I was honored when the director of the Area Agency on Agency of Central Midlands Council of Government in South Carolina invited me to do a community outreach fall prevention awareness campaign. This was especially dear to me because I lived in Spartanburg, SC county for over eight years before the sudden death of my father and relocating to California.
A lot has changed in the twelve years since I've been in SC but mostly, the changes are within me. For instance, my profession and life direction. I now have my Masters Degree in Science in Therapeutic Aging. I am now a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS), a FallProof™ balance and mobility specialist, a Stepping On Master Trainer, a Tai Chi Moving for Better Balance (TCMBB) instructor and fall prevention consultant. My life has meaning. My career has focus.
Columbia, South Carolina is the capital of this beautiful state and the starting point for this fall prevention outreach project. The Area Agency on Aging, a federal government funded program, fully supports and recognizes the importance of education, exercise and early detection in order to reduce the incidence of falls among our aging population.
I am here for two weeks to present my two-hour Fall Prevention 101 workshop at eight different senior centers throughout four different counties. We have been presenting n rural areas and the feedback has been wonderful! This opportunity has taught me that falls are a major concern among ALL older adults; regardless of where you live or how much money you make. The bottom line is everyone needs to know as much as they can to reduce the risk of an accidental fall.
I am loving my time here in central midlands South Carolina and will enjoy this last week of fall prevention presentations in Lexington county. I'm not sure what I'm going to do after this remarkable experience but one thing that has become clear to me is hat California has more than enough "fall prevention advocates". In fact, I think it may be time for The Fall Prevention Lady to move onto the next calling.
Monday, June 23, 2014
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
7th Annual Citrus Heights Senior Health Fair
Each year for the past seven years, the folks at the Sunrise Parks and Recreation District have hosted the annual Citrus Heights Senior Health Fair. Each year the program gets better. This year, the event is on Thurday May 15 from 9am-1pm. Vendors will be there and there will be educational workshops and senior fitness assessments. All of this is free to the public!
I will be presenting my dynamic, educational Fall Prevention 101 workshop from 10a-11a. No registration is required; just show up ready to learn! I will discuss aging, balance and how to reduce the risk of an accidental fall. You will feel empowered to take control of how you're aging after attending this workshop.
I will also be offering Senior Fitness Tests to measure functional fitness components associated with fall risk. I will measure your lower body strength, lower body flexibility and dynamic or moving balance. You will need to sign up to reserve your spot for an assessment. I will be doing these senior fitness tests from 11:30a-12:30p.
For those who may be interested, I may offer a quick balance assessment using the short-form Fullerton Advanced Balance scale. This is a 4-item test that gives me a quick assessment of the sensory systems involved in balance. I'll do those from 12:30-1pm.
1 in 3 people over 65 and 1 out of 2 people over 80 falls each year. That's an estimate. I think it's an underestimate. It's also estimated that over half of all falls can be prevented through education, exercise and early detection. Get involved in your wellness! Come learn what may be causing you to fall. Learn evidence-based exercises that have been demonstrated to improve balance!
Come to the 7th Annual Citrus Heights Senior Health Fair!
6300 Fountain Square Dr, Citrus Heights, CA 95621
I will be presenting my dynamic, educational Fall Prevention 101 workshop from 10a-11a. No registration is required; just show up ready to learn! I will discuss aging, balance and how to reduce the risk of an accidental fall. You will feel empowered to take control of how you're aging after attending this workshop.
I will also be offering Senior Fitness Tests to measure functional fitness components associated with fall risk. I will measure your lower body strength, lower body flexibility and dynamic or moving balance. You will need to sign up to reserve your spot for an assessment. I will be doing these senior fitness tests from 11:30a-12:30p.
For those who may be interested, I may offer a quick balance assessment using the short-form Fullerton Advanced Balance scale. This is a 4-item test that gives me a quick assessment of the sensory systems involved in balance. I'll do those from 12:30-1pm.
1 in 3 people over 65 and 1 out of 2 people over 80 falls each year. That's an estimate. I think it's an underestimate. It's also estimated that over half of all falls can be prevented through education, exercise and early detection. Get involved in your wellness! Come learn what may be causing you to fall. Learn evidence-based exercises that have been demonstrated to improve balance!
Come to the 7th Annual Citrus Heights Senior Health Fair!
6300 Fountain Square Dr, Citrus Heights, CA 95621
Monday, May 5, 2014
Never too late to improve functional fitness
I just finished a FallProof™ balance training class at Pioneer Towers in downtown Sacramento. The small group of ladies were excited about improving their balance and they did just that! Every single person improved on the three Senior Fitness Tests associated with fall risk. And I mean they improved!
As part of my classes, I offer pre- and post-assessments to evaluate the effectiveness of the balance training classes I teach. I know the program works but I am continually collecting data in case Dr. Rose wants it for her FallProof™ program. Anyhow, I assess lower body strength, lower body flexibility and dynamic balance and agility or moving balance skills before and after attending the 8 sessions.
This class of 8 older women improved dramatically. My most improved student was 94 year-old, Eve. Yes, I said 94! She increased her lower body strength score by 4, improved her lower body flexibility 3.5 inches and was 2.3 seconds faster and much steadier in her moving balance. Remarkable! I am so proud of her!
She can now touch her toes, her legs are stronger and she is more stable when getting up and moving quickly. This collective data demonstrates that the program works when you work it. Eve and another student worked the exercises into their daily routine by meeting everyday at 4pm.
Another student who deserves huge kudos was 80 year-old Mary. On the first day of class, she had to use her hands to get up out of the chair. On the final day, she was able to do 9 perfect form chair stands WITHOUT using her hands! Yeah Mary! That makes a huge difference in the quality of her life. She is no longer embarrassed about getting up out of the chair. How did she do it? She practiced her homeplay exercises. She did the work.
Both Eve and Mary clearly show that it's not too late to improve your fitness. And men, this is not just for women. In my other class at Fremont Presbyterian, an 88-year old gentleman who is an active athlete, increased his lower body flexibility by 4 inches! HE CAN NOW TOUCH HIS TOES! Think about how great that is when getting dressed in the morning, not to mention how it improves your walking gait! Awesome job!
As part of my classes, I offer pre- and post-assessments to evaluate the effectiveness of the balance training classes I teach. I know the program works but I am continually collecting data in case Dr. Rose wants it for her FallProof™ program. Anyhow, I assess lower body strength, lower body flexibility and dynamic balance and agility or moving balance skills before and after attending the 8 sessions.
This class of 8 older women improved dramatically. My most improved student was 94 year-old, Eve. Yes, I said 94! She increased her lower body strength score by 4, improved her lower body flexibility 3.5 inches and was 2.3 seconds faster and much steadier in her moving balance. Remarkable! I am so proud of her!
She can now touch her toes, her legs are stronger and she is more stable when getting up and moving quickly. This collective data demonstrates that the program works when you work it. Eve and another student worked the exercises into their daily routine by meeting everyday at 4pm.
Another student who deserves huge kudos was 80 year-old Mary. On the first day of class, she had to use her hands to get up out of the chair. On the final day, she was able to do 9 perfect form chair stands WITHOUT using her hands! Yeah Mary! That makes a huge difference in the quality of her life. She is no longer embarrassed about getting up out of the chair. How did she do it? She practiced her homeplay exercises. She did the work.
Both Eve and Mary clearly show that it's not too late to improve your fitness. And men, this is not just for women. In my other class at Fremont Presbyterian, an 88-year old gentleman who is an active athlete, increased his lower body flexibility by 4 inches! HE CAN NOW TOUCH HIS TOES! Think about how great that is when getting dressed in the morning, not to mention how it improves your walking gait! Awesome job!
Monday, April 7, 2014
Carmichael community group begins balance training classes
12 people, including one lone ranger. 83 is the oldest and there are two young buckettes, both age 60. The average age of this class is 73 years old. This is one of the youngest groups I have had in awhile and they are active, full of life and excited about this 4-week balance training program.
As usual, I do three standardized Senior Fitness Tests as a pre- and post-class assessment. As I was doing the pre-assessments, I was pleasantly surprised to see how everyone was able to do the tests exactly according to protocol. NO modifications, no notes on the side! And they did well.
I took their scores and found where their score ranked in comparison to similar age and similar gender scores for the exact test. This is the most reliable and valid test measure to see how you're aging in comparison to your true peers. Men vs men and women vs women . Age specific. These results can be a great motivator or a real eye-opener.
There were a couple women in today's class who were upset with one of their scores. One lady walks everyday so she was not happy when she saw that she scored in the 15th percentile for the Chair Stand which measures lower body strength. "But I walk...".... Yeah, but walking doesn't build muscle like strengthening exercises will. It's great to walk but as we get older, WE MUST DO EXERCISES DESIGNED IN INCREASE OUR STRENGTH, especially our lower body.
Several people scored poorly on the Chair Sit and Reach test. This test measures lower body flexibility which is extremely important during when we walk. If you drag your toes or trip over your own toes, it could be due to poor flexibility. If you swing your leg to the side when walking or when going up a stair, it could be because of poor lower body flexibility.
The best news I have is that those assessments taken on the first day of class are a snapshot of your fitness level THAT DAY!. You may not have worked out in 6 months, you make have been ill, whatever is going on, there is no pass or fail, this is just how you did on this day. If you score poorly, there's no place to go but up. And your body will improve. Our bodies were made to be in motion so lets' keep it that way.
I test again on the last day of class and I am proud to say that in the six years that I've been teaching FallProof™ in the Sacramento communities, I have had everyone improve in at least ONE of the fitness tests. Stick with it! It will get better!
As usual, I do three standardized Senior Fitness Tests as a pre- and post-class assessment. As I was doing the pre-assessments, I was pleasantly surprised to see how everyone was able to do the tests exactly according to protocol. NO modifications, no notes on the side! And they did well.
I took their scores and found where their score ranked in comparison to similar age and similar gender scores for the exact test. This is the most reliable and valid test measure to see how you're aging in comparison to your true peers. Men vs men and women vs women . Age specific. These results can be a great motivator or a real eye-opener.
There were a couple women in today's class who were upset with one of their scores. One lady walks everyday so she was not happy when she saw that she scored in the 15th percentile for the Chair Stand which measures lower body strength. "But I walk...".... Yeah, but walking doesn't build muscle like strengthening exercises will. It's great to walk but as we get older, WE MUST DO EXERCISES DESIGNED IN INCREASE OUR STRENGTH, especially our lower body.
Several people scored poorly on the Chair Sit and Reach test. This test measures lower body flexibility which is extremely important during when we walk. If you drag your toes or trip over your own toes, it could be due to poor flexibility. If you swing your leg to the side when walking or when going up a stair, it could be because of poor lower body flexibility.
The best news I have is that those assessments taken on the first day of class are a snapshot of your fitness level THAT DAY!. You may not have worked out in 6 months, you make have been ill, whatever is going on, there is no pass or fail, this is just how you did on this day. If you score poorly, there's no place to go but up. And your body will improve. Our bodies were made to be in motion so lets' keep it that way.
I test again on the last day of class and I am proud to say that in the six years that I've been teaching FallProof™ in the Sacramento communities, I have had everyone improve in at least ONE of the fitness tests. Stick with it! It will get better!
Friday, April 4, 2014
Kisco Senior LIving offers comprehensive fall risk reduction training for Wellness Directors
Investing in your staff is one of the best ways to improve your resident's quality of life.
A company that wants to offer residents one of the best fall risk reduction programs in the country will proudly have Wellness Directors attend The Fall Prevention Lady's comprehensive training that teaches research-based fall prevention principles and demonstrates evidence-based balance exercises proven to reduce the risk of falls when done consistently.
Kisco Senior Living is that forward thinking senior living company who realizes the severity of falls among their residents and wants to invest in their staff so everyone is one the same page and working to reduce the incidence of falls. As such, they developed the 'STAND STRONG" fall risk reduction program.
Although STAND STRONG involves all teams in Kisco, the Wellness Team plays a vital role in the physical well-being of each resident. As such, two Wellness Directors from each community went to The Fall Prevention Lady's Train-the-Trainer workshop to learn about aging, balance, falls and how to reduce the risk of falls.
EDUCATE. The first step in a fall prevention program is leaning what causes a person to fall. Wellness directors listened and shared opinions as the different types of fall risk factors were discussed. The Fall Prevention Lady's "Muscles and Senses" approach to falls made it easy to understand some of the underlying causes of falls, especially if undetected.
DEMONSTRATE. Once the wellness member gathered information about a resident, it's time to plan an intervention. Since staying active is the number one way to prevent a fall, evidence-based balance and evidence-based strengthening exercises were demonstrated and practiced. This was a skills-based workshop and every attendee was expected to demonstrate a minimal competency level as an instructor in order to pass.
FACILITATE. Once the staff was trained how to assess a resident and implement a balance and strengthening exercise routine, she/he must keep the resident doing the program! Adherence to a fall prevention program is critical if the goal of reduced falls incidence is to be met. Different methods to motivate residents to stick with the program were discussed and adherence charts were given out.
STAND STRONG is a new program and like all new programs, there will be some revisions and modifications along the way. However, the fundamentals of this program will make Kisco Senior Living STAND OUT because Kisco now offers a service that no other communities offer.
In addition to offering most recent, evidence-based practices demonstrated to reduce falls, Kisco staff members are thoroughly trained in the identification of fall risks, comprehensive assessment of resident circumstances and the planning and implementation of a fall prevention exercise program that is individualized to meet resident needs and progressively challenging to help a resident meet her/his goals.
A company that wants to offer residents one of the best fall risk reduction programs in the country will proudly have Wellness Directors attend The Fall Prevention Lady's comprehensive training that teaches research-based fall prevention principles and demonstrates evidence-based balance exercises proven to reduce the risk of falls when done consistently.
Kisco Senior Living is that forward thinking senior living company who realizes the severity of falls among their residents and wants to invest in their staff so everyone is one the same page and working to reduce the incidence of falls. As such, they developed the 'STAND STRONG" fall risk reduction program.
Although STAND STRONG involves all teams in Kisco, the Wellness Team plays a vital role in the physical well-being of each resident. As such, two Wellness Directors from each community went to The Fall Prevention Lady's Train-the-Trainer workshop to learn about aging, balance, falls and how to reduce the risk of falls.
EDUCATE. The first step in a fall prevention program is leaning what causes a person to fall. Wellness directors listened and shared opinions as the different types of fall risk factors were discussed. The Fall Prevention Lady's "Muscles and Senses" approach to falls made it easy to understand some of the underlying causes of falls, especially if undetected.
DEMONSTRATE. Once the wellness member gathered information about a resident, it's time to plan an intervention. Since staying active is the number one way to prevent a fall, evidence-based balance and evidence-based strengthening exercises were demonstrated and practiced. This was a skills-based workshop and every attendee was expected to demonstrate a minimal competency level as an instructor in order to pass.
FACILITATE. Once the staff was trained how to assess a resident and implement a balance and strengthening exercise routine, she/he must keep the resident doing the program! Adherence to a fall prevention program is critical if the goal of reduced falls incidence is to be met. Different methods to motivate residents to stick with the program were discussed and adherence charts were given out.
STAND STRONG is a new program and like all new programs, there will be some revisions and modifications along the way. However, the fundamentals of this program will make Kisco Senior Living STAND OUT because Kisco now offers a service that no other communities offer.
In addition to offering most recent, evidence-based practices demonstrated to reduce falls, Kisco staff members are thoroughly trained in the identification of fall risks, comprehensive assessment of resident circumstances and the planning and implementation of a fall prevention exercise program that is individualized to meet resident needs and progressively challenging to help a resident meet her/his goals.
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