Weld Aging Well

Five older adults standing together smiling

The Weld Aging Well Program provides innovative workshops and classes that support the health and independence of older adults and their caregivers by giving them tools to better manage their health. 

The below evidence-based programs empower older adults and their caregivers to take control of their health by maintaining a healthy lifestyle through increased self-efficacy and self-management.

All Weld Aging Well workshops and classes are offered FREE of charge to adults 60+! Registration is required as class size is limited. 2024 program schedule coming soon, please reach out directly with any questions.

Did You Know...  

  • More than one out of four older people falls each year, but less than half tell their doctor. Falling once doubles your chances of falling again, and one out of five falls causes a serious injury such as broken bones or a head injury. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017)
  • Every 11 seconds, an older adult is treated in the emergency room for a fall; every 19 minutes, an older adult dies from a fall. (National Council on Aging, 2018)
  • Six in ten adults in the US have a chronic disease and four in ten adults have two or more. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019)

Volunteers Needed!

Join us in spreading knowledge about health and wellness to others! If you enjoy facilitating groups, public speaking and interactive trainings using positive energy, become a trained leader and offer workshops in your community! Support Weld Aging Well and help older adults become active and stay in their homes. Donations are appreciated.

Fall Prevention

A Matter of Balance

A Matter of Balance is specifically designed to reduce the fear of falling, stop the fear of falling cycle, and increase activity levels among community-dwelling older adults. The program focuses on practical coping strategies. A variety of activities address physical, social, and cognitive factors affecting fear of falling. The workshop is offered over eight sessions for 2 hours each session. 

Many older adults experience concerns about falling and restrict their activities. A Matter of Balance is an award-winning program designed to manage falls and increase activity levels. This program emphasizes practical strategies to manage falls.

You will learn to:

  • View falls as controllable
  • Set goals for increasing activity
  • Make changes to reduce fall risks at home
  • Exercise to increase strength and balance
  • Get up properly after a fall

Who should attend?

  • Anyone concerned about falls
  • Anyone interested in improving balance, flexibility, and strength
  • Anyone who has fallen in the past
  • Anyone who has restricted activities because of falling concerns

Tai Chi: Moving for Better Balance

Tai Chi Moving for Better Balance: This evidence-based program has also been shown to reduce fear of falling and improve your psychological well-being. In this 12-week beginner class, learn eight of the 24 Yang-style Tai Chi forms. Learn to practice while standing or sitting.

The program goals are to improve functional ability such as balance and physical function; reduce fall-related risks; and reduce fall frequency.

Tai Chi can help:

  • Improve Balance 
  • Reduce fear of falling
  • Increase strength, mobility, and flexibility
  • Improve psychological well-being
  • Reduce falls

Active Living

Walk With Ease

Walk with Ease is a NEW walking program developed by the Arthritis Foundation. Ideal for anyone looking for a way to be more physically active with less pain. Each class includes education, stretching, and walking.  

This Program is Proven to:

  • Reduce pain and discomfort
  • Increase balance, strength, and walking pace
  • Build confidence in your ability to be physically active
  • Improve overall health

Strong People

Strong People is a 12-week strength-training exercise class. Learn proper technique and intensity specific for you. Participants experience an increase in muscle mass and strength; improved bone density and reduced risk for osteoporosis and related fractures; reduced risk for diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, depression, and obesity; and improved self-confidence, sleep and vitality. Hand weights and leg weights are provided.

Benefits of Strong People:

  • Maintain/improve strength, flexibility, and balance 
  • Hand weights and ankle weights are used in this program 
  • Resistance training builds bone density, muscle mass and improves joint health 
  • Learn appropriate exercises, proper technique and intensity specific for you

Self-Management

Healthier Living Colorado

Healthier Living Colorado is a 6-week, 2 1/2 hour per week, workshop developed by Stanford University and offered by Weld Area Agency on Aging. Be proactive and learn tools to become a better self-manager of your chronic conditions (such as hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis, asthma, etc.). Learn tools to be more effective in managing their disease conditions. Some topics include: techniques to deal with frustration, fatigue, pain and isolation; importance of exercise and proper nutrition; medication management; and improving communication with family, friends, and health care professionals.

Sick and tired of being sick and tired? 
Take charge of your chronic condition and attend the Healthier Living Colorado workshop! 

Learn what you can do to take control of your health conditions, rather than letting illness take control of you! 

Who Should Attend?

Older adults and their caregiver that have heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, asthma, back problems, COPD, chronic pain, depression, obesity, stroke, and/or other chronic health conditions. Learn skills to deal with life changes that come with living with a chronic condition.

What You Will Learn:

  • How to set achievable goals
  • Better ways of coping and managing your health
  • Finding support and solutions to problems
  • Relaxation techniques and manage fatigue
  • Improving nutrition and developing a realistic exercise program
  • Dealing with frustration and depression

Healthier Living Diabetes Colorado

Healthier Living Diabetes Colorado is a 6-week, 2 1/2 hour per week workshop developed by Stanford University and offered by Weld Area Agency on Aging designed to help individuals manage their diabetes. The program empowers older adults with diabetes to manage their care better by helping them to develop and carry out weekly action plans, learn tools such as label reading, meal planning, depression management and the importance of exercise to name a few.

Sick and tired of diabetes controlling your life? 
Attend Healthier Living Diabetes Colorado and take charge of your diabetes! 

Learn what you can do to take control of diabetes, rather than letting diabetes take control of you!

Who Should Attend?

Older adults with diabetes and their caregiver. The workshop addresses the social and psychological adjustments to living with diabetes. Learn the skills needed to deal with life changes and emotions that come with living with diabetes. This is a supplemental workshop to a skills course taught by a health care professional.

What You Will Learn:

  • How best to work with your healthcare provider
  • Preventing or delaying complications
  • Preventing low blood sugar
  • Reading nutrition labels
  • Healthy eating
  • Physical activity & exercise
  • How to design your own self-management program

Aging Mastery Program

Aging Mastery Program allows you to build your own personal playbook for aging well. The fun, innovative program empowers you to take key steps to improve your well-being, add stability to your life, and strengthen ties to your community. Meet new friends and provide encouragement to one another as you take the Aging Mastery journey together! Visit the National Council on Aging website for more information.  

Caregivers

Powerful Tools for Caregivers

Powerful Tools for Caregivers program provides family caregivers with tools to increase their self-care and confidence. Class participants report a significant improvement in behaviors such as exercise, relaxation techniques and health self-care; improved emotions, including reduced anger, guilt, and depression; increased self-efficacy in coping with caregiver demands; and increased use of community services. This class series meets once a week for six weeks.

Who Should Attend?

Powerful Tools for Caregivers is an educational program designed to help family caregivers (no professional caregivers, please).   

This program will help you take care of yourself while caring for a relative or friend.  You will benefit from this class whether you are helping a parent, spouse, friend, someone who lives at home, in a nursing home, or across the country. 

What does the class cover? 

This class will give YOU, the family caregiver, tools to:

  • Help you reduce stress
  • Communicate effectively with other family members, your doctor, and paid help 
  • Take care of yourself 
  • Reduce guilt, anger, and depression 
  • Help you relax 
  • Make tough decisions 
  • Set goals and problem-solve 


Your participation will make a difference! 

We are interested in how the class will benefit you and other caregivers. To evaluate the program, we will ask you to complete an evaluation form.

Respite Care

If you are in need of respite care please mention at time of registration.  No respite will be offered on site. 

Includes How-To-Do-It Book! 

Each class participant will receive a book to accompany the class content. This book contains chapters covering topics such as:
  • Hiring in-home help
  • Helping memory-impaired elders
  • Making legal and financial decisions 
  • Making decisions about care facility placement
  • Understanding depression
  • Making decisions about driving

Testimonials:

“I’m more aware, more accepting and forgiving of myself.” Male Caregiver 

“It was nice to see that I’m not alone. I’m more confident now that I have tools that I know will work when problems arise.” Caregiver 

“I’m now more confident and have less stress. I am more willing to take care of myself as well as him. We are both happier and healthier!” Caregiver

This program was developed by Legacy Caregiver Services in Portland, Oregon and has been shown to: reduce caregiver guilt, anger and depression, improve caregiver self-care and communication skills, and increase community service use.

Please note that this class will NOT focus on specific disease or hands-on caregiver for the care receiver.

Stress-Busting for Caregivers

Stress-Busting for Caregivers is a 9-week, 1 1/2 hour per week, workshop designed for family caregivers of persons with dementia. Participants will learn new stress management techniques and relaxation and coping strategies.

The Stress-Busting Program for Family Caregivers is an evidence-based program that provides support to family caregivers. Taking the holistic approach addressing the emotional, spiritual and cognitive needs of the caregiver. Participants will learn new stress management techniques and new coping strategies.

Course Information:

  • Nine week course meets one-time each week for 90 minutes
  • Class size limited to 10 caregivers
  • Each participant receives course book and accompanied audio CD 
  • Two class formats offered:
    1. General Caregivers caring for older adults 
    2. Caregivers caring for a loved one with dementia or other memory impairment