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Bone Builders's
newest program is Physical Activity for Inactive Seniors. This 10 week
series is designed to help improve fitness levels for seniors who are
not physically active. Bone Builders and community volunteers work with
local senior centers to provide individual fitness assessment and teach
activities to improve balance to prevent falls, increase endurance and
strength and improve flexibility. Each exercise class includes a mini-lesson
on reducing risks for osteoporosis through good nutrition and physical
activity.
What is the Bone Builders Physical Activity Program for Inactive
Seniors?
The Bone Builders Physical Activity Program (BBPAP) helps seniors move
from "couch potatoes" to "hot potatoes" at local senior
center. The program begins with an individualized fitness assessment developed
by California State University, Fullerton, education on benefits of physical
activity and a signed consent form from participants' health care provider.
Community or senior centers must be active partners in providing the program.
The sessions
include warm-up exercises, postural, stretching flexibility, strength
and balance activities., plus education on osteoporosis prevention, balance,
falls prevention, building physical activity into everyday life, body
mechanics and posture. Classes use weights and exercise bands during the
sessions. Each participant gets a final individualized fitness assessment
that shows improvements and progress. The fitness pre-and post-assessments
are offered free by the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension's
Bone Builders program to each participant.
Click
to Download the Brochure
We are currently accepting Volunteer Applications, through July 26th, 2010, to attend the BBPAP training, planned for August 4th & 5th, 2010, in Maricopa County. Click here for more detailed information.
Areas
of Fitness and Physical Activity in BBPAP Classes
- Flexibility
- Warm-up
exercises, postural, stretching, flexibilitycombing hair, zipping
a back zipper, reaching for a seat belt
- Strength
- walking,
weights and exercise bands, getting out of chair, lifting groceries,
picking up grandchild opening jar lids, moving a box
- Agility
and balance
- stretching,
posture exercise, getting up to answer the phone, avoiding falls,
crossing
the street safely, reaching for things
- Endurance
- walking,
weights and exercise bands, shopping, walking with family, touring,
climbing stairs
Volunteers
Bring Program in Local Centers
- Volunteers
receive training notebook with lesson plans, Bone Builders t-shirt,
exercise band, meals, refreshment breaks, personal fitness assessment,
needed forms and access to class resources, fitness testing in local
communities for seniors
- The University
of Arizona Cooperative Extension supports the fitness assessments and
individualized fitness summarizes.
- During
the day and half train-the-trainer workshop, volunteers learn how to
implement the series, assess senior fitness levels, motivate seniors
for physical activity, keeping fit for life, improving balance, building
healthy bones, and safety issues.
- It expands
and builds on original Bone Builders training
- Volunteers
help seniors gradually improve their level of abilities, live life to
the fullest, to be able to do the things they want to do.
- Registration
fee for BBPAP volunteer training is $75, but scholarships are available.
Contact the UA Cooperative Extension for more information. Call Elizabeth
Schnoll at 602-470-8086 Ext. 324 or email eschnoll@ag.arizona.edu,
to attend the training and to set up a Bone Builders Physical Activity
Program in a Maricopa County center. Contact Linda Block lblock@ag.arizona.edu
for classes in Tucson or Pima County.
Click
to Download the Brochure
Click
to Download the Training Flier
Sponsored
by the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension. Supported by the Virginia
G. Piper Charitable Trust, the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension,
Arizona Department of Health Services, City of Phoenix and other community
partners.
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