Friendship and fellowship are at the heart of a new falls prevention initiative, which is seeing older people staying active and lowering their risk of falls.

ACC and Sport Canterbury have joined forces to support the development of Approved Community Group Strength and Balance Classes throughout the Canterbury region.

The aim is to help reduce the number of falls in our older population through strength and balance classes. Currently, every year one in three people aged 65 and over injure themselves in a fall. This rises to one in two once you reach 80.

Accredited classes receive the ‘approved strength and balance programme tick’ symbol so people know the class is endorsed.

Steady As You Go (SAYGo) is an exercise and well-being initiative established through Age Concern, which is aimed at helping older adults stay active, improve balance and strength while also providing friendship. SAYGo uses strength and balance exercises with the aid of a chair. There is a mix of standing and seated exercises while walking is also incorporated into the routine.

For Noa Aiono, who has gone from SAYGo participant to Peer Leader at Manse Place in Redwood, she says it has given her confidence within herself and improved her fitness.

“I’ve had friends in a walking group comment about how much more energetic I am compared to this time last year and that gives me a lot of confidence."

For Rosemary Mahon, the weekly class gave her motivation to prioritise her health after she had a fall which injured her neck.

“For me I come for the friendship and I love being part of a group, but having had a fall in Australia, tripping up a step into a bathroom which saw me come home in a neck brace, I knew how important it was to stay active because arthritis can set in so easily.”

Fellow group member Judy Carston says anyone who is eager to give it a go should not be nervous.

“It’s a lot of fun, we’ve all become great friends and we feel more confident and active as a result.”

Photograph Left to Right -

Turia Taylor, Gabrielle Rennie (Rosemary’s Granddaughter), Rosemary Mahony, Sauoa Aiono, Chris Woods, Judy Carson.