YMCA Auckland aims to protect seniors from falls

YMCA’s Y-Gold exercise classes for seniors in Auckland have been approved as a Community Group Strength and Balance programme provider.

The Community Group Strength and Balance programme is an Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) initiative developed in partnership with the Ministry of Health and the Health, Safety and Quality Commission in New Zealand.

It is designed to improve leg strength and balance to reduce the risk of falls for those aged over 65.

Harbour Sport is the lead agency for Community Group Strength and Balance in the Auckland and Waitemata District Health Board areas and has partnered with YMCA Auckland to increase the opportunities for older adults to participate in programmes aimed at improving strength and balance in its 11 YMCA centres throughout the city.

Harbour Sport Community Strength and Balance Manager Kerri Moran says one in three people aged 65 or over each year will fall, advising “for people aged 80 and over, the risk increases to one in two.

”There is evidence that community-based exercise programmes, targeted at improving strength and balance in older people can reduce their risk of falls by almost a third.”

YMCA Targeted Health Coordinator Liam Deabill says the Y-Gold programme is very focused on assisting senior people with tailored exercise, adding “the great thing about our programmes is the staged development of exercises.

“It’s not just get in, do it and then go. We spend a lot of time training our people to ensure they know each of their clients well before they start to encourage them in to more advance exercise and movements.”

Deabill says the endorsement as a Community Group Strength and Balance programme provider enables YMCA to reach out and assist more seniors.

He concludes “we already run a solid programme, but the Community Group Strength and Balance endorsement and the link with the DHBs and Harbour Sport will provide more awareness of what we can do.”

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