Move With Balance® with Music receives a grant from the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America

Apr 29, 2016

NEW YORK (April 25, 2016) — The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA), a non-profit organization founded to fill the gap that existed on a national level, assuring quality of care and excellence in service to individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related illnesses and to their caregivers and families, awarded one of its Spring 2016 Bi-Annual Grants to Giving Back, an outstanding non-profit member organization in Paia, Hawaii, that shares AFA’s mission of providing optimal care to individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related illnesses, and their families.

The $5,000 grant enables Giving Back to continue to develop and enhance educational and support services, and support families in need in their communities. The grants are a critical funding source for grassroots organizations, which play a pivotal role in their communities.

Giving Back’s mission is to prevent injuries from falls, and enhance cognitive functions among the elderly. The organization does this by employing fit elders as mentors to more frail elders, practicing exercises together in a safe, loving environment as part of their Move with Balance program. To find out more about the program, you can visit them at www.site.movewithbalance.com.

“AFA strongly believes in helping grassroots organizations in local communities in order to improve quality of life for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, and their families,” said Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., president and CEO of AFA. “The organizations that were selected for these grants have demonstrated to be a remarkable resource for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. The grant will allow Giving Back to develop a model for dementia and Alzheimer’s clients, and individualizing the program for the mentees. I congratulate Giving Back, and encourage them to keep up the great work.”

“We are thrilled to receive this funding from AFA. We plan to get our innovative Alzheimer/Dementia curricula and original music available on our website, and ready for national distribution,” said Karen Peterson, executive director of Giving Back.

“Besides each Alzheimer’s mentee having their own mentor, we include family caregiver(s) in our program by having them attend the classes with the mentees. We have found they DO the exercises between classes, and the results show. We are encouraging the whole family be involved, including children.”

Move With Balance in Northwest Arkansas

Apr 24, 2016

Angie, Director of Senior Center Services, Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Arkansas has this to say about Move With Balance®. She is advising a senior who is about to join the program:

“I would recommend that you actually go in and participate in a class instead of just watch.  It is an amazing program and as soon as you see it, trust me, you are going to want to participate.  Why not join in right from the beginning!  I cannot say enough about the Move with Balance Program”.
 

Move With Balance® in New York

Mar 4, 2016

I have been a Move with Balance group leader since 2014. I work for the Town of Hempstead, NY in various senior centers and they supplied me with your book.I find it helpful  to review the videos for nuances in how to demonstrate or cues to use when presenting the material. At times I have come back to the web site to check for any new material.

I was able to take a few pictures of my Move with Balance class. I only offer Move with Balance once a week at the Westbury Senior Center. They are very appreciative and often share how much better they feel after the Move with Balance classes.

–Victoria Smith

Move With Balance® Goes Statewide in Maryland

Feb 4, 2016

We are excited to announce we will be presenting Move With Balance® to the AAA’s (Area Agencies on Aging) statewide in Maryland in November via a web-meetingWe received an email asking us “to share information regarding your innovative and effective program (Move With Balance®) with the other AAAs statewide, and to discuss pertinent policies and share best practices”. Maryland will “utilize Older Americans Act funds (IIID) for Move With Balance® as a highest tier evidence-based program”.

Mutual of America Surprises Us Again!

Jan 27, 2016

In 2009 Giving Back was a Merit Finalist for the Community Partnership Award given by Mutual of America from New Your City. They came to Maui, gave a luncheon to honor 60+ important people who were working with Giving Back at that time. They also gave us $15,000 to begin the replication of the Giving Back Fall Prevention Project, which is now named the familiar Move With Balance®.

Thomas Gilliam of Mutual of America visited Maui on January 25, invited us to breakfast to receive a Giving Back update, and gave us a surprise check for $5,000!!

Thank you Thomas and Mutual of America for your continued generosity.