TESA Workshop Details

AAPAR's Council on Aging and Adult Development offers fitness workshops for sedentary seniors to improve balance, prevent falls, and enhance mobility and quality of life. TESA's main focus is to educate and train volunteers and activity directors who work with older adults. A fitness background is not required in order to learn to lead well-designed standing and seated exercise sessions for groups of older adults.  

TESA workshops are fun, challenging, and rewarding. So whether you work in a retirement home or senior center, are a fitness leader looking to expand your skills, or you simply want to support seniors to get fit and stay safe, we encourage you to PARticipate!

How are TESA Workshops Conducted?

TESA workshops have two formats:

• AAPAR can send experts in aging and older adult fitness to your community to work directly with previously inactive older adults. Experts give them the tools they need to improve their quality of life through functional activities.
• *AAPAR's experts can train volunteers, community leaders, and others to work with previously inactive older adults. Experts encourage daily activity, moving older adults beyond the typical arm waving exercises.  

*Workshops are one full day (7.5 hours of instruction with one hour for lunch) and include a balance of activity, instruction, and practice. Participants will receive a certificate of completion.  

What do TESA-trained Activity Leaders Take Home?  

By the end of the workshop, TESA-trained leaders will be able to set up and lead group exercise sessions for older adults. Exercise sets include standing and seated options for strength, flexibility, mobility, balance, and functional fitness. All exercises will be demonstrated during the workshop. Additional exercise sets are available for purchase through AAPAR with a nominal charge to certified leaders.  

In addition to learning a wealth of ideas to help older adults lead an active lifestyle, TESA participants will also receive:  

• Workbooks with all material presented in the workshop plus ancillary materials.
• Samples of recommended forms for when you begin to teach (medical contact, screening forms, advertising, assessments, feedback requests, and more).
• Web resources.
• Support from TESA experts.