Make Friends With The Floor

I read the greatest article in the PANC Parkinson's Disease newsletter, "The Parkinson's Path", called "Making Friends with the Floor".  As a brain-based balance and mobility specialist, I found the article absolutely spot on because as much as we try to prevent a fall, accident's happen.  

To 'make friends with the floor', author Dorothy Ross of Davis PD Support Group encouraged people to practice getting down on the floor NOW rather than wait for a fall to try to get up.  This is exactly what I have been saying in my "3-Step Get Up" workshops; practice getting down and getting up NOW, while you're able, so you know what to do after a traumatic event that lands you on the ground. 

Don't wait for a fall to practice getting up.  Make friends with the floor. Get down, roll around, do some ground-based exercises and then practice getting up.  Make this a regular routine.  If you want some floor-based exercises, contact me and I will help get you started. 

If you want to know how to practice getting up, watch the video in my blog,

"3-Step Get Up" Plan.   

47% of people who fall cannot get up without help.  Don't be a statistic.  Practice getting up now so it's not a traumatic event if you fall.  You've been there, you have a plan.  Your brain loves prediction and everything we do is to improve predictability.   

How do you improve predictability?  YOU PRACTICE A SKILL.  Getting up from the floor is a skill.  You can do it.  If you fall and have made friends with the floor, the event will not be as stressful and you will be able to function.  

Thank you Dorothy Ross for the article "Making Friends with the Floor".  I love the concept and will urge my clients and followers to do just that.  

85 year old learns how to get up from floor without assistance

We've all seen the horrific commercial, "Help I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up".   One of the biggest fears to many older adults is falling and not being able to get up from the floor.

Even though I teach one of the best balance training programs available to mature adults, accidents happen.  That's why I highly recommend that you start planning in case of an accidental fall.

Today I presented my first "Don't Get Stuck, Get Up from the Floor" workshop at the Woodland
Senior Center.  After an hour of strength, flexibility and ground work, participants were thrilled they came and I was super pleased with the way the class went.

The oldest attendee was 85 years old with a 'bad' knee and a bum shoulder.  Even though it took her awhile to overcome her fears of getting down on the floor,  she was able to do all the drills after assisted to the floor.   She followed my "3-step Get Up" plan and  moved from lying to sitting up and watched other attendees practice different ways to stand from the floor.

One person used the rocking method to get up without assistance, a few"boot-scooted" to a nearby chair and used the chair to sit upright and another used the spiral method to go from kneeling to standing.  My oldest attendee laughed with her friend and joked about her limitations but she continued to sit on the floor.

As I finished up the day's lesson, the group came in closer and she remained on the floor.  I was just about to ask if she needed any help getting up and suddenly, it happened.  

We all watched as this joyful retired nurse went through the steps I had just taught and got up, WITHOUT ASSISTANCE!  Without using a chair or a helping hand, the oldest person in the class followed my "3-Step Get Up" plan perfectly and stood up without any assistance!

While we stood in amazement she said, "I watched how others did the plan and did what you said!".

Don't get stuck on the floor, get up!!!  No one wants to learn how to get up after a tragic fall so it's best to practice skills that will help you get up now, while you're able.

Sign up for my next  "Don't Get Stuck, Get Up from the Floor" Workshop at the Woodland Senior Center on June 7th.  3:00-4:30pm.  $15.

Parkside balance training results will blow your mind!

I just finished a four-week balance training class series at Parkside Community Church on the southside of town.  Becky Anton is the Parish Nurse and I have been working with her to improve quality of life for the community since my graduate studies in 2008.   Teaching fall prevention classes at Parkside is like going home; I lived in the area during my graduate studies and my passion for teaching older adults how to NOT fall down started in this very church.  Nearly ten years later, Becky is retiring and I'm still teaching!

This group was smaller than normal with five women between the ages of 67 and 76.  I was blessed to have former FallProof™research study participant and FallProof™ class attendee Pat (who is now 90 years old and no falls) join us on Thursdays.  She couldn't make Tuesday class because it interfered with her computer class at ACC!

The post-assessment results for this small group are HUGE!  Let's start with lower body strength, the number one indicator of fall risk.  While everyone improved in this area, some of the improvements were significant.  Pat, 90 years old, did six more chair stands and did not use her hands to get up.  That is amazing!  The sixty-seven and 68-year old participants did an additional 5 and 4 stands, respectively.  Huge improvements in the fall prevention muscles in only four weeks!

The average increase in lower body flexibility was between an inch and half an inch; you know the difference between tripping over the uneven sidewalk or not.  The ability to pick up your toes when walking and how you walk directly impact your risk of a fall.  We address both of these elements throughout this balance training series.  The 67 year-old retired teacher increased her lower body flexibility by three (3) inches.  Combined with increased lower body strength of 5 stands, she improved her dynamic balance over half a second.

Dynamic balance is the combination of both lower body strength and flexibility and this directly affects overall agility and ability to navigate obstacles quickly and safely. Dynamic balance score improvements were significant; our 68-year old who had prior left ankle and right shoulder fractures increased her dynamic balance and agility by 3.3 seconds!  Wow.  The tall, lanky 73-year old who recently had a left hip replacement improved her speed by 2.4 seconds.  Bam! Faithful Pat was one second faster.  This is wonderful news!

It may have been a small class but the results are HUGE!  The impact that these fitness parameters has on fall risk is astounding; these ladies now have stronger, more flexible legs that react quicker to external, environmental demands.  This is fall prevention in action!  This is successful balance training.  I am so proud of each and every participant for their time, dedication and energy.  Great class.

Next class at Parkside begins the Tuesday after Easter.  Visit my website for details. Website 

Follow my page on Facebook: The Fall Prevention Lady

Preparing for the most challenging decade of your life!

During the first Fall Prevention 101 workshop of the year at Lutheran Good Shepherd Church in Sacramento, I was explaining the phenomena known as 'sarcopenia'; the natural loss of muscle mass exasperated with inactivity and age.  That "Sarcopenia" starts when we are in our thirties, increases significantly during our sixties and by the time we reach the eighties, we can lose as much as fifty percent of muscle mass in the ten years ahead.

As I explained, one gentleman at the front table corrected me when I said, "...by the time we reach the eighth decade of life, referring to the eighties (80-89),   a person can lose as much as 50% muscle mass just living life.  He pointed out that the eighties are the ninth decade of life and not the eighth!!!  We all laughed as I continued.  I truly appreciated this correction and have made a mental note to myself which I will never forget.

I want you to never forget the term, "USE IT OR LOSE IT".  According to the law of evolution, we naturally lose muscle mass as part of the aging process.  Choosing to live a sedentary lifestyle (aka, not building strength with regular resistance training) quickens muscle loss.   Think about it for a second; a two-week hospital stay when you're in your thirties isn't going to cause nearly as much weakness and muscle loss as when you're in your eighties, or as I now know, the ninth decade of life!!!!

The eighties or ninth decade of life is the most critical for building strength and being proactive about your health and wellness.  The reason?  I believe this is true due to the long-term consequences of years and years of unhealthy lifestyle choices.  The cumulation of choices (i.e., not being active, eating junk food, and sitting on the couch) take a tremendous toll on the body and physcial impact is evident in poor movement patterns.  The result; imbalance, weakness, stiffness and increased risk of falls.

Can sarcopenia be reversed?  Can it be delayed?  There are studies that show that yes, sarcopenia can be slowed down by engaging in a consistent exercise routine and nutritional support designed to increase strength, improve flexibility, challenge balance and exercise postural muscles.  The human body was made to be in motion; movement is life.

Let's keep it moving~

The Fall Prevention Lady
"Movement Re-Educator
www.thefallpreventionlady.com

STOP WIDE!!!! Don't Fall Down!

Stop WIDE.

Anyone who has participated in one of the balance and mobility training classes I instruct in the Northern California region will more than likely automatically demonstrate the "wide stance reaction" when they hear those words.  Some may smile as they remember me saying with a grin, "Put some flare into it!"

One of the crew putting some flare into her wide stop!

   Imagine you are walking along a sidewalk and something catches your eye in the window of store; you stop to look at the item as you're passing by.  Think for a minute:

• Are your feet close together?  
• Are they facing the same direction?  
• Is your weight centered over your feet? 
• Are your feet facing one direction and your shoulders in another?  

How you stop impacts your immediate balance and prepares you for anything in the near future.   The wider your feet are apart, the more stable you will be while standing still.  With your feet hip-width apart, you are stable and more likely to remain stable if a dog or little child came around the corner.

Obviously, it's easier to stop wide when you "anticipate" or see, the need to stop.  But what about those times when you have to stop suddenly?  You're Christmas shopping and you have to dodge the masses; stopping and starting along the path for your own safety!

Stop Wide is a balance and mobility training technique used to increase safety whenever you stop walking; expectantly or suddenly.  Class participants line up on one side of the room.  After I demonstrate proper walking form, I show how to "stop wide".  Some giggle as I exaggerate my wide stop but they're usually the ones who remember; feet wide!

Then it's the participant's turn; they start walking across the room, practicing proper walking form and physically responding to my verbal cues to correct form.  Suddenly, they hear a loud "STOP" command!  

Some instantly come to a stop then step feet out wide, some keep on walking.  You may suddenly hear someone say "WIDE" as they remind classmates in proper form.  Then there some who literally hang on by their toes as they regain sense of body position (where the body parts are in space; oriented to body position) and slowly place feet in proper wide stance.  

Senses awakened, they start walking again, "STOP".  Physical responses quicken as neurons start firing and people's 'stop pattern' becomes more efficient.  The message 'wide' slowly hits home and the feet go out.  As we continue to practice this STOP WIDE exercise in conjunction with other walking gait patterns, I see the vast improvements in stability, mobility, balance and coordination in each participant.  

This is one of my favorite fundamental mobility strategies taught in the FallProof™ progam and the participants love it.  If you want to learn how to stop wide, register for one of my classes!  If you do not live near me,  video coming soon! 

STOP WIDE!!!

The Fall Prevention Lady

This balance training class is a "god-send".....

I just started a 4-week balance and mobility training session at Fit4U in Carmichael and this is one of the most vivacious group of participants ever.  Don't get me wrong; there are people people with significant balance challenges but the overall attitude of the group is outstanding and the socialization and laughter is enlightening.

One participant stayed after class the other day and thanked me for what I do and said that this class was an absolute "God-send" to her since she has been falling frequently lately.  She is a young 70s and has a health history that has left her with left-side neglect.  This neuromuscular imbalance has predictably affected her ability to stay upright.

However after only two classes, she feels more centered, more balanced and confident that her body is responding to these exercises.  She is absolutely correct; FallProof™ is balance-specific, multi-sensory training designed to keep the ambulatory ambulatory through repetitive exercises that increase strength, flexibility and reaction times, improve posture and walking gaits while increasing total body awareness resulting in increased balance confidence and decreased fall risk.

I am blessed to have the opportunity to offer FallProof™ balance training session at both the beginner and intermediate level at Fit4U fitness studio on a regular basis.  As of now, Beginner classes are offered Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 10:30a-noon.  The next class begins on June 14th.

I am offering a pilot intermediate class to be held Monday and Wednesday afternoons from 1-2pm.  The first intermediate class will be from Monday, May 16th-Wednesday, May 25th.  The only requirement is that attendees have attended the four or six-week beginner session taught by me within the last 2 years.  This is not a drop-in when convenient class, these are progressively challenging balance training classes that build on concepts taught each week.

Remember; balance is a motor skill that improves with practice.  Keep practicing.  Get out, see old friends, meet new ones and stay on your feet!  Register today:  Call me or email me directly at info@thefallpreventionlady.com

StopFalls Sacramento Fall Prevention Coalition

The four leading trauma centers in Sacramento region realize the severity of falls among older adults and have united in the formation of the StopFalls Sacramento fall prevention coalition.  It's estimated that every 12 seconds, an older adult visits the emergency room as a result of a fall.  Thus, falls are the leading cause of visits to the ER for adults over the age 65.

This may not seem like a big deal but when you consider the fact that someone turns 65 years old every five (5) seconds, that's a lot of falls and a lot of people going to the hospital.  And a visit to the ER isn't cheap.  Trauma centers are getting involved because research demonstrates that over half of all falls can be prevented through education, exercise and early detection.

The four leading trauma centers in Sacramento are:
1.  UC Davis Medical Center, Downtown Sacramento area.
2.  Kaiser South Medical Center, Elk Grove/South Sac area.
3.  Mercy San Juan Medical Center, Carmichael/North Sac area.
4.  Sutter Roseville Medical Center, Roseville area.

The senior injury prevention specialists at each of these centers, have formed the StopFalls Sacramento Fall Prevention Coalition.  One of the main objectives of this coalition is to make prevention of falls a united effort between leaders.  In other words, we are setting standards to be used so that we're all measuring the same data and providing the same information.

September is fall prevention awareness month and the StopFalls Sacramento coalition will be offering four (4) fall prevention screening events to connect older adults with resources in the community.  
All four events will be from 9am-noon and host the same screenings.  See dates below:

1.  Tues, September 22:  Mack Road Community Center.  Sponsored by Kaiser South
2.  Wed, Sept. 23:  Carmichael Library.  Sponsored by Mercy San Juan Medical Center
3.  Thurs, Sept. 24:  Roseville Elks Lodge.  Sponsored by Sutter Roseville Medical Center
4.  Friday, Sept. 25:  Asian Community Center.  Sponsored by UCDavis Medical Center

Visit StopFalls Sacramento on Facebook.  Like us!

Multi-sensory fall risk assessments using the FAB scale in south Sacramento

As a certified FallProof balance and mobility specialist, I am trained to use the Fullerton Advanced Balance (FAB) scale to assess adults over the age of 60 for fall risk.  The FAB is a 10-item test designed to assess the ability level of the different muscles and senses involved in balance and mobility.

September is National Fall Prevention Awareness month and for my kick-off to increasing awareness about falls within my community, I offered FREE balance and mobility assessments at Parkside Community Church in South Land Park in south Sacramento.  I had a great turn-out!

Six older adults read the advertisement in The Sacramento Bee and found me in the church located at the corner of 5700 S.Land Park Drive and 43rd Ave; caddy corner from Belle Cooledge Community Center.    We started shortly after 10am and I finished the last FAB at 11:45.  I briefly consulted with a concerned daughter about her parent's, aged 89 and 87. 

I told her they weren't too late to improve as one of the ladies whom I assessed today was 91 years old!  She did fantastic!  I loved talking with her and her daughter, both whom did well.  It was an absolute joy to talk with each and every person and I love doing these assessments.

I will be offering a FREE educational workshop, Fall Prevention 101, in two weeks!  On Monday, September 23, the free dynamic workshop will shed new light on the balance system and how aging affects the muscles and senses involved in staying upright!  We will meet at 10am in the main sanctuary at Parkside Community Church.  I will try to put out signs!!! 

See you at Parkside!!!
Visit my website for more information:  http://www.fallpreventionlady.com

I will be offering free balance assessments at Northminster Presbyterian Church on Sept. 25 (9a-noon) and Eskaton's Live Well at Home Open House (10:30am-1:30pm)

Evidence-based Tai Chi Moving for Better Balance program

Thanks to the California Department of Public Health and the San Mateo County Fall Prevention Task Force, I am now "certified" in the evidence-based Tai Chi Moving for Better Balance (TCMBB) program that has been demonstrated to prevent falls by as much as 55% when a person follows the program.  Woo-hoo!

I thoroughly enjoyed the two-day training with Master Instructor, Robert Nations, from San Diego.  He is a wonderful teacher who really knows the art of Tai Chi.  He patiently taught the group of 13 insstructors from San Mateo, Contra Costa, and Santa Clara county eight basic moves that are demonstrated to PREVENT FALLS by as much as 55% when done regularly.

Tai Chi is an art form that requires practice.  Lots of it.  Because the benefits are slow and progressive and basically directly related to the amount you practice, a lot of people give up because we're all expecting INSTANT results.  This isn't instant!  It takes practice!

I enjoyed the training and feel confident that with practice, I will be teaching the program to (willing) older adults in two or three months.   Hallejulah!

The Fall Prevention Lady

My goal: Maintain what I've got!

I am a balance and mobility specialist and I teach older adults how to not fall down.  I offer educational presentations and teach balance training classes in the community. One the first day of my small group classes, we talk about past experiences and what each person hopes to get out the class.  I also perform fitness assessments associated with fall risk.  When I work one-on-one with someone, I have them list three fitness goals they hope to accomplish with me.

Setting goals is a characteristic of successful people, especially when starting a fitness program.  It helps to set one or two big goals and several small steps along the way. This will help keep you motivated when times are tough and remind you of why you're doing these exercises!   

As we get age, the risk of being diagnosed with a chronic disease increases significantly.  In fact, the CDC estimates that one in two, or 50%, of people over the age live with at least one chronic illness (CDC, 2009).   This is alarming when you think of the number of people reaching the 65+ status and the cost of medical care and drug prescriptions needed for many chronic diseases.

Some diseases are progressively degenerative meaning the ability to function will get increasingly more difficult.   Aging is a progressively degenerative process if you don't exercise.   We can slow the aging process and MAINTAIN what we have by staying active.

I reassess my class members in the same fitness tests on the last day of class.  I have seen major improvements in at least one if not all three tests.  I remind everyone that improvement is fantastic but it's also great to maintain what you have, especially those living with a progressively degenerative disease. 

Let's maintain what you have!  Get active and stay focused on the goal!
In Fitness,
The Fall Prevention Lady

Fall prevention consultant? Really?

As a certified "FallProof™ Balance and Mobility Specialist" with a Master's degree in Therapeutic Aging, I consult with older adults and their family members, program coordinators, community specialists, support groups, recreation therapists, fitness trainers, and anyone else who is concerned about falls among our aging population and how to reduce the risk of an accidental slip or trip.

Although I am not the only one doing this type of work, I am a pioneer in my field.  I have been studying aging, balance, falls, and the prevention of falls for nearly ten years.  I love what I do and through education, demonstration and facilitation, I fulfill my mission which is to improve quality of life for older adults by improving balance and reducing fall risk.   Thus, I am weary of "fall prevention" scams and businesses who use all the right lingo but offer questionable services and/or products;  I instantly want to know more about the program and what they're selling.

While living in Los Angeles, I was contacted by a man who wanted me to join his "fall prevention consultant" business.  Of course I was excited about the possibility of joining a team of like-minded individuals with the same passion as me so I wanted to know more about his qualifications, his business, and his mission.

After meeting with him and his "partner", I quickly discovered he's not a "fall prevention consultant"; he's a salesman.   He is not a gerontologist; he's a salesman.  He is not a fitness specialist; he's a salesman.   He does not develop and deliver programs that help older adults remain independent.   He's a business major, that's right, he's a salesman.

He is selling a "posture analysis" machine to assisted living facilities.  Even though I am highly trained to test the exact dimensions and provide more feedback than a machine can offer, this guy thinks the machine is more accurate and the print out is worth more than a professional assessment. I don't agree but ok, let's say the assisted living facility buys the idea that there is value in the printout and pretty graphics the machine spits out.  Now what?

I asked him what type of balance training program he offers the residents.  What type of educational program are you using to increase awareness of fall risk factors?  What type of home modifications are you suggesting?  What about medication management?

This is where his true salesman colors started to shine.  He has no balance training classes to offer.  He doesn't know the different types of exercise a person should be doing to improve his/her balance.   He is trying to put together a "program" to sell to activity directors; a once a week educational program.

Fall prevention research demonstrates that a multi-dimensional approach is the most effective way to reduce the risk of a fall.  In other words, educate, demonstrate and facilitate how to make changes that will improve balance and reduce fall risk.  An analysis of how a person is standing and how the muscle fibers are firing that morning may indicate risk of a fall but will not prevent a fall; it takes education and behavior change to remain independent.

My book, "The Complete Guide to Fall Prevention" does just that; it explains factors that increase the risk of a fall, demonstrates the different types of exercise that researchers recommend to improve balance and facilitates behavior change through compliance charts.  I even offer my "Help, I've Fallen and I CAN get up" demonstration!

Buyer beware!  Apparently "fall prevention consultant" is the new lingo that salesmen are going to use to target the baby boomers.  Beware.

Most adult children don't know how to care for parent after a fall

People often ask me why I choose to specialize in the prevention of falls among the elderly or why I am fascinated with the effects of aging on the balance system.   Am I a physical therapist?  Am I a personal fitness trainer?  A nurse?  Did a family member fall?    The answers are no, yes, no, yes (respectively) but the reason I am passionate about fall prevention is because that is my gift, my calling, from God.

Two weeks ago, my 90 year-old grandmother fell and broke her collar bone.   She doesn't remember what caused her fall and was released with her left arm in a sling.  My uncle Jerry, a retired District Attorney with a private practice, lives nearby and is watching her at her home.   Like most professionals with a family, he is not sure how to care for someone after a fall.  Like most adult children, he is unaware of factors that can increase the risk of a fall.

Two days after my grandmother returned home, she fell again.   Luckily, Jerry was there but the fact that she fell on "his watch" was upsetting to both him and to my grandmother.  She felt unsafe and he felt guilty, if not incompetent, to care for his own mother.  When my mom went to visit, she immediately scheduled a family phone consultation with her daughther, The Fall Prevention Lady.

Over the speaker, I talked about what I know best; things that increase the risk of a fall such as things you can change an the things you need to be aware of, what I recommend talking to your doctor about, how to reduce these risk factors and the types of exercises that can improve balance and stability. 

My uncle furiously took notes and subsequently made necessary phone calls and doctor appointments.  After a review of medications, we discovered that my grandmother was taking four prescriptions that significantly depressed her central nervous system.   Like many older adults, my grandmom likes her night cap however the combination of four CNS depressants and alcohol intensified confusion, drowsiness, dizziness, and thus, the risk of a fall.

Modifications have been made to both her medication management and home environment so now my grandmother can concentrate on her recovery and my uncle can feel confident that he is doing everything he can do to keep his mother safe.  My uncle is a brilliant man who is respected in his field but he had no idea how to keep his mother safe after a fall.  He is not alone; adult children cannot be expected to know how to care for a parent who fell unless they have an idea of things that cause falls and how to reduce that risk.

I had sent copies of my book, The Complete Guide to Fall Prevention, but most people are too busy to read about prevention until it's too late.   Don't delay!  Read my book and use the information when necessary.  Or if you prefer a live conversation with an expert to help deal with the after effects of a fall, I am available for family consultations (for a fee).  I am here to help.

Kelly Ward,
The Fall Prevention Lady
(916) 821-5715

Find my page on Facebook:  The Fall Prevention Lady

Grandparents raising Grandkids want fall prevention training

I was surprised when I got a phone call from the daughter of one of my former balance and mobility class participants last week.  I assumed she was calling about her father but it turned out she was applying for grant funding for the "Grandparents Raising Grandkids" program and wanted to include my fall prevention 101 workshops and balance training classes as part of the curricula. 

Falls are an honest to goodness threat to the independence and vitality of many older adults.  I have worked with hundreds of older adults and many come to class with the goal of improving balance and strength so they can keep up with their grandchildren.  Thus, it was no surprise when Julie told me she wanted to offer fall prevention services as part of the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren program she is affiliated with.

After a lot of discussion and explanation, she and I put together a fabulous program to be offered to local seniors, a mutually beneficial price structure, and ongoing sustainability components that will help the program meet the needs of this growing demographic.   Falls are a quickly becoming a public health epidemic and it will take collaborative community efforts to help prevent these unnecessary accidents.

Luckily, I wrote a 'mock' grant in my graduate grant writing class so I am familiar with the entire process; including the background work, key wording and performance outcomes that funders require in the application.   After a long night, Julie got the application for the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren program in by the deadline.

Now we wait with baited breath.  And fingers crossed.   Praying for God's will......

Stepping On fall prevention program @ Jewish Family & Children's Service in Long Beach

I will be facilitating my second Stepping On fall prevention program at the Jewish Family & Children's Service center in Long Beach, CA.  Non-profit home modification company, Hearts of Ida is sponsoring my leadership in this seven-week program and it begins Thursday March 7th.

Stepping On is an evidence-based fall prevention program developed by Dr. Lindy Clemson of Australia but was adapted by the Wisconsin Institute of Health Aging (WIHA).  The
California Department of Public Health sponsored my Master Leader training in Wisconsin last summer and luckily, Hearts of Ida appreciated the value in this program and sponsored my two programs in southern California.

I am being trained to be a "Master Trainer" in the Stepping On program on Monday.  Upon successful completion of the training and competencies, I will be certified to teach other trainers to facilitate the amazing seven-week program that collaborates with local experts including a physical therapist, pharmacist, low vision and community safety expert.

This is a great program and I am honored to be integral in bringing this fall prevention decision making and confidence building program to California. 

Daughter of 87 year old woman with dementia demands in-home balance training

I recently moved to Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA and have been busy trying to find places to offer my fall prevention 101 workshops and balance and mobility training classes.  As I continue to network and seek a hosting agency, I am offering IN-HOME balance and fitness training.  I currently have three clients and everyone is making amazing progress.

Two weeks ago, I started working with an 87 year-old woman after I met her daughter at a workshop.  Her mother has dementia and doesn't like to leave the house.  She lives alone and has fallen several times.  Even though her daughter visits frequently, she is concerned about her mom and asked me to assess her. 

I have been working with her mom twice a week and she is doing amazing!  I did a pre- and post-assessment and she has improved her lower body flexibility by 3.5 inches!  She can now touch her toes!  This improvement can make it easier to put on her compression stockings, tie her shoes not to mention prevent a fall.

I attribute her amazing results to consistent practice.  She does the balance and stretching exercises everyday with her caregiver whom I taught how to do the balance, strengthening and stretching homework exercises and record them. 

87 years old and increased her lower body flexibility by nearly four inches in two weeks.  AMAZING.  It's never too late to improve your balance and prevent a fall.

Keep your parents or loved ones safe in their home.  Call me for in-home balance training.
(916) 821-5715.  Email me:  info@thefallpreventionlady.com

The Fall Prevention Lady

Palos Verdes Seniors and balance training

I recently moved to southern California and am reaching out to the local community to spread the word about fall prevention and evidence-based balance training.  As the Fall Prevention Lady, I love educating older adults about the balance systems, increasing awareness of how aging affects stability and demonstrating effective exercises that will keep a person independent.

On Wednesday, I spoke to over 30 older adults at the Hesse Park Community Center in Rancho Palos Verdes.  The group LOVED my presentation and it was awesome to find a group for whom my program is designed for; independent older adults who still live independently but may be at risk of a fall or are not as stable as they once were. 

One of the main questions was "where can we take your class?"  That is where I need your help.  I am new to the area and need to find a place to hold my 4-week balance training sessions.  The PV Senior Center is moving at the end of the month and I have been invited to teach my classes at their new location so that is exciting.   I just don't know where or when that will begin.

However, in the meantime, I would love to find a church or other facility that will be willing to host these classes.   Please contact me if you know a place in the Southbay/Rancho Palos Verdes/Lomita/Torrance/Palos Verdes/Rolling Hills/Long Beach/Redondo Beach area.

Kelly Ward, aka The Fall Prevention Lady
(916) 821-5715
info@thefallpreventionlady.com