Visually impaired Montreal seniors show their strength

Seniors from the Lethbridge-Layton-Mackay Rehabilitation Centre will be participating in in the BougeBouge Verdun walking marathon on September 15. As the event approaches, they are walking outdoors to prepare for the big day.

“To me, it’s a privilege—a privilege to take part in a marathon,” said Carlyle Smith, a member of the day center.

For Smith, taking part in the event is something he looks forward to.

“We all are blind people, and we enjoy, you know, doing this every year,” he said.

Part of his motivation comes from Eric Parent, a kinesiologist at the day center, who Smith calls ,”his trainer”.

“I had to prepare because I have a trainer. He is so good that I couldn’t resist,” said Smith.

Participants in the walk are 65 and over, all with a visual impairment, and some are completely blind. Members are accompanied by staff and volunteers from the center.

“What’s really very cool about this day program is all these people have such fascinating stories and they’re really fun to hang out with. They have such a great sense of humor and interesting things to say. So, we talk usually for sometimes hours at a time when we’re walking,” said Laurent Holt, a volunteer at the day center.

Participating in this walk helps seniors be outdoors and get moving, something that Parent feels is essential.

“When they come for the day, there is always an hour of exercises held by me, which I tune up the exercise with a long progression to prepare for the Marathon. I offer different exercise sessions in the afternoon to which clients come another day only for those. And like today, we do a practice walk outside here on Concordia’s football field, where they come to walk for two hours to practice for the event,” said Parent.

“By giving this opportunity, not only they walk a distance that you usually never walk because they don’t get that chance. But also, they get celebrated for it. It gives them something to look up for, like a goal on the long term and something to prepare to get ready to do. Last year, we did it also. And seeing the smiles when they reached the finish line, getting that medals, getting called their names by the commentators at the finish line, it was really like a very good sight to see,” he adds.

Participants will be walking at a pace that is comfortable for them.

“They will be participating and walking four different distances. Some will walk one kilometers, two kilometers, five and or ten kilometers,” said Parent.

With Parent on his team, Smith’s hope is continuing to take part in the marathon for years to come.

“I feel like a million dollar man. I hope we do it every year,” said Smith.

The event begins at 7:30 AM at Dock 5160 – Verdun Cultural Centre on September 15. For more information, visit their website.