Learn practical strategies for reducing your fear of falling, changing your environment to reduce risks and increasing your activity level to prevent falls in this group discussion class.
About the class
This class meets either once a week for eight weeks, or twice a week for four weeks, for two hours. This class is more conversation-based than exercise-based. You’ll learn to:
- View falls and fear of falling as controllable
- Set realistic goals for increasing activity
- Change their environments to reduce risk factors
- Use exercise to increase strength and balance
A Matter of Balance was created with support from the National Institute on Aging. A Matter of Balance Lay Leader Model was developed by a grant from the Administration on Aging (#90AM2780) ©All rights reserved, MaineHealth’s Partnership for Healthy Aging.
“The teachers were excellent. They made everything very clear, treated us with respect and did a great job of answering our questions.”
— A Matter of Balance class participant
Benefits of the class
- Feel comfortable increasing activity and continuing exercising
- Feel more comfortable talking about fear of falling
- Meet new friends
- Provide support and encouragement to your peers
- Become more involved in your community and with your neighbors
Who should take the class
This class is for any adult who fears falling. It is particularly suited for people who:
- Are concerned about falls
- Have had a fall in the past
- Restrict activities because of concerns about falling
- Want to improve flexibility, balance and strength