It's out there; the funding is available for community-based fall risk reduction exercise and education programs! Governments, corporations, and non-profit agencies are realizing the need for prevention and putting the money out there...you just have to find it.
The directors at the City of Sacramento 50+ Wellness program put their grant writing skills to use, applied for and were awarded over $87,000 in fall prevention programs over the next three years. And guess what? Yours truly is the presenter! Yes, people enjoyed my 3-hour educational workshops so much that I will be presenting them again as part of the second Kaiser funded grant and as part of the Area 4 Agency on Aging's three year grant.
A new feature of my presentation that will be offered by both grant programs is the Fullerton Advanced Balance (FAB) scale screening. I will implement this 10-item fall risk screening in order to increase the awareness of the body systems involved in balance. As a CERTIFIED FallProof™ instructor, I am able to implement this standardized test according to protocol and then provide the participants with some feedback according to my observations.
Although one test is not totally indicative of one's fall risk, it is an eye opener! There are many causes for falls but the FAB provides CUTTING EDGE research-based information based on individual performance. Heck, we all age at different levels, we all move differently, we all experience different limitations.....we ALL need individualized assessments. I love listening to each and every person I assess because each person brings something unique to the table...that's what makes this so important; you want to do exercises that will reduce your risk of falling according to your needs.
If you live in the Sacramento region, I strongly encourage you to attend one of my FAB clinics. I will post the summer and fall schedule as soon as I get it but there will be something offered each month for the rest of 2010 and well into 2011. In the meantime, Take 5 to Exercise everyday to remain flexible and strong. Get up and out of your chair 5 times at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Practice good posture. Maintain those shoulders. Order my 5-day DVD series and you will do some type of movement each day to reduce your risk of a fall.
Consistency is key.
The Fall Prevention Lady
Monday, April 26, 2010
Saturday, April 17, 2010
FAB clinic at Shiloh Baptist Church in South Sacramento
I was referred to Debra Johnson through Jackie, program assistant @ 50+ Wellness program to do some fall prevention screening in order to increase awareness of the importance of prevention. Debra agreed to let me conduct the Fullerton Advanced Balance (FAB) scale testing on her class. On two separate days, I assessed 18 of Debra's class of older African American God-loving participants!!!
For the most part, these ladies and two gentlemen did great on the Fullerton Advanced Balance scale and overall, are not at an increased risk of falling. However, four of the 18 community dwelling older adults FAB score indicated those individuals to be at an increased fall risk.
In a 15-minute FAB score group summary, I stressed the importance of consistent lower body strengthen exercises, daily range of motion and flexibility movements, and balance training; particularly center of gravity training.
Poor dynamic center of gravity control was a recurring theme from this group's test score interpretations and this is not uncommon. Most older adults are not aware of "core" training and have no idea what their center of gravity is or where it is located! This type of multi-sensory training is a vital component of the FallProof™ balance and mobility training program.
It was not the intention for me to educate or demonstrate any type of fall prevention exercises so I didn't have the opportunity to educate this wonderful group of people about this fall related concept. Perhaps class instructor Debra Johnson will ask me back to work with her ( I do offer a train the trainer program) or to lead one or two classes.
If not, I thoroughly enjoyed working with my sisters and brothers from Shiloh Bapist Church and look forward to FAB testing older adults throughout the Sacramento region and teaching fall prevention exercises.... increasing awareness about how important it is to Take 5 to Exercise every day to reduce the risk of a fall.
Praise the Lord,
The Fall Prevention Lady
For the most part, these ladies and two gentlemen did great on the Fullerton Advanced Balance scale and overall, are not at an increased risk of falling. However, four of the 18 community dwelling older adults FAB score indicated those individuals to be at an increased fall risk.
In a 15-minute FAB score group summary, I stressed the importance of consistent lower body strengthen exercises, daily range of motion and flexibility movements, and balance training; particularly center of gravity training.
Poor dynamic center of gravity control was a recurring theme from this group's test score interpretations and this is not uncommon. Most older adults are not aware of "core" training and have no idea what their center of gravity is or where it is located! This type of multi-sensory training is a vital component of the FallProof™ balance and mobility training program.
It was not the intention for me to educate or demonstrate any type of fall prevention exercises so I didn't have the opportunity to educate this wonderful group of people about this fall related concept. Perhaps class instructor Debra Johnson will ask me back to work with her ( I do offer a train the trainer program) or to lead one or two classes.
If not, I thoroughly enjoyed working with my sisters and brothers from Shiloh Bapist Church and look forward to FAB testing older adults throughout the Sacramento region and teaching fall prevention exercises.... increasing awareness about how important it is to Take 5 to Exercise every day to reduce the risk of a fall.
Praise the Lord,
The Fall Prevention Lady
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)