Hidden Secret: Jaw Exercises for Better Balance

In order to be balanced and stable, you need to have a stable midline.   The spine is the midline.   Your  jaw is also along the midline.

The jaw is powerful activator of the brain because it is innervated by the trigeminal nerve, the largest of the twelve cranial nerves.  Moving the jaw activates areas of the brain responsible for increased backside strength.  This increased extensor tone improves balance and stability.

Why It's Important to YOU:  Increased backside strength makes it easier to stand up from the chair and easier to stand up straight.

Follow along with one of my favorite jaw exercises.
Get that jaw moving to increase midline stability and extensor tone.
Try to do these at least once a day, everyday.

I would suggest 3-4 times per day if you're unstable and have poor posture.

Yes, I want to read your book, ABCs of Balance!

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Have you ever tripped over your own toes???

If you've ever tripped over your own toes, you want to do this ridiculously easy exercise, seated rather than standing!

In this video demonstration, Kelly (aka, The Fall Prevention Lady) demonstrates how to strengthen the muscles responsible for picking up the toes!  This muscle group atrophies with age (meaning it naturally gets weaker and less able to function with the aging process), so it's crucial that you USE THIS MUSCLE OR YOU WILL LOSE THIS MUSCLE.

Vimeo link:  Don't Trip Over Your Own Toes!!!

I just turned 50 in January and even though I'm a 'youngster' compared to my clients, I'm still at risk of falling with each passing birthday.
My message to you is that you're never too old or too young to start doing these maintenance
exercises if you want to remain independent and able.

IF you don't want to trip over your toes, pick them up!!!!

The Fall Prevention Lady.

Mark your calendars for Tuesday mornings starting in April for
"Coffee Talk with The Fall Prevention Lady"!
7am, PST
9am, CST
10am, EST.

Don't trip, pick em up!
The Fall Prevention Lady

If you don't want to fall, STAND UP!

Lower body weakness is one of the leading causes of falls for people over the age of 60.  Due to sarcopenia, the natural loss of muscle mass associated with aging, weakness is a part of aging.  The good news is that muscle loss is NOT INEVITABLE!

Engaging in a consistent muscle strengthening or resistance training program is enough to maintain what you have and depending on training intensity, you can gain muscle!

In this video, I demonstrate the Stepping On evidence-based balance exercise, the Chair Stand.  I explain how to do it, how to make the exercise easier or more challenging and how to keep track of your progress.

IF you don't want to fall, stand up! from The Fall Prevention Lady on Vimeo.





Remember to focus on what you are able to do today; do not compare yourself to younger years.  We all change over time and the best choice you can make TODAY is to do something about your situation now!

Best of luck!
Join me on Facebook for an interactive chat about falls, fall prevention, balance, aging, you name it...
Tuesday mornings in April; 7am PST, 9am CST, 10am EST

I can tie my own shoes now!!!

While the face of participants in my FallProof™ balance & mobility classes is getting younger, I still have the honor of coaching a few people over the age of 80.  In the April session at Fit4-U, I had both the 83-year old mom and her 56-year old daughter in class.  This was quite a combination and both did exceptionally well.  In fact, the oldest member of the class was also the most improved!

Barbara came to the Fall Prevention 101 workshop I presented at the local Church of Latter Day Saints and she was told me she eager to get started on the homework exercises since her balance was 'horrible'.  She was the first person in the door on the first day of balance training and she proudly stated that she had been doing her homework every night!

She came to class using a walker and said she only used it once in awhile and mostly because her daughter was so worried about her balance.  I assured her it was ok to use it when necessary and smiled as I said, 'you won't be needing that when I'm done with you!'.

By the fourth class, Barbara had switched from bringing her walker with her to carrying a cane.  She didn't use either in class but carried them 'just in case'.  The improvement in her walking gait became evident to everyone by the fifth class; she was standing taller, no longer looked at the floor and her walking stride was longer and stronger.

On the first day of class, she refused to do the sit and reach assessment because her back and legs were so stiff, it hurt for her to bend forward toward her toes.  I showed her a modified way to do that exercise and on the last day, she not only did the assessment but also scored in the 37th percentile for women her age in lower body flexibility!!!

At the last class, she was so excited about everyone's kind responses to her noticeable posture and walking gait improvements.  She was in tears as she recollected how she couldn't touch her toes or put on her own shoes before participating in this class.  She smiled ear to ear as she talked about how surprised her daughter in Arizona will be with her improvement when she visits next month.

A wise, vibrant woman, Barbara gets the connection between staying active and being independent.  She can't wait to repeat the beginner class in June and I can't wait to see her again, too!

Movement is life.  Start living.
The Fall Prevention Lady

New Fall Prevention Lady website

I am the Fall Prevention Lady and I have a new website!  This is the third and final attempt for me and I hope you like it!  Please visit http://www.fallpreventionlady.com to view it and to schedule an appointment!

Based in Sacramento, CA, I offer balance and mobility training classes in the local community.  I present a dynamic, education Fall Prevention 101 workshop that will shed new light on the body systems involved in balance and what you can do to improve stability.  If necessary, I will come to your home for private balance training sessions.  Click here to view my services:  HERE

Because fall prevention starts with an increased awareness, I have several fall prevention resources designed to help you remain independent.  I have written a book, The Complete Guide to Fall Prevention, which is available in digital format (downloadable e-book) or hard-copy. 

I have produced a follow along DVD called Take 5 to Exercise.  You can purchase one DVD with five different seated exercise routines or you can buy individual exercise routines:

1.  Take 5 for Flexibility
2.  Take 5 for Strength, using a resistance band*
3.  Take 5 for Posture
4.  Take 5 for Strength 2, using dumbbells and a resistance band*
5.  Take 5 for Maintenance

***Resistance band included with purchase*** 

I am available for phone consultations and group presentations. 

Be proactive!  Address the factors that CAUSE a fall BEFORE the fall occurs.

In Fitness,
The Fall Prevention Lady

Gym crowd gets it...

After three interviews, I was offered a job as a personal fitness trainer at the Equinox Fitness Center in Palos Verdes, CA.  The managers determined that location was the best fit for me because of my expertise in balance and mobility training and fall prevention and because the members at the PV location are mostly older adults. 

After five weeks in my new job, I have come the realization that older adults who go to the gym get it; they understand the importance of consistent movement if they want to continue doing the things they like to do.  The people who are at the gym regularly are doing what it takes to age successfully.   We all are trying to fight the aging process and the members at Equinox are doing it right!

As a result, my "fall prevention" workshops and "balance assessments" are not going over too well at the gym.  This could be in part that a lot of people work with personal trainers and the other half don't want to admit weakness.  Afterall, falls happen to "old" people and I'm not old!

This has been a learning process and it's taken me back to my personal fitness training days at Gold's Gym in Granite Bay.  I trained there before returning to grad school and it was there where I developed my passion for fall prevention education and balance training.  I recall that my area of expertise wasn't successful at Gold's either because the gym crowd gets it! 

The gym crowd is doing the stretching and strengthening exercises needed to keep them independent.  What I have learned is that everyone needs to progressively challenge their balance.  I"m not talking about standing on a BOSU ball while squatting and rowing but I am talking about challenging the sensory systems involved in balance and strengthening the stabilizing muscles critical to balance. 

EXERCISE. 

• It doesn't have to complicated.  
• It doesn't have to be painful.  

• It does need to be consistent.  
• It does need to be individually tailored to your needs.  
• It does need to be progressively challenging. 

GET MOVING. 
The Fall Prevention Lady

 

The Fall Prevention Lady at Atria El Camino Gardens

Tomorrow, Thursday July 26th at 1 pm, I will be offering my Fall Prevention 101 workshop at Atria El Camino Gardens in Carmichael, California.  I used to teach seated senior fitness classes at Atria El Camino Gardens and I am excited about returning to introduce my new and improved approach to fall risk reduction and balance training.

Atria El Camino Gardens is one of the top assisted living facilities in the area and they are an agency that firmly believes in the power of prevention to keep their residents strong and able.  Engage Life Directory, Staci Weisz provides continuing education workshops to her residents and she loved the idea of offering my Fall Prevention 101 workshop to residents and to the general public.

This workshop not only educates about things that increase the risk of a fall but is also an introduction to the balance and mobility training classes I teach and what participants can expect to do.  The program is progressively challenging and trains both the muscles and senses involved in balance.  FallProof™ is a nationally recognized program and works when a person works it!

Again, the Fall Prevention 101 workshop at Atria El Camino Gardens is free and open to the public! Date:  Thursday July 26 at 1 PM.  I am tentatively scheduled to begin a balance training session on Wed August 8th.  Those one-hour classes will meet twice a week (Wednesdays at 1pm and Saturdays at 10:30am) for four weeks, August 8-September 1, 2012.

My book, The Complete Guide to Fall Prevention, will be on sale to those in attendance.

Educate.  Demonstrate. Facilitate.

Blind in one eye & can't see out of the other?

I started an intermediate level balance and mobility training session last week and was talking to one of the participants yesterday.  She told me that she absolutely loved my classes and that everyone over 60 years old needed to take my class at least once a year to improve their balance and prevent falls. 

This woman is blind in one eye and used to bump into objects all the time.  Her vision impairment made her feel constantly out of balance (she was not born with this condition) and after several bad falls, she was afraid of falling.  She said that the visual training we do in class has helped her beyond words can explain and that she is walking so much better now. Her quality of life has improved dramatically!  

I have to say that I agree; everyone over the age of 60 should take my class at least once!  However, since I live here in California and cannot be everywhere so I wrote a book that will help get you started in the exact same fall prevention exercise program at home.  In my book, The Complete Guide to Fall Prevention, you will learn the same visual training techniques that have helped this woman who is blind in one eye walk with a steady gait and without a fear of falling.

Unfortunately, the only thing missing will be me and my smiling face!  That's ok, I'm updating my website, The Fall Prevention Lady, so you will be able to see me, hear me and ask me questions!  The book will be ready by June.   Get ready to change your life!

The Fall Prevention Lady,
Kelly Ward, M.S., Therapeutic Aging
FallProof™ Balance and Mobility Specialist
Author, The Complete Guide to Fall Prevention

Mobility 101: "We're walking so much better....."

Balance and mobility:  keeping yourself upright and walking. 
Improved balance and mobility:  enjoying your life without constant fear of falling.

I love teaching (FallProof™) balance and mobility classes in the community.  In my last 6-week training session at Parkside Community Church, I worked with a couple who are both 83 years old and who have been married over 60 years.  They love each other, their family, and their lives.  They took my class because he has a history of falls.  A friend strongly recommended my class to them.

After 12 sessions, his posture improved dramatically and they both improved in all three fitness tests related to fall risk.  Tonight I got a call from them and they wanted to thank me again for my class.  This type of telephone call just makes my day.  Mr. H went on to tell me that my class had changed their lives and that they both were walking so much better.

He was proud to report that they were still doing the exercises that I recommend and that they couldn't wait until the next training session when they'll be in town.  This couple gets it!  They took the tools I gave them and used them to improve their balance. 

It's like I told them on the first day of class, '...the best years of your life are still ahead of you.  Learn how to improve your balance and mobility today to prevent falls and remain independent tomorrow.'

He said he had tons of friends and they all need to take my class!  He also wanted to know if it was alright if he gave them my information. Alright?  Spread the word, my friend. 

My new book, "The Complete Guide to Fall Prevention" will cover everything you need to know to improve your balance and mobility today in order to remain independent tomorrow.....

The Fall Prevention Lady,
Kelly Ward

Once a week vs. twice a week fall prevention training

Practice makes perfect. We've all heard it before and for most, we have experienced the benefits of practicing a talent or skill in our life. Fall prevention researchers have demonstrated that the more a person practices, the more he/she improves balance skills thereby reducing the risk of an accidental fall. In fact, the majority of research studies that I read for my fall prevention exercise thesis were interventions that occurred two or three times per week.

However there were some studies based on once a week interventions. Although the improvements were not as significant and it is not recommended, older adults demonstrate some improvement from balance training once a week. As a personal fitness trainer, it is recommended that individuals, regardless of age, participate in resistance training at least twice a week, three days if the person is motivated and has a specific goal in mind.

Goals are essential in driving behavior change and I will blog more about SMART goals next. The point of this blog is to discuss frequency of training because I just finished working with my 93-year old in-home client. After meeting once a week for 10 sessions, she showed improvement in all areas of fitness associated with fall risk however she is still a fall risk according to the FAB scale.

Unfortunately, she is too fragile to participate in my community-based classes so we are discussing the importance of continued training. This woman is motivated to do what she must in order to remain independent. She faithfully does the strengthening and stretching exercises that I prescribe for her however like many of my clients, she cannot practice most of the balance exercises alone at home due to the nature of the training; it is challenging and increases the risk of a fall. Always be safe when challenging your balance, especially if you live alone.

So my suggestion....enroll in a progressive, multi-sensory balance and mobility training program that meets twice a week. Engage in strength building exercises at least twice a week. Make stretching part of your daily routine. And try to build endurance through walking, biking, dancing, house cleaning, something to get your entire body moving at least 5 times per week. In other words, TAKE 5 TO EXERCISE every day.

Stay active. Remain Independent.
Kelly Ward, The Fall Prevention Lady

Fall Prevention Lady to speak to Sacramento Peripheral Neuropathy Support group

I will be speaking to the Sacramento Peripheral Neuropathy support group about fall prevention and balance and mobility this Tuesday, February 21, 2012, at the Northminster Presbyterian Church from 1:30-3:30. I am excited about this opportunity to educate, demonstrate and facilitate fall prevention exercises that will help those living with neuropathy remain independent and enjoy the quality of life they desire.

The Sacramento group is an affiliate of the Pacific Chapter of the (national) Neuropathy Association and there are support groups all over northern California. Although there are many causes of peripheral neuropathy, as the number of people living with uncontrolled blood sugar, insulin resistance or Type 2 Diabetes explodes, so will the number of people potentially living with permanent nerve damage.

Because balance is an intricate messenger system that involves sensory and motor system function, impairment to one or more of these systems increases the risk of a fall. However THERE IS HOPE; you can improve the efficiency and function of the body systems involved in balance!

As a balance and mobility specialist, I have studied these systems and how to progressively train a person, at her/his individual ability level, so that she/he can successfully improve her/his balance skills. While the primary course of treatment is to identify and reduce the CAUSE of the neuropathy, learning how to effectively train one's balance is essential whether the nerve damage is permanent or temporary.

There is hope for those with Peripheral Neuropathy...and there are support groups!
I hope to see you this Tuesday! It's free!

Blessings,
Kelly Ward, The Fall Prevention Lady

In-home balance training

A popular trend in the aging industry is "aging in place". The long-term vision of this concept is to help adults remain in their home for as long as possible and in order to do this, homes are modified with future needs in mind. This is great for baby boomers but what about the older generation that has already been living in their home for over 50 years?

I recently started working with two new clients; one is 93 and the other is 90-years old and both have been living in their home for over 40 years. These ladies are very different but the same; both are concerned about falling. One is frequent faller and the other is not. One is well-educated and has been to the best of the best doctors and physical therapists while the other does some exercises in bed.

After one week, both are standing taller and both are very aware of personal limitations. The 93-year old is extremely driven and has high expectations of herself. She constantly compares her body to younger years which must be difficult due to changes due to aging. (As a former collegiate athlete, I see myself in this woman!). Both need to give her body time to adjust, afterall Rome wasn't built in a day.

Both of these women are over 90 years old and have decided to invest in their independence and I am so proud of them. There is nothing better than knocking on the door and seeing eyes light up when I carry in my fall prevention exercise training equipment. These ladies want to not only remain independent but also thrive in their home for as long as possible.

How can you remain in your home?

• Stay home and train
• Join a community-based class
  

Take 5 to Exercise each day. As a certified FallProof™ balance and mobility specialist and certified personal fitness trainer, I am available in the Sacramento region to help adults remain independent and thrive in the life they have worked so hard to deserve.

Contact me today about yourself or a loved one! It's never too late!

Balance training is NOT a senior fitness class

I constantly encourage older adults to get active to prevent accidental falls. Fall prevention researchers have identified participation in a consistent exercise program as the number one way to reduce the risk of falls. In other words, older adults must participate in a well rounded exercise program that includes strength, flexibility, balance and endurance training components.

Unfortunately, many older adults think that simply walking everyday will reduce the risk of falling. Don't get me wrong; walking is vital for health and fitness but that is only one component of a fall prevention exercise program. So these adults join the local senior center "exercise" class.
While the stretching, strengthening and endurance activities are fun and can be beneficial IF performed properly, these classes offer more social benefits than fall risk reduction.

Worse yet, activity directors of large adult living communities think they're offering their residents a "fall prevention program" as long as they offer a class where the instructor has people stand on one-leg, walk heel to toe or even close their eyes while standing still.

Numerous fall prevention research studies have demonstrated the significance of participating in evidence-based balance and mobility training techniques to reduce the likelihood of falling. The FallProof™ balance and mobility program is based on six research-based balance training techniques and FallProof™ instructors are certified balance and mobility specialists. This title may not mean much to the average person but professionals can certainly respect specialty certifications because those who attain credentials meet qualifications designed to protect the consumer. With that said....

My community-based FallProof™ classes are NOT senior fitness classes. As a certified FallProof™ balance and mobility specialist, I safely coach older adults to progressively challenge their balance skills as they strengthen and stretch the body to new limits. Participants can rest assured that they are under the guidance and instruction of a trained professional. While my classes are instructional, they also offer the opportunity to meet people living with similar struggles and concerns. And yes, bonding about how difficult I can be counts as socialization!

Have fun, challenge your body and rest assured that you are following a program that works if you work it. Your independence is up to you. I can show you the way but it's up to you to reach the goal. Invest in yourself. Invest in my balance and mobility training sessions. Your balance will be improved because of it.

The Fall Prevention Lady

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

2ND ANNUAL FALL PREVENTION EVENT

In an attempt to increase awareness of falls among the older adult population and the prevention of these costly accidents, the Area 4 Agency on Aging, Kaiser Permanente, Eskaton and the City of Sacramento are sponsoring the 2nd Annual Community Fall Prevention Event. As the Fall Prevention Lady, I will be offering free balance and mobility assessments for interested participants.

Last year, my balance and mobility testing was such a hit that I have recruited the help of Sac State and Sac City Physical Therapy students in addition to volunteers from Kaiser and Eskaton's Physical Therapy departments. I have two senior fitness class instructors helping as well. Together, my team of qualified volunteers will be assessing the different fitness parameters associated with falls.

Tests that measure lower body strength, lower body flexibility and dynamic balance & agility will be offered as well as the short-form Fullerton Advanced Balance (FAB) scale. This 4-item test assesses the sensory components of balance and can be quite insightful to balance and mobility impairments.

Date: Saturday, September 24, 2011
Location: Samuel Pannell Community Center
2450 Meadowview Road, Sacramento, CA
Hours: 9AM- 3:30PM
Cost: FREE. FREE. FREE.
Registration is required. Call (916) 486-1876

Educate. Demonstrate. Facilitate.

Fall Prevention begins with you. Increase awareness of fall risk factors and discover how you can remain independent by preventing an unnecessary fall. Take 5 to Exercise each day and you will improve flexibility, increase strength, improve posture and maintain total body balance.
Order your set of fall prevention exercise routines here: Take 5 to Exercise

Fall Prevention buzz word of the day...

SARCOPENIA.

Sarcopenia is the natural loss of muscle mass associated with the aging process. This muscle loss begins approximately at the age of 30. The rate of muscle decline is estimated to be 5% per decade and since sarcopenia is exasperated by inactivity, this loss of muscle mass accelerates to as much as 20% per decade after the age of 70. The good news is sarcopenia can be slowed by participating in a consistent exercise program such as Take 5 to Exercise.

Loss of lean muscle mass is the number one threat to an older adult's independence is a fall. Take 5 to Exercise is a fall prevention exercise DVD series designed to reduce the risk of a fall by guiding the viewer through seated stretching and strengthening routines. The Fall Prevention Lady, Kelly Ward, is a personal trainer and balance and mobility specialist who explains why specific exercises are important and demonstrates proper form.

There are two days of strengthening routines in the Take 5 to Exercise series. The exercises are easy to follow along with and a resistance band is included with the purchase of any Take 5 for Strength DVD and the Complete week of exercise routines. The best news is it's never too late to fight sarcopenia. You can get stronger, you can reduce the risk of a fall, you can remain independent.
Click HERE to order.

Kentucky Association of Adult Day Centers Conference

As the Fall Prevention Lady, I was honored to present two fall prevention workshops at the Annual KAAD (Kentucky Association of Adult Day Care Centers) conference in Lexington, KY. My first presentation discussed fall risk factors and the second presentation engaged participants in a fall prevention exercise routine. Kentucky has a strong system of adult day centers that provide both medical and social services to older adults in need and reducing the risk of falls is one of those needs. It was so exciting when Governor Steve Beshear, the Attorney General and the Secretary of State stopped in to say hello at the conference!

I have met some amazing people and learned a lot about thriving adult day centers. Unfortunately California's deplorable financial situation has led to the reduction and practical elimination of such centers. One has to wonder what will happen to older adults who cannot afford medical services, to families that are caring for an aging loved one, and older adults who are living in isolation. Adult day centers provide services that help older adults remain in their homes as well as provide respite for loved ones.

My fall prevention exercise series, Take 5 to Exercise, is a practical way to reduce fall risk. These educational DVDs guide the follower through seated stretching and strengthening exercises designed to reduce the risk of fall. The Take 5 to Exercise training principles are evidence-based and proven to work when followed consistently. As a result of the poor economy, I have drastically reduced the price of these fall prevention DVDs. Invest in your future by ordering the Complete Week of Take 5 to Exercise fall prevention exercise routines. Resistance band is included with your purchase! Click HERE to order.

Person living with disability praises benefits of fall prevention exercise

At 65 years of age, she is the youngest person in this class. Although she is the baby of the group, she is living with disabilities that challenge her balance more than her older classmates' conditions. After 3 weeks of balance and mobility training, everyone in the group is showing marked improvement however today this lady (I'll call her Wendy) stayed after class to talk with me about her balance.

Living with essential tremor and dystonia, this remarkable woman is completely aware of her balance problems and the need to engage in a consistent fall prevention program in order to stop falling. Wendy has been front row for every session, soaking up the information and practicing each exercise with intense concentration and focused determination. She said the class was challenging but it was exactly what she needed to help understand her condition and how it affects her balance.

Wendy was all smiles today as she told me how her neighbors have commented on her improved posture during her daily walks. She said that this class has taught her how her posture is directly related to her balance and the things she must do in order to prevent another fall. In my Take 5 for Posture seated fall prevention exercise DVD series, I demonstrate some of the exact exercises that have benefited Wendy so much. I know it's not the same as having me there in person to correct you but I do a pretty good job on the DVD and you will do fine following along.

One of the most important things Wendy is doing to reduce the risk of another fall is to continue her balance and mobility training program. I will be teaching both a beginner and an intermediate level class at her church however she is deciding to repeat the beginner level. I think this is great because even I learn something new each session. She is determined to improve her balance skills and by making the time to Take 5 to Exercise each day, she will! Praise the Lord.

Age alone does not indicate fall risk

1 in 3 adults over the age of 65 who live in the community will fall each year. When I do fall prevention presentations, I always ask who has fallen or who is concerned about falling. Between those two questions, nearly every hand goes up. Are fall prevention statistics under estimated? Perhaps. Regardless of the statistics, the number of falls is expected to increase drastically as baby boomers advance in age.

In a recent class, there were two ladies (aged 86 and 87) who were similar in many accounts. Both live independently in the community, neither one uses an assistive device for mobility and both have fallen within the past year. This is the exact person FallProof™ was designed to help. Pre-test scores indicated that the 87 year old had significantly less lower body flexibility however she scored better in dynamic balance and agility.

What I find interesting is the post-class results. The same 87 year old increased lower body flexibility by 2.8 inches and improved dynamic balance nearly 2 seconds. The 86 year old increased lower body flexibility by 2 inches but lost one tenth of a second on dynamic balance. Both ranked in the 85th percentile of lower body strength.

	Pre S&R	Post S&R	Pre CS	Post CS	Pre 8UG	Post 8UG
86 yo	5	7	0	14	7.6	7.7
87 yo	-4.8	-1	0	14	7.1	5.4

Two average older ladies. Two very similar women who resemble your neighbor, your mother, your grandmother. Who is at greater fall risk? It would be fascinating to follow these two ladies for a year and test again. As of today, they are the same in lower body strength however the younger one demonstrates greater lower body flexibility and the older one is appreciably more agile. I think I just found a project for myself......

I am blessed to have the opportunity to educate older adults about fall risk factors, demonstrate evidence-based fall prevention exercises and facilitate ongoing compliance to an exercise routine. I love what I do and I encourage everyone to Take 5 to Exercise each day. Take 5 is my seated fall prevention DVD series and it is a perfect place for beginners to start from the comfort of home. Let's see which of these 2 ladies decides to Take 5 to Exercise each day....

Hottest trend in fall prevention exercise classes hits Sacramento

As the Fall Prevention Lady, I teach balance and mobility training classes in the Sacramento region. These fall prevention exercise classes meet twice a week for 4-weeks and enrollment is closed after the second class. These beginner level classes are perfect for older adults who have not exercised in years, who have been released from physical therapy but are not ready for community-based 'senior fitness' classes, anyone who has fallen or is concerned about falling.

I have been teaching summer sessions at Parkside Community Church, Clarksburg Community Church, Fremont Presbyterian Church and St. John's Retirement Village. I started at Parkside with a beginner level and now offer intermediate and advanced levels for those who have completed the first level of balance training. These training sessions are progressively challenging and build on skills taught in the first few classes which is why a person cannot join after the first week.

I have just added two new class locations to my September schedule. I will be teaching at the Senior Connection in Fair Oaks and the Carmichael Presbyterian Church. I also added two classes to the October schedule; I will be teaching classes at the Asian Community Center and the Swanston Community Center. And guess what? I have plenty of time in my schedule for more classes!

If you live in the Sacramento region and are interested in hosting or attending a FallProof™ balance and mobility training session, contact me, the Fall Prevention Lady.

Do it for your independence. Do it for your loved ones. Do it for you.

Email: info@thefallpreventionlady.com

Telephone: 916-821-5715.

Please note: There is a reasonable cost to attend these classes.