Let’s dispel a fiction that a lot of people believe: balance is not something you either have or you don’t. Balance is a skill, and like any other skill, it can be improved with practice. Yes, you might not be as sure on your feet in your eighth or ninth decade (or beyond!) as you were in your third or fourth, but that doesn’t mean you can’t improve! Balance exercises are an essential component of maintaining your stability and independence, especially in later life.