North Fork EMS is excited to offer the Stay Active and Independent for Life (SAIL) program to the North Fork Valley. SAIL is an evidence-based falls prevention program designed for older adults.
The one-hour class is held in Hotchkiss, Crawford and Paonia, several times a week in each community. See the class schedule for time and location. If you have any questions, please contact Katie at 970-201-3423 or khedley@nfems.com.
SAIL Class Schedule
Hotchkiss:
Monday & Thursday • 9:30 – 10:30am • Memorial Hall
Paonia:
Tuesday & Friday • 8:45 – 9:45am & 10:00 – 11:00am • Paonia Senior Center
Crawford:
Monday & Wednesday • 10:00 – 11:00am • Crawford Town Hall
Tuesday & Thursday* • 5:30 – 6:30pm • Crawford Town Hall
*Note: The Tuesday/Thursday Crawford class is an advanced level class.
Strength and balance training for older adults has proven to help reduce the risk of falls. With over 3 million treated in emergency departments each year for fall injuries, fitness classes for older adults are extremely valuable to communities. In the North Fork Valley, over 20% of 9-1-1 calls are for people who are not taken to the hospital, but need help getting up after a fall. Doing regular strength, balance and flexibility exercises is a great way to relieve stress, sleep better, grow stronger, and maintain a healthy, independent life.
In 2007, a foundational research study for the SAIL program was published in the Journal of Gerontology. In September 2012, SAIL was recognized as a Title IIID – Evidence-Based Program by the Administration on Aging, meeting the highest level of criteria for an evidence-based program.
The SAIL program is able to accommodate people with a mild level of mobility difficulty (e.g. people who are occasional cane users), and may be done sitting or standing. The class consists of the following components: warm up, aerobics, balance exercises, strength exercises, stretching and education.