College of Education and Human Development
Super-Rewarding Program Gets on its Feet
March 7, 2017
Margaret Shachter’s feet are firmly planted on the ground. That is saying something because it wasn’t long ago the 75-year-old grandmother and retired religion teacher was having occasional trouble with her balance.
So when the Manassas, Va., resident saw on the monthly calendar of the Prince William Senior Center that a fitness program was available that could help senior citizens prevent falls, she was all in.
"It was wonderful," Shachter said of the program. "They had us strengthen our muscles so we could stand and be planted and know we can’t be knocked over that easily."
The program is called POISED (Precision Outreach Intervention Surveillance and Exercise). Run out of George Mason University’s Sports Medicine Assessment Research and Testing Lab with a grant from the Potomac Health Foundation, POISED uses a comprehensive model of education and exercise training to increase participants’ strength and heighten awareness of their surroundings.
