USC Caregivers Are Learning More (C.A.L.M.) Telephone Series

I am a member of the Southern California Fall Prevention Coalition.  To me, this is where it all began; Dr. Debra Rose, Dr. John Pynoos, The Center for Successful Aging, The Fall Prevention Center of Excellence, USC Andrus Gerontology program, and other senior service agencies that are active in the prevention of falls among the aging population in the greater Los Angeles region.

Yesterday I received the email I had been waiting for; three opportunities to contribute to community fall prevention events!  I immediately responded and will be hosting the Fall Prevention Coalition booth at the Senior Awareness Fair at Our Lady of Malibu Church in Malibu on April 7th and El Segundo's 2nd Annual Community Wellness Day Fair on June 1st.    Yay, out and about spreading the word in SoCAL!!!! 

On Friday March 15, I will be the featured speaker for USC's Caregivers Are Learning More (C.A.L.M.) Telephone Series.   From noon-1pm, I will be talking to busy caregivers (some of them adult children) about common fall risk factors and how to reduce those risks.  I will talk about basic exercises that fall prevention researchers recommend to improve balance and how to modify and advance these exercises to meet individual needs.

The need to educate busy caregivers about how to care for a person after a fall became strikingly evident after my grandmother fell last month.  Suddenly my uncles and mother were faced with the reality of caring for a parent after a fall; the strong parent now exuding feelings of vulnerability and mortality and buried dynamics of guilt, anger and fear.  

This ticking time bomb must be dealt with and the best time is before the explosion.  However life doesn't happen like that.  In America, we wait for an accident to happen and then we scramble to pick up the pieces.  I am so excited about sharing my knowledge about falls and how to reduce the risk of an accident with the family caregiver network at USC.  I highly recommend my book, The Complete Guide to Fall Prevention, as a supplement to my presentation and a guide for all family members to read BEFORE, or after, an accident. 

Fall Prevention researchers recommend increased awareness of fall risk factors and engagement in a consistent exercise program that includes four different types of exercise, including increased postural awareness.

Order my book today and arm yourself and your family, with the tools to avoid the aftermath of a fall.  Rest assured knowing you are doing what evidence supports to keep your loved one safe.

Spreading the word.
The Fall Prevention Lady

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Master of Science in Special Major....

It's been a long semester but my thesis was approved by the Office of Graduate Studies at CSUS! With academic approval, I created a Special Major by combining the studies of Gerontology and Therapeutic Recreation. I call this specialized field of study "Therapeutic Aging".
Gerontology fueled my passion for working with older adults and Therapeutic Recreation (TR) built on my undergraduate Public Health degree. Similar to Public Health, TR encourages living a healthy lifestyle in order to prevent disease and minimize disability. TR also appreciates people with special needs and Gerontology appreciates the special needs of older adults.
As a former personal fitness trainer, I have further specialized my area of expertise to the area of fall prevention exercise. I am a certified FallProof™ balance and mobility instructor and just completed a 12-week research study on Dr. Rose's home-based DVD program, FallProof™ at Home (FAH). I am preparing to teach community-based FallProof™ classes in the local Sacramento region.
My research study is completed. The thesis is written and accepted. I graduate on December 18th with a Master of Science in Therapeutic Aging. I envision myself joining a group of professionals who specialize in working with older adults in a preventative manner. In addition to humility and a willingness to learn, I have a multitude of skills plus years of experience to bring to the table. I am confident that the possibilities are endless.
What a relief. Praise the Lord.
The Fall Prevention Lady,
aka, Master in the House!

Take 5 to Exercise is Therapeutic Aging

I have decided to return to California State University Sacramento and complete my master's degree.   CSUS offers a specialized master's program for academically blessed people like me in which you design your own degree. In 2006, I completed the Graduate Certificate of Gerontology program and now, I have applied to combine my study of aging with Therapeutic Recreation and call it Therapeutic Aging.

Therapeutic Recreation builds on my undergraduate Public Health foundation of health promotion and disease prevention.  TR also compliments my Gerontology studies in that it focuses on enhancing independent living skills while improving one's overall quality of life.    

     Hhhmmmm, sound familiar?  My "Take 5 to Exercise" Fall Prevention DVD series also promotes healthy lifestyle behaviors while preventing disability through consistent stretching and strengthening routines.....  :))))

I am excited about this because it is my aspiration to do a university study of my Take 5 to Exercise program within local assisted living facilities, or better yet, the Veteran's Administration, in order to prove the benefits of consistent stretching and strengthening routines in order to reduce the risk of falling!  

     The result: an evidence-based model of fall prevention through the specific application of consistent physical movement.  This is good.  My program is good.  I am focused.  Soon you will call me master!  Order your copy today before the price goes up!  www.take5toexercise.com

Praising his precious name...

The Fall Prevention Lady 

Exercise, Fall Prevention, and Successful Aging

Yesterday I saw one of the best Geriatricians in the country, Dr. Michael McCloud. Together, the Department of Public Health's Center for Gerontology, the UC Davis Center for Healthy Aging, Kaiser Permanente, and Mercy Healthcare of Sacramento are offering a series of 1-hour educational seminars that encourage "Successful Aging".

So what is successful aging? Dr. McCloud pointed out that "successful", just like aging, is highly individualized. What is important to me and defines my success in aging may be entirely different from yours. To Dr. McCloud, quality of life is more important that quantity of years and he does not want to become dependent on anyone for his existence.

He touched on some topics that concern most of us as we age as well as some that are requirements of healthy aging. Here are 3 topics he didn't spend extraneous amounts of time discussing but explained why they are important components of successful aging:

1. Nutrition: Everyone has heard it a thousand times: Burn more calories than you consume, eat your Omega 3s, indulge in antioxidants, avoid trans and saturated fats, minimize sugar consumption, and watch your cholesterol. There's no sense in re-inventing the wheel: eat right, eat healthy, eat when you're hungry and stop when you're full.

2. Improved Sleep Habits. Dr. McCloud also encourages better sleep habits, like getting more of it! We are mammals and we mammals require sleep. Quit trying to deprive yourself, get to bed 15 minutes earlier than usual and you will be more alert, less likely to have an accident and less likely to fall.

3. Exercise. Dr. McCloud recognized exercise as one of the key components of successful aging. There isn't any avoiding it, you need to stay active to stay alive and to stay vibrant. It doesn't have to be strenuous and it doesn't have to involve spandex, but it does have to be consistent! How can you get your gentle, consistent activity?

Take 5 to Exercise! My 5-day series will guide you through effective seated exercises that address the 4 components of an effective Fall Prevention exercise routine. Staying active is a lifestyle choice, a choice that cannot be avoided if you want to live a quality life the remaining quantity of your years.

NO gadgets, no pills, no gimmicks...get moving! We'll get back to the basics as I coach you how to move properly and reduce your risk of a fall. Visit take5toexercise, to order your copy today. Perfect gift for your loved ones.

Your Fall Prevention Lady