PHD seeking fitness instructors for ‘Fit and Fall Proof’

The Panhandle Health District is seeking instructors for its free Fit and Fall Proof exercise program.

The program is completely volunteer-led, said Gary Patterson, Fit and Fall Proof program coordinator at the Panhandle Health District.

Classes are targeted at those 65 years and older, but are open to anyone. Participants practice exercises that target balance, mobility, flexibility and strength, thus lessening the chance of falls.

To become an instructor, volunteers are generally required to take one full session of the Fit and Fall classes, Patterson said.

Currently, two classes operate in Bonner County — one at the Priest River Senior Center on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 9 a.m., and the other at Cedar Hills Church in the Sandpoint area on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11 a.m.

Recently, Patterson was able to purchase pedometers through a AAA grant. Pedometers were distributed to local groups with the goal of walking 14,000 steps per week.

“I wanted to make it so people who weren’t that active or had challenges in mobility [could still do it],” he said.

After tallying the results over three months, the total number of miles would reach from here to New Zealand, he said, with roughly 50 participants.

Instructors are required to offer at least two classes a week, and classes must be offered at least three out of four quarters during the year, Patterson said.

Before teaching their own classes, instructors learn skills for connecting with and communicating with participants. Learning how to watch for challenges participants may encounter, and correct them in the class is important, he said.

“It’s about trying to help people, and [instructors are] watching them as they’re trying to do these exercises,” he said. “[Without proper instruction], they end up doing it wrong because the instructor never corrected them.”

In the past year, he said, almost all of the classes were at some point canceled due to COVID-19 with the exception of two small communities with large areas to practice while socially distanced.

Now, all the classes are open again, although the number of participants allowed may vary depending on location size. Some classes are pushing upward of 20 participants.

“That’s one of the reasons it would be nice to get several more sites going,” Patterson said.

The fitness classes, which are publicly funded through the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, provide equipment including exercise balls and bands, as well as attendance sheets and exercise booklets.

“There are so many exercises to choose from,” Patterson said. “Over 100 pages with exercises on the front and back sides.”

Attendance records are sent to Boise State University, Patterson said, which published a report in 2019 citing the public health benefits of the class.

The university also has instructors run a TUG test — short for “timed up and go” test, at least twice per session, he said.

The test has participants start from a sitting position, walk 10 feet, turn, walk back and sit down. People who take more than nine seconds are at a greater risk of falling, Patterson said.

Most instructors run the test at the beginning and end of a session, he said. Some run it more often, but only two times is required.

More information can be found at panhandlehealthdistrict.org/fit-fall-proof or by contacting Patterson at gpatterson@phd1.idaho.gov or (208) 415-5242.