This episode highlights a project close to my heart: the Ability, Not Age paper — a collaborative effort by the Ability, Not Age Task Force, a team I brought together through what’s now known as Agents of Movement. Our goal was to challenge ageism in fitness and wellness by rethinking how we label and design programs for older adults.
Too often, classes are defined by age — “Senior Fitness,” “Silver Yoga,” “Older Adult Strength” instead of by ability or interest. We wanted to flip that script and focus on what people can do and want from their movement experiences, regardless of their age.
The result was the Ability, Not Age paper, portions of which were published by the American Society on Aging , soon to be published in the Journal on Active Aging. Our work also earned the Mather Institute Promising Practices Award, a recognition for innovative approaches to serve older adults.
In this episode, you’ll hear from several of the writers who helped bring the paper to life. We’ll explore how the idea emerged, what it represents for the future of our field, and how we can all contribute to creating more inclusive, ability-centered movement spaces.
If you’d like to stay connected or join future conversations like this one, visit agentsofmovement.com or subscribe to the newsletter for updates on events and upcoming discussions.
Listen to past podcast interviews with the authors:
Jojo McDuffie: The Impact of Rock Steady Boxing on Parkinson's
Cheryl Whitelaw: Unlocking Lifelong Movement
Patricia Linderman: Fierce After 45
Jen Winters: From Nursing to Integrative and Functional Nutrition
Holly Benson: Medical Exercise Specialist