In the fall of 2023, Suzie Rock tripped on the threshold of her Minneapolis apartment and fell with an arm full of groceries. The door automatically shut and hit Suzie on her left side and hip, causing bruising and pain that lasted a week. “I went to the doctor because it hurt to breathe,” Suzie says. “A slight trip can change a lot.” And it certainly did for Suzie.

According to the CDC, more than one out of four older adults fall each year. With a heightened sense of awareness of the effect that aging is having on her movement, Suzie realized it was necessary to increase her strength, focus on balance and do whatever she could to prevent falling again. “When you’re young, you don’t have to think about these things because your brain and body are strong,” she explains. “Now, I realize I need to focus on what I’m doing and be very intentional with my walking.”

Juniper’s A Matter of Balance class is helping Suzie move beyond a knee replacement, build muscle and have more confidence in her strides. “My doctor said I needed to strengthen my muscles, so I looked for a way to do it. I saw a note about A Matter of Balance on the bulletin board at the senior center and decided to register,” Suzie says. “I don’t drive, so I was grateful that the class was being offered in my apartment building.”

The organization that made it possible for Suzie to take Juniper’s A Matter of Balance class without leaving her building is Normandale Center for Healing & Wholeness. The center has taught the award-winning evidence-based program for more than a decade throughout the southwest metro. As part of a new partnership in 2024, they are expanding outreach by working with the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority. The partnership supports underserved BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) seniors by offering fall prevention education within these communities.

After just a few weeks, Suzie is feeling her leg muscles stretching from the exercises done in class. “Some exercises are done from a seated position, like chair yoga, and some standing up. When we stand up, we use chairs for balance, and we dance with our chairs,” she says. “I feel more confident walking now, and I’m more aware of where my feet are. If I had the leg strength I have now when I fell, I wouldn’t have fallen.”

Suzie was also happy to make some new friends in the class. “I met three ladies, and they all live in my building, so we see each other in the hallways and get together to visit.” Based on her experience, Suzie encourages others to take the A Matter of Balance class. “It’s important to be aware of your walking. The class taught me that my body, muscles and brain need to work together. We can no longer trust our bodies when we get older, so we need to pay more attention to what they’re doing, and if we do, our bodies will naturally tell us how to avoid tripping.”

Juniper’s A Matter of Balance class offers practical strategies for reducing your fear and risk of falling, while helping you build body strength. Learn how you can benefit from A Matter of Balance.