Keeping Victoria seniors safe through the winter months and beyond

Research shows if you feel less steady on your feet, you might stay at home. Unfortunately, social avoidance and social isolation can also be deadly. COVID hasn’t helped.

These past two years have been difficult for all of us but especially for seniors in our community. Due to social isolation and lack of activity many are less active and more at risk for falls.

We just finished a pilot of a six-week balance class designed to keep seniors fit and upright. 

The youngest participant was 72 years young and the oldest was 93.

The members of this cohort are walking away with new balancing skills, new muscles, and new friends.

“We live in an active community and we want to keep everyone safe into their aging years,” said Sandy Wilson. “We’re all excited about this new program, and of course I’m putting my father into the next course in February!”

The physiotherapist running the program, Thomas Zhou, says participating in group classes like this can lead to fewer falls. 

Thomas said that, “COVID has had a negative impact on the active lifestyles of the seniors in our community.  As a result many people have become more isolated and less active which has resulted in decreased strength and increased fear of falling. This program was created to help empower people to be more active again by making them steadier on their feet.”

Stay the course, and stay steady.

Sandy says that “a lot of high performance athletes seek out physiotherapists to improve performance and prevent injury – really, this is the same reason seniors sign up for this class. As physios, being able to do this prevention work is a joy.” 

We have a new Balance  and Falls Prevention Class starting up in February.