Seniors in the Vogelsberg district: focus on exercise and financial needs!

Seniors in the Vogelsberg district: focus on exercise and financial needs!

At today's meeting of the Senior Citizens' Advisory Council in the Vogelsberg district, which took place on August 11, 2025, two main topics were on the agenda: promoting exercise among seniors and dealing with financial difficulties. Speakers Dominic Günther, exercise coordinator, and Yvonne Steller from debt counseling provided insightful information.

Dominic Günther is committed to the goal of keeping older people active. The project “Exercise in old age – safe in everyday life” not only gets seniors moving, but also increases their safety on the road. The “Exercise in Old Age” lecture series has been running for two years, and this year 22 senior afternoons have already been organized. Particularly noteworthy is the free Pedelec training in the second week of August, which is intended to prepare numerous seniors for the streets.

Become active in everyday life

But that's not all: Günther has announced an exciting campaign for autumn. Seniors are invited to document at least one kilometer every day for a month with a “movement collection card”. This should not only improve fitness, but also promote social contacts.

On the other side of the spectrum is Yvonne Steller with a serious topic. Debt counseling is seeing an increasing number of seniors seeking help because of financial difficulties. Especially in times of rising living costs, it is important to check in good time what expenses are necessary and whether additional benefits can be applied for if the pension is too low. Steller offers free advice that includes information on over-indebtedness and possible regulation procedures.

Safely mobile, even on the Pedelec

The theme of mobility runs through the events for seniors. In Wangen, in the Allgäu, a free Pedelec safety training course will be offered on April 9th. This is organized by the Wangen City Seniors' Council and the ADAC and is aimed specifically at seniors. Here you can familiarize yourself with test Pedelecs and learn how to ride safely in traffic. Such training is on the rise in many cities, such as Bielefeld, Munich and Berlin. The police and traffic guards support many of these events and ensure that the courses are practical and tailored to the needs of older people.

In addition, numerous municipal initiatives in smaller cities offer similar training in cooperation with local bicycle shops or senior citizens' organizations. This creates a wide range of courses that enable seniors to improve their safety on the Pedelecs and increase their mobility. At the same time, individual support is on the agenda in order to better respond to special requirements.

The need for such programs is becoming increasingly clear, because exercise is not only important for health, but also one of the best preventive measures against isolation and loneliness in old age. All those responsible are called upon to find solutions in their communities so that seniors can participate safely and actively in social life.

Further information about e-bike courses and events can be found at Pedali or on the website of City Senior Councilor Wangen. For detailed insights into the movement projects in the Vogelsberg district, read the article Lauterbacher Anzeiger.