GREENSTONE — Geraldton District Rehabilitation Services is offering a new senior exercise program, beginning Wednesday.
Stephanie Tozer, the program developer for Geraldton District Hospital working in their Rehabilitation Services department, brings experience to this initiative.
Tozer, a registered kinesiologist, has worked in a rehabilitation setting where she has seen a lot of clients with chronic conditions especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.
While attending a health fair where they examined what seniors would like regarding rehabilitation and fitness, Tozer learned that the one need that seniors wanted met, was an exercise program that suited their physical abilities. It needed to be a program that was both informative and beneficial.
Since Tozer had worked with fall prevention before, this was an opportune time to come up with a new program.
“After the COVID-19 pandemic I witnessed a lot of clients who suffered from chronic conditions so I came up with the idea of developing an exercise program that would help address this issue,” said Tozer.
With November being Fall Prevention Month, Tozer thought this was the right time to develop the program.
The exercise classes are scheduled to run every Wednesday, from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. at the Longlac Senior Citizen Centre through to Dec. 14. It will also run every Wednesday, from 11:00 a.m. until noon, at the Geraldton Community Centre.
Early registration is encouraged as the classes will hold a maximum of 25 spots. Adults 55 years and older should expect the program to include before and after fitness measurements, fall prevention education and group exercises suitable for all levels of ability.
Tozer said this is a “trial” program which will run for six weeks. It that will feature fitness tests to access a seniors’ fear of falling, pre and post fitness assessments, and fall prevention education. “This is a trial six-week program with a focus on fall prevention. Once this is completed, I want to offer a Senior BOOT Camp after Christmas,” said Tozer. “That’s when we all have weight loss and fitness goals,” she said.
Interested seniors can call Sephanie Tozer, at the Geraldton District Hospital Rehabilitation Services Department at, 854-4115.
