According to the North Carolina Roadmap for Healthy Aging, adults who remain physically active and/or exercise on a regular basis experience fewer falls, have a better ability to maintain thinking skills, and tend to remain independent in the community longer than their sedentary peers.  Physical activity and exercise also help individuals to better manage chronic conditions such as arthritis, hypertension and diabetes.

Exercise and physical therapy can address many risk factors that predispose older adults to falling, including lower extremity weakness, generalized deconditioning and poor endurance, musculoskeletal stiffness, slow realction time to balance disturbances adn slow walking speed. Recent research has shown that overall, exercise interventions can reduce the risk of falling by 12% and the number of falls by 19%.

Betty Robertson had heard about the Matter of Balance class and decided to join the group. The MOB group totaled 15 people, and they fast became like family.  They shared coffee, tea and special snacks together… while they learned key strategies to help them stay sure-footed and safer in their own homes. Read more.

As an older adult, regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health. It can prevent many of the health problems that seem to come with age. It also helps your muscles grow stronger so you can keep doing your day-to-day activities without becoming dependent on others. Read more