Strength for Life
Strength for Life
What is the Strength for Life program?
The strength for Life program helps people over the age of 50 (over 40 for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders) improve their physical strength, balance, fitness and social connection.
Strength for Life is an individualised and progressive exercise 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 provider locations such as fitness centres, physio and exercise clinics, retirement villages, community organisations and community centres.
Classes are capped at a maximum of 15 people per class, and the cost of the assessments and classes will vary depending on class size and level (Tier 1 or 2).
Participants may also be able to access rebates through their health fund, or support at home package.
The Strength for Life program offers two tiers:
Tier 1 – delivered by accredited exercise physiologists and physiotherapists who work with people with chronic conditions. Baseline and follow up testing is conducted to develop and monitor an individualised program for each participant.
Tier 2 – progressive strength training sessions are delivered in a group setting by accredited fitness professionals. Although the sessions are delivered in groups, individualised strength training programs are developed for each participant.
Strength for Life Referral Form (Tier 1 & 2)
Strength for Life Referral Form (Allied Health)
Joining the Strength for Life program
Prior to starting the program, all participants are required to:
- fill out a Strength for Life Enrolment form
SFL_Enrolment Form, and the SFL_Pre-Exercise Screening Form - participate in an individual assessment (45 – 60 minutes)
For enquiries regarding becoming a Strength for Life Provider or Instructor and for more information on a class near you please fill in the Strength for Life EOI and email to strengthforlife@cotaact.org.au
For enquiries regarding:
- instructor training dates
- participating in Strength for Life classes, and
- general enquiries
Email dpercy@cotaact.org.au or strengthforlife@cotaact.org.au or call Diane Percy (Strength for Life Coordinator) at COTA ACT office on 02 6282 3777.
Falls Risk Assessments
The Fallscreen© risk calculator is a single assessment of vision, peripheral sensation, lower limb strength, reaction time and body sway.
A computer software program assess each person’s performance in relation to the normative database complied from large population studies. The program produces a falls risk assessment report for each person which includes the following four components:
• a graph indicating the person’s overall falls risk score,
• a profile of individual test performance results,
• a table indicating individual test performances in relation to age-matched norms,
• a written report which explains the results and makes recommendations and referrals to a health professional or appropriate strength and balance program.
The assessment takes up to 30 minutes to complete, and results are available within one week of the assessment. Assessments are conducted at the Hughes Community Centre and on occasion at licensed Strength for Life provider locations. Please call 02 6282 3777 or email strengthforlife@cotaact.org.au.
Learn more about the falls risk assessments we provide via the button below.
Your Home Care or Commonwealth Home Support Package could strengthen your life
If you are receiving a Commonwealth Home Care Package or a Commonwealth Support at Home Package you could be eligible to include the Strength for Life (SFL) program as part of your suite of activities.
Speak to your package provider today to see if you are eligible!
If you have a question about the SFL program email strengthforlife@cotaact.org.au
For more information about what Package services you can receive, visit the Australian Government’s MyAgedCare website.
Strength for Life providers in the ACT
Accredited SFL instructors deliver the program for a licensed SFL provider. The SFL providers are the life blood of the program and are what make the program tick! With providers dotted around Canberra, this enables the SFL program to be accessible to more senior Canberrans more often.
Contact the following providers to register your interest in attending Strength for Life classes at their location.
Southside
Equipd Allied Health
Chifley Community Gym, Health and Wellbeing Hub, 9/70 Maclaurin Cres Chifley
Phone: 02 5135 6600
Northside
Higher Function Physio & Pilates
Higher Function Physio & Pilates – Civic
Phone: 02 6262 9664
Contact person: Janet Fabbri
Empower Better Health (Gungahlin)
Gungahlin Club Lime Platinum, 35 Crinigan Circuit, Gungahlin
Phone: 6140 3282
Empower Better Health (Dickson)
Empower Better Health, North Building, Level 2/23 Challis St, Dickson ACT 2602
Phone: 6140 3282
Empower Better Health (Belconnen)
Empower Better Health, CISAC – 100 Eastern Valley Way, Bruce ACT 2617
Phone: 6140 3282
Canberra Allied Health
(Aranda)
Canberra Allied Health in Aranda (underneath Two Before Ten) 3/68 Bandjalong Cres, Aranda, ACT 2614
Phone: 02 6145 2326
Contact Person: Zoe
Strength for Life - Workshops & Programs
Events
Join the Strength for Life Facebook group
How to join the Strength for Life ACT Facebook group, follow these easy steps:
- Go to the COTA ACT Facebook page and ‘like’ the page.
- Once you have ‘liked’ the page you will receive notifications and reminders of other exercise programs and events we run.
- Then go to the Strength for Life ACT Facebook group and request to be a member of the group.
- Staff at COTA ACT will receive a notification of your interest to join the group.
Keep your eye out for motivational messages from the Strength for Life team at COTA ACT on the Strength for Life ACT Facebook group.
