September was Falls Prevention Month. At the YMCA of the Suncoast, we offer engaging falls prevention programs, activities and events for our active older adult members to help them increase their self-confidence and sense of achievement while building relationships and celebrating one another’s success and milestones.
For the month, we highlighted HealthySteps for Older Adults fall prevention workshops across the community as well as our EnhanceFitness program, which is an evidence-based group exercise program for older adults that uses simple, easy-to-learn movements, which motivate individuals, particularly those with arthritis to stay active.
Summer Cruff, Vice President of Healthy Living explains more.
“Our current initiative stems from funding from the Administration for Community Living. We are halfway through a three-year funded project: The Florida Falls Prevention Project. We are focused on serving older adults in fall prevention programming across three areas of Florida and five YMCA associations: The Tampa Bay Area YMCA of the Suncoast, the Tampa Metro YMCA and the YMCA of Greater St Petersburg, The Jacksonville Area with the YMCA of Florida's First Coast, and Palm Beach with the YMCA of South Palm Beach County. During the Florida Falls Prevention Project, we have served 13,014 seniors across the five partner YMCAs,” noted Cruff, who has been with the Suncoast Y for 14 years.
“With the large number of older adults living in our communities, we want to do what we can to help them age safely in their own homes. This is a major Suncoast Y priority.”
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Published Friday, September 27, 2024.