85-Year-Old Woman Partners With Trainer To Strengthen Bones And Stay Healthy

At 85 years old, Ronnie Laitinen is defying expectations and redefining fitness by training with personal trainer Karina Wait at Life Time in Edina. The cross-generational pairing is a testament to their mutual admiration and shared goals.

“When we train, it just makes my day,” said Wait.

Laitinen, who was diagnosed with osteoporosis, sought out Wait for her expertise in helping older adults.

“I liked Karina's because it included being interested in elderly people, and I thought that would be me,” Laitinen said.

Wait’s passion for working with older generations stems from personal experience.

“My parents adopted my twin brother and I when they were in their 40s, so I already had older parents. So seeing them as I age and they age, it was like, how can I help them age so they can stay around longer for my life,” Wait said.

Osteoporosis, a condition common after menopause, motivated Laitinen to focus on strength training to improve her bone health.

“I was diagnosed with osteoporosis, which really made me mad because I thought I was doing all the right things. I was exercising, I was eating right, but after menopause, it's very common,” Laitinen said.

According to Wait, weightlifting plays a crucial role in managing the disease.

“Putting impact on the bone can help the bone repair,” she explained.

Under Wait’s guidance, Laitinen has taken on new challenges, including lifting a personal best during a recent session.

“I really understand what they're doing is keeping us healthy enough where we're not using the doctors and hospitals as much,” Laitinen said.

For Laitinen, strength training has become a new form of medicine, one rep at a time.