About Sandy Springs reporter. (Sandy Springs, GA) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 2, 2020)
6 | Commentary ■ Our assisted living is accredited for two reasons. You. And your family. e Because having the confidence ® and peace of mind of accreditation * is important. * That’s why The Piedmont at Buckhead is accredited by C ARF International, an independent organization that sets exceedingly high standards for care and service. It’s a lot like an accreditation for a hospital or college. Or a five-star rating for a hotel. So if you’re looking for assisted living services, take a good look at The Piedmont. We think you’ll find that our C ARF accreditation is only one of the many reasons you’ll like what you see. Please join us for a complimentary lunch & tour. Call 404.381.1743 to schedule. It’s a great way to get to know us. PIEDMONT -AT BUCKHEAD Independent & Assisted Living 650 Phipps Boulevard NE • Atlanta, GA ThePiedmontatBuckhead.com 404.381.1743 AN SRG SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY & Facebook.com/TheReporterNewspapers ■ twitter.com/Reporter_News H/or/~k, IChowum Carol Niemi is a marketing consultant who lives on the Dunwoodg-Sandg Springs line and writes about people whose lives inspire others. Contact her at worthknowingnow@gmail.com. Exercise pro takes her fitness students to the water Do you ever wonder why some peo ple seem naturally impervious to ag ing? To find out, I recently spent time with Marlene Colon, a seemingly age less local fitness instructor. If you’ve taken an aerobics or dance-based fit ness class at any of the top fitness clubs in Dunwoody or Sandy Springs during the past 30 years, you’ve prob ably encountered her. Certified in Zumba and LaBlast, both dance-based high-impact forms of exercise, Colon was trained by “Dancing with the Stars” fan favor ite and fitness expert Louis van Ams- tel. She also studied adaptive physical education at Georgia State Universi ty and has worked as a choreographer and performer in local dance produc tions. For years, Colon seemed to be ev erywhere, teaching classes and lead ing demonstrations at local festivals with students of all ages, including one who at age 104 took her chair-based fitness class at an assisted living facility. But years of jumping up and down can take their toll. In 2002, Colon had surgery to replace both hips. She could have legitimately quit the fitness gig right then. But instead she took to the water and got certified in Aqua Zumba. “If I didn’t do water, I wouldn’t be walking,” she said. “I won’t say I have no pain, but I keep moving. They call me the Energizer Bunny.” The next year, her leg muscles had become so strong she was able to cancel planned knee replacement surgery. Now she teaches at a variety of health clubs in the area, including the Marcus Jew ish Community Center of Atlanta, the Concourse Athletic Club and a host of other smaller clubs. Still, as a lifelong swimmer and gym rat who regularly works out with weights, I doubted Aqua Zumba could be much of a workout. So, Colon invited me to take her class at the MJCCA to prove me wrong. Her class of 19 ranged in age from 60-ish to 93. Her deaf student was absent that day, but her student with dementia was there. Her energy and high-powered music quickly got everyone moving according to the best of their ability. You can’t imagine how many ways you can use water resistance to work your muscles. Because she adds special touches to the Aqua Zumba routine, she calls her class Aqua Fusion. In one of her modifications, which she calls Aqua Beat, students use drumsticks to beat on and through the water to hyper tunes such as Queen’s “We Will Rock You.” “The men love it,” she said. She discovered the drumsticks at one of the many fitness conferences she attends and wanted to incorporate them into her class immediately. But fearing the price of $50 a pair would be cost prohibitive for retirees who take the class for free through Silver Sneakers, she decided to make them herself. “I wasn’t going home without stopping at Home Depot to find something I could Correction The December “Worth Knowing” column incorrectly reported the employment of “Georgia Gang” panelist Janelle King. She is vice president of external affairs at Osprey Management and is a contracted government relations officer for MARTA. Marlene Colon.
