Strength for Life is a valuable exercise program in the ACT, created to help people over the age of 50 (over 40 for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders) improve their physical strength, fitness and social connection.
Funding in 2019 from the Australian Government’s Move it AUS – Better Ageing Grant Program enabled COTA to expand into the ACT. Since then, there have been over 200 people participating in Strength for Life classes each week in different locations around Canberra.
Strength for Life is a progressive training program designed to improve a participant’s strength, balance, coordination, endurance and mobility.
Other likely benefits of the program may include:
- reduced risk of falls
- preventing or managing arthritis, osteoporosis, diabetes and heart disease
- speeding up recovery from illness
- reducing lower back pain
- improved ability to undertake daily living tasks
- opportunities for social interaction
- improvement in self-esteem and mental wellbeing
COTA ACT has trained qualified and experienced exercise professionals to deliver the program. Classes are held in facilities such as fitness centres, physio and exercise clinics, retirement villages, community organisations and community centres.
The ongoing classes are capped at 15 people per class, and the cost of the assessments and classes is designed to be affordable.
Participants may also be able to access rebates through their health fund, home care package or NDIS funding.