AAACAP partners to teach health and wellness instructors, offer programs

The Area Agency on Aging of the Capital Area (AAACAP), a CAPCOG division, partnered with Texas A&M Health Science Center’s Nursing Program in Round Rock and Georgetown-based The Caring Place in January to train 36 A Matter of Balance, Falls Prevention instructors who will lead multiple programs in Williamson County. AAACAP is seeking similar partnerships throughout the region, so its health and wellness programs can improve and maintain more older adults’ physical, mental and emotional wellbeing while allowing them to better age in the place of their choosing.

Teaching more instructors or lay leaders means valuable information from evidence-based programs such as A Matter of Balance can reach more residents. After completing training, AAACAP supports instructors with teaching materials, promotion of the events, and participant registration.

The nursing school’s partnership, which provided the students with clinic work geared towards older adults, will see six A Matter a Balance programs taught before May. The university may partner with AAACAP during the summer and fall semesters, which will provide even more Matter of Balance instructors and courses. The Caring Place partnership allows the nonprofit to teach the program to it consumers as well as offer it to communities throughout Williamson County. AAACAP also completed Chronic Conditions Self-Management and Building Better Caregivers leader training with Travis County employees in December letting the county conduct the health and wellness programs at community centers in Lago Vista, Oak Hill, Del Valle and Austin.

Interested in hosting Matter of Balance or becoming leaders can contact Rhonda Thompson, AAACAP program coordinator.

Learn more about Matter of Balance and other health and wellness programs.