The Healthy Aging Association was incorporated in 2000 as a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. In early 1999, the Stanislaus County Area Aging Agency on Aging contracted with a local certified fitness instructor to design a pilot exercise program for seniors age 60 and over. The result was the formation of Healthy Aging Association's Young At Heart Fitness Classes. All Young at Heart classes are neighborhood based to eliminate the transportation barrier for many community-dwelling older adults. Our Young at Heart program has grown from only 4 class locations to over 30 class locations in Stanislaus County.
Invest in Aging!
|
Our goals are fall and disease prevention to help our community live independently longer. We provide fitness classes, educate on healthy living, physical fitness, and disease prevention.
Falls result in major adverse outcomes in older adults such as injury, institutionalization, and sometimes, even death. One third of community-residing adults over over the age of 65 fall each year (Verghese, Holtzer, Lipton, & Wang, 2009). Costs associated with falls among older adults are one of the 20 most medical conditions and is expected to reach $67.7 billion annually (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012). These alarming estimates have led to the development of fall risk assessments and fall prevention programs, such as Young at Heart Fitness Classes. Our Young at Heart Fitness classes are targeted towards physical frailty and functional fitness. The Young at Heart Fitness Programs can help community dwelling older adults, maintain everyday function and help decrease the risk of falling by increasing/maintaining strength, increasing range of motion with stretching, and improve balance with balance activities. Maintaining strength, flexibility, and balance is important to help individuals stay strong, active, and independent. |
|
Our 2019-2020 Program Overview
Young at Heart Fitness Classes
These classes target physical frailty and functional fitness. They help older adults maintain everyday function and help decrease the risk of falling by increasing or maintaining strength, increasing range of motion and by improving balance. Young at Heart Strength Training is a practice tested intervention that has been shown to reduce the risk of falls. Total participants in the Young at Heart Fitness classes equaled 1,369.
Healthy Aging and Fall Prevention Summit 2019: Held annually on the third Friday in October to provide free health screenings and education to older adults and caregivers.
Save the date for the 18th Annual Healthy Aging and Fall Prevention Virtual Summit October 12-16, 2020 |
Go Green for Seniors, Green Bag: Provides low income seniors, 60 years or older or disabled, a vital resource of nutritional education, light exercise and fresh produce from Second Harvest Food Bank to support healthy aging
A Matter of Balance: An evidence based program designed to reduce the fear of falling and increase the activity level of older adults who have concerns about falls.
Young at Heart S.T.E.P.S.
Senior Tracking Exercise in Perfect Strides Two annual 12-week walking challenges were offered to encourage participants to increase their physical activitiy level. There was no interruption in the Sprint Walking challenge from the COVID-19 pandemic. However, participants were unable to walk in the mall starting in March 2020.
|