Dr. Neha Gothe, a Doctor in Kinesiology and Community Health at the University of Illinois Department of Kinesiology, is conducting a research based study on the benefits of Yoga, Stretching-Toning, and Aerobic exercises on brain health. Gothe is the Director of the Exercise Psychology Lab where she explores the bio-psycho-social health benefits of physical activity across the lifespan.
Darice Brooks, who is coordinating the project, is looking for adults between the ages of 55 and 79 who would like to participate in the free 6-month exercise program.
"Each participant will be a part of one of the three groups and earn up to $240," Brooks said. "Along with the $240, participants will get a physical activity tracker and exercise equipment that they will get to keep at the end of the study."
Brooks said the COVID precautions will be observed with all exercise sessions. Participants and staff are required to wear face masks and all exercise spaces will be cleaned and disinfected following University protocol. Group size is limited to just 10 people at a time and everyone will have "adequate space (6ft or more) between them during the in-person exercise sessions". All research staff members are tested 2x a week via the UIUC Shield program.
The project is seeking participants 55–79 years old, right-handed, desire a more active lifestyle, and exercise less than a couple hours a week. Interested adults also must have no past or current diagnosis of cognitive impairment, have no health conditions that may be exacerbated by exercise, will be in the community for the duration of the study as well as have no MRI contraindications.
The project is funded by a grant from the National Institute on Aging and is called "S.A.Y. Exercise". There are three PhD students and two students working towards their masters also working on the project.
For more information click on the flyer below or visit the study's website at http://www.epl.illinois.edu/say-exercise.
That phrase will no doubt echo the feelings around the state after the Illinois High School Association released the schedule high school sports for the remainder of the 2020-21 academic year in Illinois.
The Board of Directors issued the following statement:
"Unprecedented circumstances create extraordinary decisions. The IHSA Board of Directors faced one of the most difficult decisions in the Association’s 100-plus year history today. Please know that we did so with great diligence, empathy, and understanding. There were an immense number of factors that went into today’s decisions. We knew there would be obstacles no matter what we decided. Whether those hurdles included overlapping seasons for multi-sport athletes, equity between sports, preseason acclimatization guidelines, the prioritization of spring sports, facility conflicts for schools, officiating, and that is just naming a few. Please know that each potential roadblock was recognized and given consideration. The IHSA membership, like our state, is incredibly large and diverse. Each Board member brought different concerns to the table that impacted their own school or region differently. There was never going to be a one-size fits all solution to playing 25 sports seasons in a little over four months. What did occur was collaboration and camaraderie. Each Board member may not have been able to have all of their specific concerns addressed, but we worked together to produce a schedule and plan that we believe will work for our student-athletes."
In case you haven't seen it yet, here is the list of the sports along with their start and finish dates.
Americans can expect more immigrants to enter our country in the months and years ahead. Most Americans aren't opposed to more citizens. Many of us are not favorable to undocumented foreigners roaming about our country.
I've been to Mexico and a few other countries. I've always had to show my passport and answer questions when entering another country or coming back to America. It only takes a few minutes.
Many years ago, my sons and I stood in a line of about a hundred people coming back to San Diego from Tijuana, Mexico. We showed our Driver's license back then and came on back into the country. No one even asked for identification when we crossed into Mexico.
I'm happy to see documented immigrants come to America. They will come and they will work. In our area of the country we have a growing population of Hispanic farmers working our farmland. There are Hispanic restaurants popping up in every town. Asian restaurants, nail salons and more are on the increase. The best little food joint in our community is owned by a Hispanic immigrant and his family. They are the hardest working restaurant people I've ever seen.
Immigrants who document and come the legal way to America are coming here for a better life.
They are not coming to sit on their backsides and collect our food stamps, welfare and whatever minimal amount of income they can obtain. Most of them come to help their families, send money back home and to achieve the American dream. They don't come to be poor Americans. Many of these immigrants who are business owners often struggle and pay the price with many hours of hard work to stay open. For most of them, paying their workers $15 an hour will mean less hired labor and more hours of labor for the owners to try to keep their businesses open.
Steve Geis, from our town had this to say recently about his documented grandfather coming to America:
"Over 100 years ago my grandfather immigrated to the U.S. from Germany. He came here via Ellis Island where it was documented where he came from as well as the destination he was going to. He said, "We know the name of the ship he was on, and names of all of its passengers. He and the many others did what was required of them to become legal citizens. Locally, we found copies of his naturalization process. He and most other immigrants did it correctly!"
He added, "I would say welcome to anybody who would follow the procedure and become a fellow citizen of our great country."
America is not opposed to legal immigrants. Most of us are opposed to undocumented people crossing our border illegally. We are opposed to anyone from any nation who might come with any intent to harm our country.
Let's continue to keep America a beautiful country for legal immigrants and a safe, free place for all.
