05/29/2026
Old Folks Can Be So Funny
May 29, 2026
by Cathy Bennett
As we age, maintaining stability and balance becomes critical. Otherwise, we end up playing the “oopsy, upsy” game. After I fell and broke my wrist last December, my doctor thought it would be a good idea for me to join a “Balance” class offered by Kaiser. All the people in the class have suffered an injury due to poor balance, and some, like myself, are recovering from either surgery or broken bones. The age range is between 60 and 90. I thought, “How tough can this be?”
The first day I joined the ongoing class, I walked into a room with all the chairs set in an open circle. I looked around and walked toward an empty chair.
“I’m saving this seat for my friend,” I was informed. “Oh, sorry,” I said and moved away. But there were no other empty chairs. Unsure what to do, I saw an older woman studying me sternly. She gave me a steely eyed nod and pointed her head toward some stacked chairs in the back. I thanked her, retrieved a chair, and pushed my way into the circle next to her.
The physical therapist called out to the group, “Hello and welcome back, class! How is everyone today?”
“Simply marvelous,” came a sarcastic remark from my right. I looked at the woman next to me and she hooked an eyebrow and set her jaw to emphasize her point.
The PT smiled and ignored the comment. “Did anyone take a fall over the past week?” A myriad of expressions crossed the faces as everyone looked around the room. Some looked pleased with themselves, others looked sheepish and too embarrassed to speak up.
“Who wants to know?!” barked my cranky neighbor. Everyone laughed.
Someone said, “Well, I fell walking to my car while I was being escorted by a nurse from my doctor appointment. It happened in slow motion. I tipped like a teapot right into the bushes. I wasn’t hurt, thank goodness.” Then she added, “The nurse said she’d never seen such a graceful tumble into the hedge.” She grinned like the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland. Folks smiled and offered supportive comments.
“Bonus points if you took the nurse down with you,” chortled my neighbor. Again, everyone laughed.
The class is composed of stretching and warm-up exercises that progress into activities intended to strengthen one’s balance. As we moved through the positions, there were moans, groans and a few giggles when bodies snapped, crackled, and popped. Someone teasingly accused another about a questionable body noise. The chairs were arranged so that we could rely upon them if we felt unsteady and needed to hold on. I was feeling pretty cocky, until I tried to stand on one foot and close my eyes.
It was obvious this was a playful, bonded group. Everyone had fun with the exercises, even when they were challenging. The PT had us play games like “Hokey Pokey.” The eye rolling and indignity was dramatically mocked. I surprised myself, leaned in and even sang along. Next, we lined up across from one another and tapped a couple of balloons back and forth across the line, and had to count backwards out loud by two’s starting at “50” each time we hit the balloon. Focusing on more than one thing at a time challenges both the brain and eye-hand coordination. Then we had to count backwards by odd numbers each time we hit the balloon. Some would smack the balloon hard, while others would tap it gently. If you got distracted or weren’t paying attention the balloon would hit you in the face. It was challenging to do math and focus on hitting the ballon at the same time. It was so funny, watching each of us take turns missing either the math or the balloon, and get bopped in the head by the floating threat. Everyone was laughing. Honestly, I would go back just for the entertainment!
The class reminded me of the movie, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” in the group therapy scenes. Of course, I would assign myself the role of Jack Nicolson, savvy and sufficiently outside the range of impairment of the other participants. I mean, really. These were a bunch of funny old folks! Yes, I enjoyed their humor and playfulness. And I could relate to their stories and vulnerability. But it was just a fluke that I was among them, right?!
Carquinez Village is a nonprofit organization serving older adult residents of Benicia and Vallejo. We provide supportive services and social opportunities to help older adults avoid isolation and stay engaged in our communities. For more information, visit CarquinezVillage.org.
