how staying active helps maintain independence later in life. “Keep moving so that you can still, if you have stairs, get up and down the stairs, get in and out of the car, sit down, stand up,” Saltzman said.  

Beyond fitness classes, The Center offers hiking groups, walking clubs, and other off-site activities, all focused on building community and promoting wellness. Saltzman shared that the most rewarding part of her role is hearing how members benefit from these programs. “And the best feedback is when people say they’ve seen a difference or they tripped, but they didn’t fall.  They felt the muscle engagement to protect them, keep them upright,” she noted. 

Saltzman encouraged the community to explore fitness options in the new year, emphasizing that it’s never too late to prioritize movement and health. 

Listen here for the full conversation: