Wild Ward Women and Fall Prevention exercise

This week I went to Bradenton Florida for the Ward family reunion.  Although my father is deceased, he is survived by 4 sisters, 3 of whom live in the Bradenton area.  I was excited about seeing the “wild Ward women” and meeting cousins I didn’t even know existed!  As a gerontologist and fall prevention exercise instructor, I was excited about visiting the area because it is so densely populated with older adults.  I wanted to observe the different levels of ability, the services available and overall, how people feel about physical falls.

Florida is the retirement capita of the United States.  There is community after community with a minimum age requirement of 55 years old and most of these neighborhoods have a pool and recreation center.  The yards are well maintained, the homes are small and most everyone has a car in the driveway.  My aunts, like most of their friends, do not drive after dark nor do they go outside of a 30-mile radius.  They are aware of their limitations and live on the side of caution. 

My older relatives live in neighborhoods where people live within their means.  There is no need for extravagant cars or excessive homes.  These people are living on retirement funds and social security.  Everyone has Medicare and most have supplemental insurance.  Relatives visit each other every Sunday and call each other often.  They are aware of each other’s doctor’s appointments and have social support systems in place.  Having a friend or family member check in occasionally is a great idea for those who live alone.  It's about safety and dignity....

My oldest aunt, Mary, flew in from Ohio.  She is the matriarch of the family and has remarried after the death of her husband of 56 years.  Her new husband is a long-time friend whom she and her husband used to square dance with he and his wife.  Mary enjoys the male company and prefers to be with someone rather than alone.  “At this age, it’s nice to have someone to talk to”…  I can’t blame her!  She’s in excellent health and is sharp as a tack.

Next is Betty.  She isn’t aging quite as well.  She had to give up her line dancing due to a vestibular (inner ear) dysfunction.  Her balance is off and she has begun to fall.  Her husband of 53 years is taking wonderful care of her.  She told me she started watching my senior exercise videos in order to remain active. 

Norma is the next oldest and she is sharp as a tack, too.  She plays the Lowrey and produced 2 DVDs which I am going to use as background music in my seated exercise routines.  She recently had an operation on her wrist and is careful not to overexert herself during this healing time.  She cannot wait to play her organ again.  She also makes the time to Take 5 to Exercise with her granddaughter, Rene, my twin!  Rene is 37 years old and has shoulder issues and low back pain.  I recommended some basic exercises and she said she enjoys the exercises in Day 5; Take 5 for Maintenance. 

Last but not least is Helen.  She recently met and is engaged to Larry, a long-time friend whom she recently was reintroduced to.  “At my age, you don’t want to wait!”.   And she's right; she is happy, Larry adores her and they have fun!  Helen has bells palsy but doesn’t let that stop her.  She also plays the organ and is a wonderful singer.  I see where I get my competitive nature as she whispered to me, “I ain’t gonna let Norma out-do me, I have a CD that I made, too.”  Helen gave me a copy to play during class as well!

I had a wonderful time visiting my aunts, meeting my cousins and observing life in a middle class retirement community.  These seniors understand how important it is to stay active in order to remain independent.  There’s a lot of dancing and walking but I was unhappy that my aunts are not more active in balance or resistance training.  They represent the silent generation and they do not know how to engage in appropriate exercises.  However, they each have my a set of my series and are beginning to do the exercises.  I am so excited about obtaining my FallProof master instructor status so I can schedule a tour in southwest Florida to increase awareness of fall risk reduction exercises and teach older adults how to safely challenge the body systems of balance.

Flying back home to Sacramento, California,

The Fall Prevention Lady

Fall prevention exercises: solution to public health concern

Leaders of this great nation are not impervious to the consequences of a fall and thanks to persistent lobbying, evidence-based research and the undeniable population explosion, the Safety of Senior's Act was passed in 2008.

While there are multiple causes for falls, an individual has some influence over some fall risk factors. The key to remaining safe and living a quality lifestyle is taking responsibility for your well-being and doing something about those factors within your control. For example, recognizing that you can control how much daily activity you engage in is important. You can choose to Take 5 to Exercise each and every day to reduce your risk of an accidental fall. Or you can choose to sit by and do nothing.

I think you are too smart to sit by and do nothing to reduce the risk of a fall. Exercise has been proven to be the key to successful aging. The benefits have been documented, the results are in: consistent movement can reduce the risk of an accidental fall.

Get with the program and Take 5 to Exercise every day. Do something: stretch, strengthen, balance or walk. Sit up straight, lift your chest, drop your shoulders, look straight ahead at a vertical marker, get your ears in line with your shoulders. Smile, you can do this.
Order my 5-day video series to watch and follow along with at home until a program comes to a neighborhood near you. Give the gift of independence to your loved ones. Break the cycle of fear associated with a fall.
The Fall Prevention Lady

Therapeutic recreation and fall prevention exercise

Today I visited the Easter Seals Therapeutic Recreation services department to talk about seated fall risk reduction exercises.  Therapeutic recreation uses recreation and leisure to help people living with disabilities function independently and enjoy life.  No matter what physical challenges a person may be facing, bodily movement is necessary for a quality life.  

Some individuals who are living with a disability have mobility issues which places them at an increased risk of falling.  I am not a physical therapist, I am not a doctor but I am a certified personal fitness trainer and I am an expert in the aging process and the bodily changes that are associated with aging.  Because older adults experience mobility challenges, I was confident that my Take 5 to Exercise Basic 5 stretches were appropriate for everyone in the room.  

Every body benefits from flexibility movements.  Every body adapts to strength training.  Every body needs balance training and every body could use endurance training.  However, every body is different and some bodies have special needs.  The important thing is to respect your body's limitations and do what you can, challenging yourself without pain.  And mostly, do something you enjoy!   Take 5 to Exercise everyday!

The Fall Prevention Lady