Bailoterapia: A Community Health Intervention for Latinas of All Ages

Juanita Molina is an inspirational community advocate. Since January 2024, together with her mother, she has been visiting Senior Villas in South Gate (Kern County) every Tuesday and Thursday to implement a unique Bailoterapia program designed for older adults attending there.

Bailoterapia is a program by Visión y Compromiso, led by community instructors, to promote the holistic and comprehensive well-being of their community. In groups, the instructors provide a space for conversation, foster healthy social relationships, and offer mutual support for managing thoughts and emotions. They also encourage the adoption of habits to improve physical health through exercise, contributing to the management of chronic illnesses. For older adults, it is essential to create spaces where they can interact and share experiences with others in similar situations. It is a process that helps them manage their emotions while staying active and continuing with their daily lives.

Juanita is originally from Ecuador and has carried the spirit of a community advocate from childhood when she began working for the well-being of her community. After emigrating to California in 2018, she continued this work, guided by her passion for helping others. In 2021, she started caring for her mother, who uses a wheelchair and requires constant attention. Although she provided daily love and care, Juanita felt she could do more for her mother. “I wanted to understand her aging, to give her more than just physical care; I wanted to dignify her life at this stage,” she recalls.

In her search for tools, she found the Envejeciendo con Dignidad (Aging with Dignity) program by Visión y Compromiso, sponsored by CalGrows. This training, designed for family caregivers, offered her a comprehensive approach to aging: learning to care for oneself, valuing the wishes of older adults, and providing dignified and respectful care. It also included tools for those wishing to join the workforce as caregiver advocates.

“The training cleared up so many doubts I had about aging,” says Juanita. Among the activities included was Bailoterapia, which supported developing ideas to help her mother improve her mobility and strengthen her emotional health through movement and social connection.

Bailoterapia as Medicine for the Soul

Bailotherapia is not just a physical activity; it is a gateway to joy, connection, and well-being. For the participants at Senior Villas, this activity has transformed their way of life. “At first, I was worried that I wouldn’t have the skills to dance, but here it’s different,” explains Juanita. “The exercises are adapted to the rhythm of older adults. Gradually, my mother began to improve. I realized that many people over 70 face the same challenges: they feel out of place in activities that do not consider their abilities.”

The program began with just four participants, including her mother, and quickly grew to include 15 members. Through adapted exercises, the participants have improved their flexibility, reduced joint pain, and strengthened their functional capacity. But the impact goes beyond the physical. The sessions are a space for camaraderie and joy, where friendships are built, stories are shared, and a sense of purpose is rediscovered.

The Bailoterapia program, led by a certified community advocate, helps participants engage in regular physical activity tailored to their abilities. The program aims to support individuals in achieving their health goals, managing chronic illnesses, reducing stress, and making small, sustainable dietary changes without experiencing frustration.

Growing Together

“The women in this group are my inspiration. Each one has her own daily struggles: distant family members, chronic illnesses, personal losses… but all are willing to bloom in a society that often ignores them,” reflects Juanita.

Juanita has integrated exercises for relaxation, mental reasoning, fine and gross motor skills, and even time for conversation and recreation. Her sessions are more than just a space for exercise—they are a refuge where life is valued at every stage. The participants are demonstrating that their hands move better, that their joints no longer hurt or hurt only a little; that they can walk without fatigue and sleep better at night; that they can make friends, share life, and enjoy time exclusively for themselves.

“I’ve seen how their functional capacity and flexibility have improved, how knee pain and shoulder joint pain have diminished,” assures Juanita.

Challenges and Dreams

Despite the success, Juanita faces challenges, such as the lack of volunteer support. “It’s hard to find other community advocates to support work that isn’t paid. I worry that if something prevents me from attending, the group will come to a halt. This work needs continuity because we are transforming lives.”

But Juanita doesn’t lose hope. She dreams of expanding the program, reaching more participants, and turning bailoterapia days into a daily activity. “My mother always asks me: ‘Are we going with the ladies today or tomorrow?’ Seeing her enjoy and bloom alongside this group fills my heart.”

Bailoterapia encourages participants to learn that what they are doing will positively affect their emotional, social, and physical well-being. The bailoterapia instructors focus on creating a safe and comfortable community space, fostering positive and healthy social relationships.

A Blossoming Community

Like Juanita, many community advocates in California are changing lives. Through programs like Bailoterapia, older adults rediscover their strength, form meaningful bonds, and face the challenges of aging with dignity and joy. But there is still much to be done.

“One day a lady told me: ‘Tuesdays and Thursdays are my happy days’. That fills me with pride, but also with sadness. We need a society that sees aging not as an exile, but as a stage of blossoming. There are souls willing to fight the daily battles of life, and they only need a friendly hand to accompany them on their journey,” concludes Juanita with a smile full of hope.

The Promotora Model for Community Transformation

The impact of the Bailoterapia is not limited to older adults. The participants at Senior Villas also receive individual support and motivation, and they have encouraged not only other residents but also their family members and neighbors to join in the activities. For this reason, Juanita believes that this group transforms lives, blossoms, and bears fruit, and she admires all the work her participants are doing to live dignified and healthy lives.

Juanita mentions that she plans to join the workforce as an entrepreneur with the “Floreciendo en Edad Avanzada” (Blossoming in Old Age) program she has developed. This program combines her certification in Bailoterapia and specialized skills with an essential need for older adults: a sense of purpose.

The Promotora Model for Community Transformation places community advocates—who serve as bridges for the community—at the center of change, connecting communities with services, information, and resources in health, education, housing, and more. Through the development of positive, healthy, and mutually respectful social relationships, promotoras model social change at the individual, family, and community levels.

Onward, Juanita!

By Maricela Sánchez and Juanita Molina; Edited by Fabiola Montiel