Keeping a healthy attitude

Heather Rawlyk

Friday, Feb. 13, 2004 | 4:32 a.m.

WEEKEND EDITION

Feb. 14 - 15, 2004

Every weekday morning, at 8:30 sharp, a deep voice touched by a New York accent belts out the exercise commands at Carefree Senior Living's clubhouse in Henderson.

For 20 minutes 87-year-old Roslyn "Roz" Drexler leads a group of seniors through a series of stretching exercises and is known to the group as an exercise dynamo.

"Roz does all this, without losing her breath, every day," said participant Norman Kaye. "She's 87 years old and she does this."

Resident Cori Feldman said Drexler's youthful attitude helps change the perception of seniors.

"So many people have a perception of what a senior is," she said. "I hate to be called elderly. I don't tell my age because it's just a number. We are one big happy family here and age doesn't matter. Roz's class keeps energy going."

To Drexler, a retired bookkeeper and receptionist, it's just a part of life.

"I'm very healthy," she said. "And I owe it all to exercise and the way I eat."

Drexler can be a demanding teacher -- she pushes her class, whose members range between ages 60 and 92, to keep going and do what they can.

They do.

A handicapped man holds onto a chair for balance as he bends his body forward to reach for his toes. A blind man does his best to participate in toe lifts, while another man takes a nap on a couch nearby.

After 10 minutes, the group begins to tire out, taking breaks from windmill and breaststroke arm movements.

But Drexler keeps going, shouting commands without any loss of breath.

The 20-minute class ends with five self-hugs and a round of applause for all who participated.

On Friday the group gathered around nearby tables for coffee, Valentine's Day cupcakes and a bit of conversation.

Drexler skips the cupcakes. Exercise and healthy living has been key for her, starting with the high school swim team. Later in life she dabbled in yoga and she still participates in water aerobics.

She started teaching years ago after she moved to Florida.

"I moved to Ft. Lauderdale and a former chiropractor was at our condos teaching the same class," she said. "I went every day. Then one day, he was having hip surgery and asked me to take over. So I did."

Soon after, Drexler took over for good.

"He never came back," she said. "So I took over and taught the class for 20 years. Then I moved to Las Vegas because my son and daughter-in-law moved here and bought a house."

Drexler said the day she moved in she volunteered to teach her "Senior Stretch" class to Carefree Senior Living, 1450 E. Pebble Road.

"I started out with two people in the group," said Drexler, who started the group a year ago. "Now we're up to 20 or 30. The class is growing and growing and more and more are coming in."

Word of mouth has given Drexler's class a reputation for increasing energy and helping out with arthritis.

"I do a lot of the stretches primarily for arthritis," she said. "We do finger bending and stretching that helps out. The exercises also make you feel better and stronger."

Mary Kolpeck, 92, has participated in Drexler's class since it began.

"I've been exercising all of my life," she said. "It makes me feel good."

Kolpeck complimented Drexler as a "wonderful leader."

"She is wonderful and does the class so well," she said. "She gets everyone's attention."

Kaye, who was once the state's poet laureate, said he prefers Drexler's class to any other exercise program he's attended. He used to pay for an exercise class, but said it wasn't as good as Drexler's.

He quit and attends Drexler's class every day and said he has seen the class help everyone who attends.

"They've all done extremely well," he said. "They do what they can, and the class has helped all of them improve their strength and flexibility."

Drexler proudly agrees that she is in shape, but she says she works hard at it.

"I live on the third floor and pay extra for an elevator," she said. "But I've never used it. I run up and down the stairs several times every day."

Drexler said she will be happy to lead the class as long as she can.

"I have a lot of nervous energy," she said. "I enjoy teaching the class and will do it as long as I can. I'm also proud of everyone in the class."

And it looks like Drexler has plenty of classes ahead of her.

"She's never missed a day since she's been here," Kolpeck said. "She's been here every morning, five days a week. She is a great, wonderful teacher."