Health Education Classes

Classes listed below are offered across Central Oregon by a range of organizations. Some of the classes are sponsored by the Council on Aging because they are evidence-based classes that encourage healthy lifestyle activities and enable older adults to live with greater quality of life.

Nutrition Education Classes: Nutrition classes presented by Registered Dietitian Rhonda Gostanian and the Council on Aging of Central Oregon. These classes take place in the Senior Services Center before community lunch.

Living Well with Chronic Disease: A 6-session evidence-based workshop designed for those dealing with a chronic or limiting health condition. Each session is 2.5 hours in length, and participants learn self-management techniques and skills needed in the day to day management of any type of ongoing health condition. The program has also been proven to be effective for caregivers.

*Sponsored by the Council on Aging of Central Oregon and Oregon Wellness Network

Living Well with Chronic Pain: The Chronic Pain Self-Management Program (CPSMP) is a 6-session evidence-based workshop designed for those dealing with chronic pain. Participants learn self-management techniques and skills needed in the day to day management of their chronic pain condition. This program has also been proven effective with caregivers.

*Sponsored by the Council on Aging of Central Oregon and Oregon Wellness Network

Mobility Through Water, Designed by the Arthritis Foundation: Consists of a series of gentle exercises which focus on improving strength, flexibility, balance, range of motion and cardiovascular fitness. Water exercises provides a comfortable option for people with arthritis and multiple sclerosis due to its supportive, reduced -impact environment.

  • Larkspur Community Center
  • 1600 SE Reed Market Rd, Bend, OR 97702
  • Monday – Friday, 8am-8:50am
  • Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, 10:00am-10:50am
  • Tuesday and Thursdays, 1:00pm-1:50pm

Strength, Tone, and the Mightier Bone: This weight training class focuses on improving bone health and muscle mass while increasing flexibility and balance.

  • Larkspur Community Center
  • 1600 SE Reed Market Rd, Bend, OR 97702
  • Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, 8:30am-9:30am
  • Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3:30pm-4:20pm

Functional Fitness: Improve your daily function through a series of exercise routines emphasizing flexibility, balance and strength. Class focus is on muscle mechanics, core work and body awareness.

Tai Chi: Join Grandmaster Franklin Wood to learn Tai Chi, a graceful form of exercise that involves a series of movements, which are performed in a slow, focused manner combined with controlled breathing. It is a low impact activity. Tai Chi is shown to improve balance & mobility, increase leg strength & flexibility and reduce the fear of falling.

*Sponsored by the Council on Aging of Central Oregon

  • Unitarian Church
  • 61980 Skyline Ranch Rd, Bend, OR 97703
  • Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:45am – 10:45am

Grandmaster Franklin hosts virtual Tai Chi classes Monday – Thursday. To register, go to www.grandmasterfranklin.com

8-Movement Tai Chi: Slow, circular movements to gently exercise muscles and improve range of motion. Relies on internal awareness to generate a feeling of overall health and vitality.

Central Oregon Community College: Short courses on Health, Wellness, & Mindfulness. Locations and dates vary.

Better Bones and Balance: This research-based exercise class is designed to improve bone health, muscular strength, and balance in a fun, social, community environment. Class includes strength training, aerobic exercise, flexibility exercises, and balance exercises. Beginner to intermediate levels—come dressed to move.

  • Sisters Park and Recreation
  • Location: Coffield Center, 1750 McKinney Butte Rd, Sisters, OR 97759
  • Mondays from 1:00pm-2:00pm and Wednesdays 9:00am-10:00am

Tai Chi: Join Master JianFeng Chen in learning tai chi, often called a moving meditation. Tai chi can assist all ages and abilities with balance, flexibility, stress relief, and overall health. This class is a beginning tai chi class that will focus on the Simple 8 & 24 Yang style forms. No experience necessary.

  • Sisters Park and Recreation
  • Location: Coffield Center, 1750 McKinney Butte Rd, Sisters, OR 97759
  • Mondays from 1:00pm-2:00pm and Wednesdays 9:00am-10:00am

Better Bones and Balance: This research-based exercise class is designed to improve bone health, muscular strength, and balance in a fun, social, community environment. Class includes strength training, aerobic exercise, flexibility exercises, and balance exercises. Beginner to intermediate levels—come dressed to move.

*Sponsored by the Council on Aging of Central Oregon

  • La Pine Activity Center
  • Location: La Pine Activity Center, 16450 Victory Way, La Pine, OR 97739
  • Mondays from 11:30am-12:30pm and Fridays from 9-10am

Tai Chi: Join Grandmaster Franklin to learn Tai Chi, a graceful form of exercise that involves a series of movements, which are performed in a slow, focused manner combined with controlled breathing. It is a low impact activity. Tai Chi is shown to improve balance & mobility, increase leg strength & flexibility and reduce the fear of falling.

*Sponsored by the Council on Aging of Central Oregon

Grandmaster Franklin hosts virtual Tai Chi classes Monday – Thursday. To register, go to www.grandmasterfranklin.com

Body & Mind – Feidenkrais Method: The Feldenkrais Method® of somatic education uses gentle movement and directed attention to help people learn new and more effective ways of living the life they want. You can increase your ease and range of motion, improve your flexibility and coordination, and rediscover your innate capacity for graceful, efficient movement. Since how you move is how you move through life, these improvements will often enhance your thinking, emotional regulation, and problem-solving capabilities.

Fit for Life Training: Join fitness instructor Carol Spaw for Fit for Life training, a class geared for all fitness levels with no special equipment required. The class includes moving your body, utilizing weights, and making new friends. Visit the La Pine Activity Center every Wednesday at 1 p.m. to join the class.

  • La Pine Activity Center
  • Location: La Pine Activity Center, 16450 Victory Way, La Pine, OR 97739
  • Mondays and Wednesdays, 1 p.m.

Steady Steps: Balance and Coordination for Seniors: Improve your balance, coordination and stability.  Enhance your balance and prevent falls via low-impact exercise.  Gentle stretches, movements to target your core muscles and increase your flexibility. Don’t let fear of falling hold you back.  Take control of your stability and live life to the fullest.

Fitness 4 Life: This class is 20 minutes of low impact moves, 20 minutes of strength exercises designed to increase range of motion and 20 minutes of balance and flexibility. Hand-held weights, elastic tubing, stepper and fitness balls are offered for resistance. Class uses a step and yoga mat. This is a great class for the beginner or the active older adult. 

  • Redmond Senior Center
  • 325 NW Dogwood Avenue, Redmond, OR
  • Mondays and Wednesdays, 7:45am-8:45am
  • In-person and virtual

Zumba®: Grab your friends and join the party! Zumba Gold® is for those who are looking for a modified Zumba class that recreates the original moves you love at a lower intensity. Certified instructors can show modifications to amp up the intensity if you want more! Come ready to sweat and prepare to leave empowered and feeling strong.

SilverSneakers®: SilverSneakers® Classic will increase muscle strength, range of movement and improve activities for daily living. In SilverSneakers® Yoga, you’ll move through seated and standing yoga poses to increase flexibility, balance and range of motion.

  • Redmond Senior Center
  • 325 NW Dogwood Avenue, Redmond, OR
  • SilverSneakers® Classic – Mondays and Wednesdays, 10:35am-11:35am
  • SilverSneakers® Yoga – Thursday, 10:35am-11:35am

​Pumped Up Strength: Pumped Up Strength is a new approach to resistance training. Utilizing combination movement patterns in a targeted, rhythmic progression, its superpower is the dynamic integration of upper and lower body movements set to fun music. Perfect for balance, coordination, muscle strength, and a bit of cardio. All no impact, with light to medium weights or no weights.

Mobility for Life: Mobility for Life is a 12-week course at the Crook County Library that promotes range of motion, strength, balance, and coordination.

No classes currently listed

Oregon Wellness Network: Oregon Wellness Network (OWN) delivers programs to help individuals manage chronic health conditions, prevent falls, and foster well-being. If you are coping with high blood pressure, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, arthritis, diabetes or other chronic conditions, OWN can support your efforts to live life as fully and independently as possible.

Search Oregon Wellness Network to find and enroll in evidence-based health and wellness workshops being offered. Dates and times vary. Enter your zip code, find the workshop for you and register online.