The Area Agency on Aging of the Capital Area (AAACAP), a CAPCOG division, is conducting its first Spanish language health and wellness program for older adults in Caldwell County, when volunteer instructors will lead the eight-week Matter of Balance program starting in September. AAACAP hopes it will be one of many evidence-based intervention programs offered in another language throughout the region.
“It is important to equip people with valuable skills on how to better age in place in a manner in which they are most comfortable and can most affectively understand,” said Rhonda Thompson, AAACAP health and wellness coordinator. “We are thrilled to have leaders willing to coach the program in Spanish in Caldwell County where there is a high population of Spanish speakers.”
While AAACAP staff leads some evidence-based intervention programs, volunteers help extend programing throughout the region. AAACAP trains volunteers how to lead a program they want to bring to their community and provides them with the materials for each program’s participants. Programs offered by AAACAP include – A Matter of Balance, a fall prevention program; Living a Healthy life with Chronic Conditions or Diabetes; and Building Better Caregivers.
Currently, there are fluent Spanish speaking leaders in the Caldwell and Williamson counties and American Sign Language (ASL) speakers in the Austin and San Marcos area — the health and wellness program hopes to offer the A Matter of Balance program to the ASL community soon. If any residents are interested in becoming a volunteer leader to help older adults live healthier lives, they can contact Thompson at [email protected] about participating in the next leader training.
Get more information about evidence-based intervention programs.
