Page 52 - Preventing Falls: How to Develop Community-based Fall Prevention Programs for Older Adults

Appendix E — Template for Developing a Sustainability Plan

A GUIDE TO IMPLEMENTING EFFECTIVE COMMUNITY-BASED FALL PREVENTION PROGRAMS

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Increasing program sustainability using existing infrastructure:
Implementing Tai Chi through YMCAs
To sustain a community-based program, it is important to develop and maintain the required
infrastructure. One strategy is to partner with an organization that already has such an
infrastructure in place. An example is the YMCA.
YMCAs are independent but federated organizations whose mission is to improve health and
wellness in their communities. YMCAs offer classes for all ages, all skill levels, and all interests. As
a national resource center, YMCA of the USA (Y-USA) supports over 2,600 local YMCAs that serve
10,000 U.S. neighborhoods and include 20.6 million members (www.ymca.net). Y-USA’s extensive
program delivery infrastructure, large membership base, and local credibility offered tremendous
potential for building a successful and sustainable fall prevention program.
With funding from the CDC, Y-USA licensed the rights to the Tai Chi: Moving for Better Balance fall
prevention program and adapted the program to fit the YMCA training system. Y-USA reintroduced
the program under the name, Y-Moving for Better Balance (MFBB). The MFBB program has been
implemented in a small number of communities across the country and Y-USA is developing plans
to make Y-MFBB widely available.

In 2012, the Y implemented a train-the-trainer process for MFBB. Using the Y’s training system,
additional MFBB instructors can become trainers by meeting specific trainer qualification criteria
and participating in routine training opportunities. Embedding training within the Y’s system will
allow the Y to systematically scale MFBB across the country.

Talk with your local YMCA about implementing Y-MFBB in your community.
Source: Ory MG, Smith ML, Parker EM, Jiang L, Chen S, Wilson AD, Stevens JA, Ehrenreich H, Lee R.
Implementing Tai Chi: Moving for Better Balance, for Fall Prevention in a Community Setting.
Frontiers in Public Health 2014.

See Appendix E, A Template for Developing a Sustainability Plan

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