Living in 21st century America means observing gray headed octogenarians in gyms, health clubs, and community centers lifting weights, stretching with bands, and participating in many kinds of movement classes. The "rocking chair" is now a chair in which older adults are rocking their limbs to maintain mobility, strength, balance and coordination. Here at the Meyer Balser Center, older adults have a multitude of exercise options five days a week.
Two additional afternoon classes were recently added through a gift to the Meyer Balser Center, including a Thursday afternoon PACE exercise class (People with Arthritis Can Exercise). The Balser Center is fortunate to have Helene Gabai, an occupational therapist who is also a certified trainer by the Arthritis Foundation, lead this class from 2:30-3:30pm.
There are three choices to minimizing arthritic pain, through medication, education and exercise. Education and exercise are inexpensive and have no side effects. The ultimate goal for sufferers of inflamed joints is to increase range of motion so that daily living tasks can be performed independently and muscles that support joints can be strengthened. The Arthritis Foundation has developed a one-hour program to specifically target these areas. Those with arthritic conditions are invited to participate in this class in order to develop greater control over joints and movement.
A second T'ai Chi class is now being offered on Tuesday afternoons. Each day in China, hundreds of people of all ages venture outside in unison, moving arms, hands and legs with slow, rhythmic, graceful motions that can hypnotize observers gazing at the fluidity of the human body. Research documents T'ai Chi's ability to increase balance, strength and coordination. Translation: T'ai Chi is can help prevent loss of balance resulting in falls and broken bones that afflict many older adults. The Meyer Balser Center for Healthy Living is indeed standing behind its name in offering classes and programs that promote healthy living for our older Jewish loved ones.
Visitors can always stop by the library and order a book on tape and cassette machine at no charge. Treat yourself to an art class or participate in one of several discussion classes including Spanish, Yiddish, Hebrew, Current Events or Judaic Potpourri. Want to learn how to communicate on the internet? Visit our eight-station computer lab and sign up for a private learning session. Don't forget to keep us in mind if your business or organization has mass mailing jobs that seniors can help to stuff, collate, fold, or label.
Stay healthy, stay busy! It's all here at the Meyer Balser Center for Healthy Living.
The Meyer Balser Center is one of Federation's local beneficiary agencies, and received an allocation of $215,639 in FY04.
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