Last Chance for Summer Fun at Osher!

Join us for our last in-person classes and Special Events of the summer before we take a break until fall term. We’re offering the Birth of Rock and Roll with Col. Steve Hall, and Marcie’s Movie Club—now on Mondays AND Tuesdays, with subtitles included, or not! We also have three free Special Events to keep you fit and healthy during the active summer season. Read below to find out how our Osher members improved during our Vivo Fitness classes last winter. Their remarkable improvements in strength, balance, and endurance might surprise you!

Did you know? Our online brochure each term features a handy calendar at the end! Our team of Osher staff carefully creates this calendar to help you schedule your classes. Click the link below, scroll to the bottom, and take a look!

Upcoming Classes

In Person Classes

Marcie's Movie Club

With Marcie Collett

Each week, Marcie's Movie Club will watch and then discuss a film at Salt Lake Film Society's Broadway Centre Cinemas-SLC's home for independent film. Films will be a variety of recently released big-name, independent, documentary, and international titles. The class fee includes a movie ticket each week and free parking validation. If a class must be missed, class members will be offered complimentary tickets to watch the film on their own at another time. Osher members will connect with one another over independent, first-run cinema, as well as with their fellow global citizens through documentary and international films. As Roger Ebert noted, movies are an empathy machine!

Monday, July 7 – with captions, starts today!



Tuesday, July 8 – without captions, starts tomorrow!

From 1:45 to 5:00 pm

Birth of Rock and Roll

With Steve Hall

The melodies often had only three chords, and the lyrics were not always the most socially uplifting, but the music just grabbed you from the first moment you heard it. It was rhythmic, clean, and totally fun to dance to. Growing up with this music was pure joy. We all love the tunes that were popular when we were young, when we first danced with our 7th grade sweetheart, when we went to our first boy-girl party, when we first turned out in pink and black. That music and the stories behind it are forever young. The instructor hopes you find in the Birth of Rock 'n Roll a small portion of the pleasure he found and when the musical art form was taking its first steps.

Tuesday, July 22 at 10:00 am

Special Events: Stay Active and Fit at Osher!

Active & Able with Arthritis

Do your joints ache when you move? Do you want to have more energy? Join us at a gentle exercise class meant for anyone who wants to feel better, even if you do not have arthritis. This free class is offered by Susan Carter, who has a BS in Physical Education and Health from the U, and is a certified Arthritis Fitness Exercise Program (AFEP) and yoga instructor. This class offers a gentle warm up for the joints, followed by movement to enhance balance and coordination, along with cardiovascular and strength exercises, and is open to all fitness levels (attendees can be seated or standing).

Monday, August 11 at 11:00 am – Registration Deadline August 8

FREE Vivo Virtual Event: The Benefits of Strength Training for Life's Journey

Join experts in healthy aging for a FREE one-hour webinar exploring the science of strength training as we age. Learn how staying strong boosts mood, sleep, and memory, and discover key strategies for success, including the role of protein and everyday ways to incorporate strength training into your routine. Each Zoom session features a live interactive demo, followed by a Q&A to address your questions about possibly joining us for Vivo Fitness classes through Osher in a future term!

Vivo Fitness - Phase 1 Study Results Announced: Positive Outcomes for Seniors!

In 2022, Vivo was awarded a National Institute of Health (NIH) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant and partnered with Duke University to assess the feasibility and acceptability of Vivo Fitness for older adults with prediabetes.

Sarcopenia is the progressive loss of muscle mass and strength that occurs with aging, leading to slower movements, decreased strength, and increased risk of falls. On average, adults experience a 30% muscle mass loss between ages 50–70. The good news is that sarcopenia can be managed through resistance training, preserving muscle strength and function.

For older adults with prediabetes, there is an added concern. Through metabolic and physiological changes, aging and insulin resistance can lead to impaired physical function and a progression to type 2 diabetes (T2DM); individuals with T2DM have increased risk for functional disability and mobility limitation.

Last fall, Vivo was pleased to share Phase 1 results at the annual Gerontological Society meeting in Seattle, Washington. Out of the 28 individuals enrolled, 22 (79%) successfully completed the 12-week intervention and 85% of these individuals attended all classes. The impressive results revealed:

• 27% increase in upper body strength (30-sec arm curl)
• 13.5% increase in lower body strength (30-sec chair stand)
• 33% improvement in endurance (2-minute knee raise)

Outcomes for the University of Utah Osher Vivo Winter Program

• 14 members participated in 6 weeks of Vivo
• 24% improvement in balance. Members were able to stand on one leg for 30.7 seconds at the start of Vivo. After 6 weeks, they were able to stand on one leg for 38.2 seconds, indicating an improvement in balance.
• 7% improvement leg strength. Number of chair stands member were able to complete in 30 seconds increased from 14 to 15 over the course of 6 weeks, demonstrating improvement in leg strength.
• 29% improvement in endurance. Number of knee raises members were able to complete in 2 minutes increased from 79 to 102 over the course of 6 weeks.
• 6% improvement in upper body strength. Number of arm curls members were able to complete in 30 seconds increased from 16 to 17 over the course of 6 weeks, demonstrating improved upper body strength.
• High program satisfaction. 100% of members reported being very satisfied with Vivo. Members reported feeling stronger and had better balance. One member said “I've noticed I can get up off of the floor in an easier manner.”

Donate to Help Osher Thrive!

Help Osher thrive! We need your support to keep our Osher Institute thriving. The University of Utah provides administrative support, the Bernard Osher Endowment funds 35%, and 65% comes from your wonderful Osher memberships and tuition. Every dollar helps us create outstanding new courses, support our dedicated instructors, plan exciting special events, grant scholarships, and so much more! Your contribution ensures that Osher can continue to grow, offering 350+ courses each year, building a vibrant community of curious adults, ages 50 and better, who bring a wealth of life experiences to our very special program. Your donations make all the difference, especially to those members who receive generous scholarships to attend our classes. Thank you to all our many wonderful Osher donors!