Living Independently for Today and Tomorrow (LIFTT) is excited to announce that we have received a generous grant from the Montana Department of Public Health & Human Services to participate in the Stay Active & Independent for Life (SAIL) Program! Beginning this summer, LIFTT will offer free SAIL classes designed for adults 65 and older. These classes will focus on building strength, balance, and flexibility, which are critical to maintaining independence, preventing falls, and improving overall well-being.
The SAIL Program is a 12-week evidence-based fitness series in which participants engage in exercises that can be performed standing or seated, as desired. Each session includes balance, strength, and stretching routines, and participants’ fitness progress will be assessed through periodic checks such as the 8-Foot Timed Up and Go Test, Bicep Curls, and Chair-Stand Exercises.
Through the support of the SAIL grant, LIFTT will be able to cover the costs of specialized equipment, instructor training, and accessible venues, ensuring that these vital classes are offered at no cost to our aging community members.
Why Bring SAIL to LIFTT?
- 20% of Montana adults report not engaging in regular physical activity.
- Two out of three Montana adults are overweight or obese.
- Regular exercise improves balance and reduces the risk of falls, significantly decreasing the chance of injury, hospitalization, or loss of independence.
- LIFTT’s mission has always been to empower aging and disabled individuals to live independently, and the SAIL program perfectly fits that vision.
The first SAIL training class at LIFTT begins its voyage with an orientation session on Tuesday, May 27 at 10 a.m. at the Billings LIFTT office (1241 Crawford Drive), with subsequent sessions held Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 a.m. through August 14.
For more information about LIFTT’s SAIL training or to register, contact LIFTT’s Nutritional Health Coaches and certified SAIL trainers: Anya Pulis (406) 606-1766, anyap@liftt.org, or Eileen Rodgriguz (406) 294-5185, eileenr@liftt.org. More about the SAIL curriculum is available at sailfitness.org or through the Montana DPHHS Chronic Disease and Health Promotion Bureau.
Let’s move together toward a stronger future!
About Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT): LIFTT is a Montana 501(c)3 corporation organized as a Center for Independent Living (CIL). With team members based in Billings and Glendive, LIFTT provides aging and disabled members of the community with programs and services that help empower them to break down the physical, bureaucratic, and cultural barriers that prevent them from being fully independent participants in their lives and communities throughout 18 counties in southeastern and south-central Montana: Big Horn, Carbon, Carter, Custer, Dawson, Fallon, Garfield, Golden Valley, McCone, Musselshell, Powder River, Prairie, Richland, Rosebud, Stillwater, Treasure, Wibaux, and Yellowstone. For more information, please visit liftt.org or download our mobile app for your Apple or Android Device.