Jean Bailey is 102 years old and teaches fitness four times a week. He does it in the Elk Ridge Village Senior Living home for adults, in Omaha, USA, and all his students (there are usually ten of them) are his classmates from the center.
Bailey has been doing it for three years and has no plans to stop. “When I’m old I’ll stop”, he wryly told the Washington Post.
At Elk Ridge, residents can participate in many different physical activities, and their classes are just one of many on offer. The authorities of the residence say they all prefer her for her “extraordinary” outlook on life.
How did you start teaching?
Bailey started teaching gymnastics in 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic started and everyone was in isolation. At that moment, she invited her neighbors to bring their chairs into the hallways to exercise with her.
he did it because he wanted to stay active and because she was always good at motivating people, she told the Post. “I really think if you’re not keeping your mind and body busy, why are you here?” Bailey said.
The residents liked his classes so much that they wanted to have one after another. They started at 9.45am so that everyone could have breakfast.
How are your lessons?
Bailey teaches for 30 minutes on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. All of his lessons begin with a prayer.
According to the Post, Jean has her students do 20 types of stretches for the upper and lower body, with different push-ups of the feet and arms. “He moves absolutely every part of the body, from hands to toes,” Bailey explains in one of his sessions.
She says her lessons have strengthened bonds within the family. “We became very good friends in our apartment,” the teacher said, adding, “Each of us would do something for anyone. We really keep in touch with each other.”
In fact, her classes aren’t just about fitness. They are also moments to share with friends. Jean, when finishing classes or someone’s birthday, often offers meals to her students.
Who is she?
Bailey has lived in Elk Ridge for 14 years, where approximately 145 people currently reside.
Born in 1921, in Wyoming, he grew up in a context of extreme poverty. Because of this, her biological mother gave her to another family when she was only 3 years old.
Raised as an only child, she lived in Iowa and then Nebraska, where she spent most of her life.
After a brief job as a model, in 1942 she married her husband Loren, who died in 1989. For many years she worked as a florist and was a housewife.
With Loren they had three children, Bruce, Pennyrae and Patty, who died at the age of 55 after a serious illness. Currently, she Jean has five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Today, in addition to teaching ad honorem, buy artificial flowers and create bouquets for a retirement home.
The woman explained it healthy eating and physical activity were probably the keys to his longevity:”I think it’s the fact that God is not ready for me. I have to keep busy. I don’t think it’s enough to just sit and watch TV.”
Source: Clarin
Mary Ortiz is a seasoned journalist with a passion for world events. As a writer for News Rebeat, she brings a fresh perspective to the latest global happenings and provides in-depth coverage that offers a deeper understanding of the world around us.