Now that fall prevention is mainstream.....

As a movement specialist, I am constantly researching new scientific discoveries in order to help my clients move better with less pain.  If I'm not studying assessment and exercise videos made by the best of the best, I have my nose in a book or personal notes from recent conferences.

My personal desire to learn as much as possible about efficient movement has been the driving force in my life since I moved to California over fifteen years ago.  As a Public Health educator, I was fascinated by the effect that our daily choices have on our overall wellness, especially movement patterns.   The longer a person makes poor choices, the more likely s/he is to have chronic disease and/or a chronic movement disorder.  It's called bad habits.  It's called life.

It was during my gerontology internship with the Area 4 Agency on Aging in 2006 when my focus turned from the association of daily choices and chronic health conditions to the prevention of falls through daily choices; specifically movement choices.  I instantly discovered FallProof and the importance of training the musculoskeletal and sensory systems responsible for balance, strength, flexibility and mobility.

Remember that in 2006, fall prevention was basically an unknown topic.  Sure, seniors were falling but not many people in influential positions realized how many older adults were falling, fatality and injury rates, the direct and indirect costs of these falls or the fact that a majority of falls could be prevented through a multi-factorial approach (Rose, 2003).

Fast-forward 12 years. What was once a specialty, fall prevention education and balance training for older adults, has become mainstream.  Due to the explosion of the aging population, fall prevention services are now offered by hospital systems and community agencies for free.  They are able to offer free because of government funding; only available to large agencies and non-profit companies that offer 'evidence-based' fall prevention programs (proven effective and able to be duplicated to the masses).

As an independent contractor, I can't compete with free!  As such, I've had to step back and do some personal reflection in order to figure out what's next. I understand that having volunteers who do not come from a physical fitness background not to mention have specialized adult learning training will only work for a specific segment of the population for a limited duration of time.  I also understand that the needs of the younger baby boomers will not be met by these programs.

I do know it's my spiritual gift to work with older adults. I do know my focused studies in aging, balance, and injury prevention have elevated my expertise as a balance and mobility specialist to a new level.   I'm a coach with over fifteen years of hands-on experience leading groups through the best balance training program for older adults.

What's next for this movement specialist?  Neuroscience.  Neuroplasticity.  Neurophysiology.
Think brains.  Think balance.  Think Brains and Balance on the Z-Train!

Stay tuned.

Balance Assessments during Fall Prevention Awareness Week

I was thinking about it and I really feel like doing balance assessments using the Fullerton Advanced Balance(FAB) scale!  I love this 10-item assessment tool because it measures a multitude of elements associated with balance  and fall risk.  It sheds light into the integrity of body systems involved in balance and can be a real eye opener for some.

I used the FAB at various senior and community centers as part of my research study during my graduate studies in 2010 and have had the opportunity to implement the short-form FAB at both the 2011 and 2012 Area 4 Agency on Aging (A4AA) and Kaiser Permanente sponsored Community Fall Prevention Awareness events in Sacramento.

Unfortunately, the A4AA and Kaiser are not hosting another fall prevention community awareness event so it's up to local providers who are passionate about reducing falls among older adults to do something on our own!  And that's exactly what I'm doing; coordinating with local churches to offer balance assessments for older adults.

Community Outreach Balance Assessments and Fall Prevention Workshops:

1.  Parkside Community Church (5700 S. Land Park Dr.  Sacramento, 95820)

• Balance Assessments:  Monday, September 9.  9:30-11:30am.  Registration required
• Fall Prevention 101 Workshop:  Monday, September 23.  10a-Noon.  

2.  Northminster Presbyterian Church (3235 Pope Ave, Sacramento, 95821)

• Balance Assessments:  Wednesday, September 25.  9am-Noon.
• Balance & Mobility Training Classes:  M/W, 9-10am, Oct. 7-Oct. 30

Get educated.  Get active.
We can't stop the season, but we can prevent the accident.

The Fall Prevention Lady

Summer is almost over, falls on the way

Summer is almost over….

The lazy dog-days of summer and 100-plus degree temperatures in Sacramento are coming to an end and the season of Fall will be here before you know it.  Back east, the colors of the changing leaves are beautiful and cooler weather is wonderful.  In the sense of seasons, I love Fall.

However as a balance and mobility specialist named “The FallPrevention Lady”, it is my mission to prevent falls!  Although people joke with me about preventing “Fall”, the seriousness of an accidental slip or trip cannot be denied. 

·      Among older adults, falls are the leading cause of injury deaths, unintentional injuries, and hospital admissions for trauma.

·      Falls can take a serious toll on older adults’ quality of life and independence.

·      Up to 50% of falls can be prevented.

To recognize this critical issue, the first week of Fall has been recognized as “Fall Prevention Awareness” Week and last year the city council of Sacramento officially proclaimed the third week of September as “Fall Prevention Week” to encourage communities to get involved in the education of falls and how to prevent them.

This year, the Area 4 Agency on Aging in partnership with Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento, Councilwoman Bonnie Pannell, the City of Sacramento and AT&T are hosting the third annual Community Fall Prevention Event at the Samuel Pannell Meadowview Community Center in South Sacramento. 

·      The event is free to the public and will focus on increasing awareness of factors that increase the risk of a fall and what you can do to reduce your risk of a tragic accident.

·      Local experts will provide free balance and health screenings, vendors will offer fall-related products and there will be a free lunch. 

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2012

·         

9:00 a.m. ~ 2:00 p.m.

·          

Samuel C. Pannell Meadowview Community Center

2450 Meadowview Road, Sacramento, CA 95832

REGISTER TODAY!!!  CALL (916) 486-1876

If you are unable to attend this free event on Saturday, I will be hosting my Fall Prevention 101 workshop at Parkside Community Church on Tuesday, September 18 from 1-2:30pm.  I will discuss fall risk factors and demonstrate the types of exercise you should be doing to prevent an accidental fall.  Everyone is welcome~ call Becky to register.  (916) 421-0492.

Multi-dimensional approach to fall prevention

Because there different factors that cause a person to fall, fall prevention researchers (yes, they exist and yes, I am one of them) recommend a multi-dimensional approach to fall prevention. Home environment, medication management and activity patterns have been identified as the fall risk factors that a person has a moderate ability to control. Although falls are accidents, a person can significantly reduce the risk of a fall through modification of these areas.

The 2nd Annual Community Fall Prevention event in Sacramento county will feature experts in all areas of fall risk reduction. Participants can attend educational lectures and/or be assessed in various areas of fall risk. Screenings will be offered in the following areas:

1. Vision
2. Blood Glucose
3. Foot clinic
4. Bone Density
5. Blood pressure
6. Hearing
7. Brown Bag (medications with pharmacist)
8. Senior Fitness/Balance Testing

Last year, the most popular attraction was the balance testing and we at the planning commission have predicted that the majority of people will want to be physically assessed for fall risk again this year. This year, I have a team of health and fitness professionals to assist me. I have recruited local physical therapists, fitness instructors and physical therapy students from my alma mater, CSUS, and Sac City College to assist with the Senior Fitness Tests and short-form Fullerton Advanced Balance (FAB) scale.

With the aging of the population, falls are quickly becoming a public health epidemic. As such, it takes a community to increase people about fall risk and how to reduce the risk of accidental falls. I am so excited that senior service providers in Sacramento are coming together to offer this free event to older adults in the area. It's all about collaboration and I am proud to have a multi-talented team to assist me. Thank you so much to my volunteer team!

Educate. Demonstrate. Facilitate.
The Fall Prevention Lady

Fall prevention consultant for hire!

I have been busy doing fall prevention exercise workshops and demonstrations these past few weeks due to the professional networking I had done the months prior. It's amazing but each day, there seems to be another opportunity for me to do SOMETHING to increase awareness of fall risk factors.

Yesterday, I met with Kristin Jordan, founder of Serving Our Seniors, and had a wonderful discussion about the need for fall prevention education, particularly increasing the awareness of the link between exercise and reduced fall risk. I remember the first focus group during my internship at the Area 4 Agency on Aging and discovering that MOST people do not equate exercise with fall prevention! I was shocked!

The reason I'm shocked is because I have been studying fall prevention exercises since 2006. Basically, I live, breath and eat the four components of a fall prevention exercise program daily! I have been studying the "prevention-based" approach to wellness since 1991 so I realize that the choices I make today will impact my life in the future; whether that is tomorrow, 5 days, 5weeks, 5 months or 5 years from now.

It is probably safe to say that every research study that considers the effect of exercise versus no exercise prove the need for daily activity in order to remain functional. When considering exercise and fall prevention, persons who engage in activity are less likely to fall than those who do not exercise.
Please remember that it's never too late to benefit from a consistent exercise.
The choices you make today will impact your life tomorrow.
I am available for hire:

• Fall prevention workshops
• CEU train-the-trainer in-services
• Fall prevention group exercise classes
  
• One-on-one training

Contact me for prices and availability.
The Fall Prevention Lady

Choose to do something good for yourself today.
Order your Take 5 to Exercise series today.

Fall Prevention community outreach

I am excited about today's fall prevention workshop at the Hart Senior Center in mid-town Sacramento, CA because it offers me an excellent opportunity to educate older adults about fall risk factors and show them ways to reduce personal risk of falling through physical activity. Today's workshop is the first of the Area 4 Agency on Aging-funded grant program; same workshop as the Kaiser program, different funder who supports educating the community about fall prevention.

Last week I hosted the Fullerton Advanced Balance (FAB) scale clinic at the same location and it's no surprise that several of the people I assessed will be in attendance today. I am so excited that these people get it...they want to reduce the risk of falling by learning how to safely challenge their balance and mobility. Congratulations Sacramento seniors for taking responsibility for your safety and independence!

The good news is that Sacramento residents still have a chance to get assessed and be part of this fall prevention exercise research study! The last 2 FAB clinics will be held at the following locations. Give this a try! There is no obligation to be in the study and I guarantee this assessment will be a real eye opener about your balance skills.

Tuesday, August 3: Oak Park Community Center: 11:30-3:30 pm
3425 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Sac 95817
Tuesday, August 10: Natomas Community Center: 1:30-5 pm
2921 Truxel Road Sac 95833

Reaching out to my community,
The Fall Prevention Lady