The power stick brigade

Every morning, I see older(as in older, I mean atleast 55) people power walking through my neighborhood, carrying a stick. Not a stick from the woods, mind you, but something akin to a weighted bar used for exercises. Is this to beat off the crazies? To add resistence to the workout? I have no idea. But I see it, every day, and they seem awfully happy about it....so it must work, whatever it does.