SAINT JOHN, N.B. – Federal funding will help promote senior wellness in Saint John.

The YM-YWCA received $7,000 this morning that will go towards their Outreach Fitness Programs for Seniors, which bring fitness classes to various senior housing complexes in the city.

Howie Robinson is a wellness coordinator at the Saint John Y and believes exercising plays an important role in seniors having a healthy aging process.

“It helps them maintain a higher lifestyle; a better standard of living. It allows you to do things comfortably whenever you want to do them. In doing all this you end up being more flexible, more agile and more capable of doing day to day life. It’s functional.”

The funding is part of the federal government’s New Horizons for Seniors program, which has so funded over 10,000 initiatives across Canada.