Last Updated on November 27, 2024
Growing Bolder and Humana are changing the culture of aging with The New 65+! The New 65+ celebrates the stories of older adults who, no matter their age, abilities, opportunities, or challenges, have found their own way to experience joy and live with passion, purpose, and enthusiasm for life. Enjoy this story, then share your own story of how you are powered by passion.
It is never too late to make a change, discover new passions and follow your dreams!
Sheila Agnew McCoy, better known online as “@sheilasfitfiftyplus,” is a positive active aging influencer with hundreds of thousands of followers across all her social media channels. It’s a journey that all started in her mid 60s, when a younger trainer observed how well she was helping her friends improve their wellbeing at the gym.
“I never thought about being a fitness specialist,” McCoy shares. “At 65, I became a certified personal trainer because I saw a gap in training for older adults. Now, I notice how it helps to inspire and to motivate people, and that’s what keeps them going. And that’s changed my life a lot because now I get up every morning and I say, ‘Who can I help? Who can I be of service to? What can I do to help someone else live a healthier life?'”
@sheilasfit50plus How i stay fit at 73? #over60club #over60fitness #fitgrandma #grandmasoftiktok #resistancebandworkout #flyageless ♬ original sound – Sheila A
McCoy has changed millions of lives thanks to her viral, upbeat, inspirational videos on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube. At first glance it may seem like an easy path to internet fame, but the reality is far from that for McCoy, who was diagnosed with cancer just over a year after her fitness journey began.
“My clients were so supportive when I was going through my surgery, which was a lumpectomy and radiation. They would call me. They would check on me. And when I came back, they made me feel so good. When I walked in the door, the gym was really excited to see me. People made me feel like I had value and feel like I was important, and feel like I was doing something good in their lives. So that was a great experience that I had people that were supportive like that,” McCoy told Growing Bolder.
Her battle with cancer emphasized the importance of prehabilitation that she now shares with her growing audience online.
“Preventive care is the best thing that we can do,” Sheila says. “Don’t be discouraged if that’s something that you haven’t done in life, because you can always could start at any age. Start caring about yourself. If we focus on that, we are able to handle some of these physical challenges that can come with age.
For her example as a passionate, inspiratonal and motivational example of healthy and happy aging, Humana and Growing Bolder shared her story as part of “The New 65+“, a stereotype-smashing campaign that celebrates older adults who have found their own way to experience joy and live with passion, purpose, and enthusiasm for life.
To meet more inspirational members of The New 65+, and share your own photo and story, by visiting GrowingBolder.com/New65Plus .
