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Get and Stay Fit — From Home

How an online class can help maintain strength and balance

Stacey Shepard,

AARP

Published May 01, 2026

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On Thursday mornings in Baton Rouge, Carolyn Johnson sets up her laptop, a chair and dumbbells. She never misses this weekly workout.

“I’ve always been into fitness all of my life, and now that I’m the age I am ... it’s more important for me to be fit,” she says.

Johnson, 76, is one of dozens of participants who log in for AARP Louisiana’s Turn Up Thursday, a free virtual fitness class held at 10:30 a.m. CT. The 45-minute sessions blend easy cardio dance moves with strength and balance training tailored for older adults. It streams live on Zoom.

Frederick Griffith, 37, leads the class from New Orleans. A certified personal trainer, he began to specialize in working with older adults in 2018 after his mother lost part of her leg due to a foot injury that became infected. When insurance no longer covered her physical therapy, Griffith stepped in to rebuild strength at home.

Over six months, he saw his mother’s upper-body strength improve. She could maneuver herself into and out of a vehicle.

“We are like a car,” he says. “So if you don’t start that car up, after three weeks, the battery dies.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, older adults who engage in regular physical activity lower their risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, certain cancers and dementia—all while strengthening bones, improving balance and helping maintain independence.

Johnson appreciates the low-impact format of the fitness class and Griffith’s encouragement to work at her own pace.

“At my age, I don’t need to be jumping up and down,” she says.

Even though the class draws participants from across the country, Johnson says the experience feels personal.

“I consider him my personal trainer,” she says. “That’s why I have to see him every week.”

More information at aarp.org/lagetmoving.