New Class Focuses on Fall Prevention

Fall Prevention with Andrea Lepcio

8 Week Session meets 2X per week (Mon+Wed) at 10am

Starts Monday, October 23

Fee: $25 for all eight weeks

You can also register by visiting our main office or by phone at (207)276-5039

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in three adults over the age of 65 fall each year. In the largest study to date of the Arthritis Foundation's Tai Chi program, participants showed improvement in pain, fatigue, stiffness, and sense of well-being.

 Tai Chi is a proven practice to prevent falls.

Neighborhood House Health & Fitness Director Andrea Lepcio is offering an eight week class targeted at reducing the risk of falls beginning October 23 and meeting every Monday and Wednesday at 10:00am.

Andrea Lepcio

In Tai Chi, movements are slow, smooth, and continuous. Though, gentle, the practice has been proven to help to strengthen core muscles and the spine. As we practice Tai Chi, we are mindful of when and how we transfer weight with each step, helping to improve mobility, coordination, and balance. Tai Chi is a mind-body practice that invites participants to focus, calm their minds, relax their joints and ligaments, and move smoothly.

 We find that people gain confidence as they practice Tai Chi. A number of studies have shown that fear of falling increases the risk of falling.

 “A growing body of carefully conducted research is building a compelling case for tai chi as an adjunct to standard medical treatment for the prevention and rehabilitation of many conditions commonly associated with age,” says Peter M. Wayne, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and director of the Tai Chi and Mind-Body Research Program at Harvard Medical School’s Osher Research Center.

Each class will include a warm-up and a cool-down. We will learn one or two new movements each lesson, progressively leading to completing the six basic core movements and six advanced extension movements. All movements are performed standing upright. Students may have a chair nearby to assist with balance as needed. The class can also be taken seated; however, for the benefit of preventing falling, it is preferred to learn the movements standing.

Benefits from completing the 8-week program include:

·       Improved balance

·       Increased muscular strength

·       Improved mobility

·       Increased flexibility

·       Improved psychological health

·       Decreased Pain

·       Fall prevention