Embrace the Burn: Exercise & Aging

A group of older adults are dancing.

Get moving, get sweating, and embrace that burn. All that sweat looks good on you!

In this Community of Innovation podcast episode, Drs. Allison Sekuler and Rosanne Aleong chat with Dr. Jennifer Heisz, Canada Research Chair in Brain Health and Aging and Associate Professor from McMaster University, and Lata Pada, Founder and Artistic Director Emerita of SAMPRADAYA Dance Creations, an award-winning company at the forefront of Indian dance in Canada.

Our guests dive deep into the benefits of exercise and physical movement not only for the body but also for the brain. Hear all about the latest research on how exercise can positively impact older adults and their lived experiences and how physical movement can be a healthy outlet for the body, mind, and spirit.

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Learn more about our guests

Dr. Jennifer Heisz is the Canada Research Chair in Brain Health and Aging, an Associate Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at McMaster University, and Director of the NeuroFit Lab, and an Adjunct Scientist at Baycrest’s Rotman Research Institute, where she also completed her postdoctoral fellowship in brain health after completing her Ph.D. in Cognitive Neuroscience at McMaster’s Psychology Department. Many honours recognize Dr. Heisz’s outstanding contributions to research, including the Early Researcher Award from the Ontario Government and Petro-Canada Young Innovator Award. She is passionate about knowledge translation and has recently authored a book titled Move the Body, Heal the Mind: Overcome Anxiety, Depression and Dementia, and Improve Focus, Creativity, and Sleep.

Lata Pada is the Founder and Artistic Director Emerita of SAMPRADAYA Dance Creations, an award-winning company at the forefront of Indian dance in Canada. She currently is a Special Advisor to the company and has an independent career as a consultant, choreographer, researcher, and mentor. She heads the SAMPRADAYA Dance Academy, Canada’s premiere Bharatanatyam training organization. She holds an MFA in Dance from York University (1996). Lata is a recipient of the Order of Canada (2009), the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, and several other Lifetime Achievement Awards. She has been an active voice for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) artists advocating for equity, inclusion, and a strong presence on Canadian mainstages for over forty-five years.

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