People with Alzheimer's can still hear...

As the event coordinator for the 1st Annual Cordova Senior Expo, I wasn't able to wear my regular fall prevention instructor hat and provide fall risk assessments to the participants. Instead, I oversaw the event and made sure things went smoothly. Everything was great however I was disturbed by one professional's behavior directly in front of an older participant.

There was an older woman (I will call Bessie) who I had met last week and invited her to the Expo. When she got there, Bessie came up to me and said how excited she was to be there. I showed her where the activity was and watched as she began browsing the exhibitors.

Shortly before lunch, the representative from a medical-oriented Adult Day Health Care facility brought Bessie to me and right in front of her loudly said, "She needs my help, this woman has Alzheimers. She doesn't know where she is or what's going".

This bothered me because she acted as though Bessie wasn't there and could not hear what she was saying. Bessie looked at me and smiled; Bessie knew what was going on. This woman's actions bothered me because a person with Alzheimer's is still a person. A person who can hear, a person who has feelings. Alzheimer's can be a scary word to older adults so I think it's imperative that professionals who work with the older adult population are sensitive to their feelings.

Bessie and I got in line for lunch, she told me what she liked on her hotdog, the type of salad dressing she wanted and immediately recognized a friend when she sat down. Her son confirmed that Bessie does not have Alzheimer's but is in fact, sharp as a tack and quite skilled at playing "confused" in order to get what she wants.

Moral: People living with Alzheimer's disease are not deaf. They can hear you. Treat them as a person and respect their feelings.

Blessings.
The Fall Prevention Lady

Alzheimer's Disease and Fall Prevention

Yesterday, I attended a Quality Care workshop held by the Alzheimer's Association and found the information fascinating.  Alzheimer's is a tragic disease that affects the memory in people as young as 50 years old.  There are different types of Alzheimer's disease, each one affects a different part of the brain and some types of the disease progress more quickly than others.  

I certainly hope I don't develop any form of the disease and as a person who consistently engages in some type of daily physical activity, I am actively reducing my chances of developing Alzheimer's disease.  Medical studies indicate that exercise helps to keep the brain intact thus reducing the risk of developing diseases such as Alzheimer's.  Blood flow and increased oxygenation to the brain cells are some of the benefits of exercise, not to mention a good reason to Take 5 to Exercise each day.  

In fact, in Day 5 of my Take 5 to Exercise series where we Take 5 for Maintenance, I encourage viewers to "use that imagination" as we do some of the exercises.  Stimulating your mind as you challenge your body is a great combination.

Although falls are associated with aging, they are not a normal part of aging and they can be avoided.  If you or a loved one is starting to fall more often, there are things you might want to consider:

1.  Are you taking a new medication?

2.  Are you drinking enough water?

 3.  Are you eating enough?

4.  Is there enough lighting in the house?

5.  Are you getting enough of the right exercise?

The "right" exercise that will help reduce the risk of a fall is my Take 5 to Exercise program.  I specifically address the components of an effective Fall Prevention exercise regime, all while sitting.  Don't stress the small stuff like, "Am I doing this right?", "What am I forgetting to do?", "What else did that Fall Prevention lady mention?"..... order my product, sit back and have fun as I coach you through effective movements designed to reduce your risk of a fall and stimulate your brain.

Life is tough, time is short.  Or is it life is short, times are tough?  Either way, I've produced my series to help people reduce the risk of a tragic accident.   Falls are accidents and accidents can be avoided but it's up to you to do your part.  Visit www.take5toexercise.com and do your part today.

The Fall Prevention lady.