Mary Booth: Dancing for strength and exercise

Every Friday is a day to look forward to for Mary Booth.

Mary attends a dance class in Porirua and it’s become the highlight of her week.

“This class has helped me with my balance, my coordination and my confidence – I love coming to the class and seeing all my friends,” she says.

Danzability is a community class that helps older adults improve their strength and balance to prevent falls.

Mary began attending Danzability after a friend recommended the classes to her a few years ago.  

The benefits of these classes, both physically and mentally, became obvious for Mary after she broke her hip in a fall.

“I went out to the clothesline and had parked my frame out in front of me,” she says.

“I put my hand on the seat, but I forgotten to put my brakes on. I went over on my side and hit my face on the ground.”

She could have stayed home throughout her recovery but was determined to get back to Danzability.

She started with the goal of just getting back to class to see everyone.

Mary did the class seated at first but, as she regained her strength and confidence, she got back to standing.

“I’ve got osteoarthritis and some days I can hardly walk, but this class really helps and has made a real difference to me.”

Mary Booth

Danzability for all

Physiotherapist and Danzabilty instructor Rachel Horwell started the programme in 2014.

Early in Rachel’s physiotherapy career, her mother was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

This became another area of interest to her and eventually led to the creation of Danzability.

She says it’s a creative way to engage people and inspire them to move their bodies, while still providing them with exercises that have been well thought out by a physiotherapist.

“Exercise is medicine – it’s also a lot cheaper than injuring yourself and having to go into hospital or care,” Rachel says.

“By keeping your mind sharp and your body strong, you can age well.”

Danzabiity caters for everyone, she says.

“We have people attending who are in their early-60s to mid-90s, others who have Parkinson’s disease, arthritis or are recovering from strokes, while some just want to hang out with people and keep themselves strong.”

The more we can support programmes like Danzability the better, she says.

“It’s awesome to have the support of ACC and see the great network of strength and balance classes on offer to people.”

Reducing the risk

Falls are the most common cause of injury in New Zealand, accounting for nearly 40 per cent of all ACC claims, says ACC injury prevention leader James Whitaker.

“Falls can have a significant impact on a person’s quality of life, especially if it results in a fracture, so we want to do what we can to prevent them from happening in the first place,” James says.

Falls become more common as we age, currently one in three people over 65 injure themselves in a fall, rising to one in two once they reach 80.

“This doesn’t have to be the case – most falls are preventable and falls don’t have to be a part of the aging process,” James says.

“By preventing falls, people can maintain their independence, lead active lives and stay socially connected.”

There’s a high number of people coming into this older age group where the risks of a fall are increased, Rachel says.

“We want them to stay healthy and well because that’s how they’re going to keep engaged with the community. If you know someone who could benefit from a strength and balances class, encourage them to go along to one.”

If you’re interested in doing to a strength and balance class, please visit the Live Stronger for Longer website for more information on a class near you, https://www.livestronger.org.nz/. 

Live Stronger for Longer Campaign

• The Live Stronger for Longer campaign is an integrated digital marketing campaign designed to encourage older adults (65+) to participate in Community Strength and Balance classes, which are part of the Live Stronger for Longer falls and fracture injury prevention programme.  
• Live Stronger for Longer was created in late 2016, in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Health Quality Safety Commission, to reduce the rate of falls and fractures in older adults.
• Community Strength and Balance classes focus on improving lower body and core strength and balance, which will ultimately lead to improvements in movement ability and confidence.  
• Classes are led by trained instructors who take participants through a range of exercises, including balance work and stretching.
• There are a wide range of different exercise options available in communities nationwide, such as Tai Chi, Zumba, Yoga, gym circuit classes, pool classes, dance classes, and chair-based exercise.
• The classes are delivered in a friendly, supportive environment and allow participants to meet and socialise with others within the community.

Falls data

• Falls are the most common and costly cause of injury in New Zealand.  
• Falls account for nearly 40 percent of all ACC injury claims and 22 percent of those are in the over-65 age group.  
• Falls become increasingly common as we age. Every year one in three people over 65 injures themselves in a fall, rising to one in two once they reach 80.  
• Between 30-60 percent of people aged 65 years and above fall each year and 10-20 per cent of these events result in a serious injury such as a hip fracture, hospitalisation, or death.
• ACC recently commissioned ImpactLab to calculate the social return on investment of the Live Stronger for Longer. ImpactLab found that for every dollar spent between 1 July 2022 and 31 December 2023, LSFL generated a social return on investment of $5.20. This shows that Live Stronger for Longer delivers significant measurable benefits to older adults and the broader New Zealand community.