‘Matter of Balance’ to be offered in Brunswick

Care Connection for Aging Services will offer an eight-session course called “Matter of Balance,” beginning Aug. 6, in Brunswick.
The course, which is geared toward people 60 and older, addresses the issue of falling, a problem that results in serious injuries among seniors every year.
The four-week class will be from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Mondays and Thursdays at Sherry’s Home Cooking, in the Brunswick Senior Center Activity Room. The class was rescheduled from earlier this summer.
The Chariton County Senior Citizens Service Fund will pay $10 of the class fee, and each participant is asked to pay $15 per person to cover material costs.
To register, call instructor Samantha Schnell at 1-800-748-7826.
The class is meant to reduce the fear of falling and to increase activity among older adults. It was developed in accordance with research conducted by Boston University.
The participants will learn:
• To set goals for increasing activity.
• To view falls and the fear of falling as controllable.
• To exercise to create strength and balance.
• To reduce risk factors for falls.
Class participants can expect discussion, problem solving, skill building, assertiveness training, exercises and videos.
Nine of 10 participants in the nationally recognized Matter of Balance program said they are more comfortable talking about the fear of falling, planned to increase exercise, and would recommend the program to others.
Anna Marie Dudte, of Knob Noster, recently took the Matter of Balance course in Warrensburg and recommends it to others.
“I notice as I get older, my balance is getting worse,” said Anna Marie. The 76-year-old has traveled to Africa, China and Russia and remains fit by doing yoga and weight workouts at home with DVDs.
She said the Matter of Balance class taught her new tactics, such as exercises to strengthen ankles and steps to take to improve lighting and to remove fall hazards from the home.
“I enjoyed going to the class and learning anything I can to help stay active,” she said. “I enjoyed meeting new people and getting reacquainted with old friends. Now, I just need to keep up with the exercises.”
Care Connection offers the program as part of its mission to provide resources and services that empower people to create healthy aging experiences.
Three in 10 seniors fall each year, and about 20 percent of those are injured. Falls are a leading cause of injury and death among older people. Falls often happen at home, and many can be prevented.
Care Connection for Aging Services, a non-profit area agency on aging, serves 13 West Central Missouri counties, including Chariton, and operates the Brunswick and Salisbury senior centers. While the agency offers all its services to people 60 and older regardless of their ability to contribute, Care Connection encourages contributions toward the costs of its services.
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