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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Regional Health District honors Brenda Jurich with lifetime award

Brenda Jurich’s eyes tear up as she remembers the four old men – Francis, Norm, Rich and Earl – in her noon aerobics class at the downtown YMCA in the mid-1980s.

Hopping around and maintaining a heart rate of 140 beats per minute wasn’t realistic for these guys. So they marched in place, day after day. Even at age 24, Jurich knew she could do better for the seniors who wanted to exercise but needed something fun and low impact.

“There had to be something better for them,” she said, wiping her eyes. “You never know who’s going to inspire you or impact your life.”

These four men sparked Jurich’s passion for senior fitness, and 30 years later she’s a state leader and national name in the field of fitness and healthy aging.

Last month, the Spokane Regional Health District honored Jurich with the Mary Ann Wilson Lifetime Achievement Award for her dedication to healthy aging, fall prevention and innovative ideas.

The district created the award last year to honor Wilson, the creator of the public television show “Sit and Be Fit” which airs on more than 220 PBS stations. Wilson, a registered nurse, is also a local pioneer for senior fitness.

Jurich, 55, still teaches up to 18 classes a week, mostly at Rockwood Retirement Communities, where she has been the wellness director since 2001.

Her body is now aging, subtly telling her to slow down. Jurich is trying to listen and let other instructors teach classes so she has the energy to do her own workouts – running, biking, hiking with her dog and lifting weights.

As wellness director, Jurich is helping to change the culture in retirement communities from a reactive model – where the facilities are designed to help people once ill or injured – to proactive – where the goal is to keep people healthy and active to avoid injury and illness.

On a recent Tuesday morning, 12 men and women are standing on exercise steps, lifting their right legs high in beat to the classical music. (Later the player eats the “Hooked on Classics” cassette tape, to which Jurich embarrassingly admits she’s still a lot “old school.”)

They are engaging their core muscles and working on balance. The technique is advanced, even for younger fitness students. This group is mostly people in their 80s, with a couple in their 60s and 70s and one 91-year-old woman whom you can’t pick out of the group.

“Part of my goal is to eliminate ageism,” said Jurich, while asking the class to transition into cool-down stretches using black bands.

“Pull, pull, pull, breathe,” Jurich said, while guiding a rotator cuff stretch.

Then she asks the students to close their eyes and balance on one leg. Most of the students are steady, perhaps putting a hand on a chair for a little more guidance. It’s obvious they are dedicated students.

“She’s just wonderful,” Travis Rivers said about Jurich. Rivers started taking the classes about a year ago after moving to Rockwood with his wife.

Jurich grew up playing three sports in high school, and played volleyball (1978-1982) for Eastern Washington University. In 1984, she became the director of health and fitness for the Spokane YMCA. When she first started, there were no “senior” fitness classes in Spokane. Jurich drove to Seattle and took a few classes with a senior focus. She returned and started the YMCA’s first older adult fitness class “Hinges and Twinges.” From there her passion and education grew.

She was a nationally certified YMCA trainer for years, traveling the country. Currently she is a personal trainer and certified medical exercise specialist with American Council on Exercise and is a trainer for the Washington state Stay Active and Independent for Life (SAIL) group. She has taught as an adjunct professor for Spokane Falls Community College, focusing on special considerations in exercise for older adults and written articles for various publications.

At Rockwood, she helped the fitness program achieve national recognition for the Personal Rewards through Involvement, Dedication and Education program, or PRIDE. She also brought diverse fitness programs to the facility such as meditation, Tai Chi and cognition exercises.

Jurich enjoys taking residents on hikes off campus and even taking a van load of residents to Bloomsday.

With the upcoming influx of baby boomers, Jurich anticipates a challenge to meet the needs of the “greatest generation” while satisfying the demands of the boomers.

“I’m really thankful my career has gone the direction it has,” Jurich said. “I get to work and live my passion.”