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

Never too late, or TOO EARLY, to improve balance skills

When it comes to self-improvement, we always hear, "It's never too late" to improve this or that.  In the case of successful aging, it's been proven time and time again that 'It's never too late to IMPROVE YOUR BALANCE'!  

But what about too early?  Is it ever too early to begin an exercise and movement-oriented program to improve your balance and mobility?  The answer is a resounding NO; it's never too early to benefit from a multi-sensory balance training program designed to improve balance skills required in every day life!  I know because I have kept data on all class participants from every FallProof™ class that I have taught in the past eight years.

In fact, I have seen some of the most significant improvements in the three fitness components necessary to prevent falls among people in their 60s!!!  That's because Dr. Rose of the Fall Prevention Center of Excellence in Fullerton, CA designed FallProof™ classes for anyone over the age of 60 who is at high to moderate risk of a fall.

For everyone who has planned for their retirement years, congratulations.  You made it! Now that you're here, it's time to start planning for the next chapter of your life!  It's time to invest in your health and well-being for the years ahead.  And that includes long-term safety strategies to keep you in your home for as long as possible.  

In order to remain independent and doing the things you enjoy, consistent exercise and movement are absolutely necessary and it's never too early to improve your balance skills. The specialized training I offer challenges both the muscles AND senses involved in balance.  I also offer neural training to help break poor movement patterns that cause pain and result in weak muscles.    

Pain-free movement, improved balance and increased strength?  Absolutely.  Is this too good to be true? Nope.  Is it too early to start?  Heck no.  Too late to improve? Absolutely not!

Get started today!
The Fall Prevention Lady

WEBSITE

Fall Prevention 101 at Woodland Senior Center

Happy Fall!?!   Of course I'm talking about the season and not the "official definition" of the tragic event of 'unintentionally coming to rest on a surface lower than originally started' (Dr. Rose, 2001).

If you know me, Kelly Ward, "The Fall Prevention Lady™at all, you know that I have been teaching older adults about things that cause falls and how to reduce that risk since starting my graduate studies in 2003.  Although we can prevent (or substantially reduce the risk of) a physical fall, we cannot prevent the season!

Ironically, the National Coalition on Aging (NCOA), the largest government agency geared to the safety and well-being of older adult, has deemed September as National Fall Prevention Awareness month, with the third week as Awareness week and the first day of fall as National Fall Prevention Awareness Day.  This year's motto was "Ready, Set, Balance: Preventing Falls in 2016".  

Today I was honored to be the keynote speaker at a fall prevention event hosted by Comfort Keepers of Yolo County, organized by Cindi Unger and hosted by the Woodland Community and Senior Center.  There was a great turnout (100+ older adults and IHHS workers) as well as community vendors including the Woodland Rotary Club.

I have been presenting my Fall Prevention 101 workshop since 2011, have been blessed to speak to audiences across the country and recently updated my copyrighted material in order to keep current with fall prevention research and supplement with valuable training skills I recently acquired.  

Regardless of how long I've been speaking to groups of older adults, family members and professionals who work with older adults, I grow more passionate about the message I deliver with each presentation.  Today, I was on fire!  I absolutely love what I do and there isn't a shadow of a doubt that I am living God's purpose for me; to empower older adults to make lifestyle changes to reduce the risk of falls.  

The gratitude of the audience was humbling and even though I am not a "Physical Therapist",  I do have God's favor and ability to present a dynamic presentation that I researched, wrote and created.  

Thank you to all who attended.  I hope you are empowered to make at least one change to remain independent and on your feet in your home.  You worked hard for where you are and you have the ability to prevent a (another) fall.

Consistent, not seasonal!
Your friend and coach~

Kelly
The Fall Prevention Lady™

Older adult personal fitness clients increase strength and lose body fat!!!

As you may or may not be aware, I am a "Movement Re-Educator".  In other words, I help people break poor movement habits and re-learn how to move more efficiently.  When your body moves "efficiently", more muscle fibers are working and daily tasks require less effort.  Less work means you feel better, have more energy, and reduce your risk of a fall.   Not to mention, burn more calories which means you can occasionally indulge without guilt!

I work part-time at 24 Hour Fitness in Gold River, CA to help people of all ages reach their fitness goals.  Most of my clients are mid-60s and older and are dedicated to living life at it's fullest!  Everyone has different goals but the majority want to increase strength, improve balance, reduce pain and just feel better!

This week, I re-tested two clients to see if their workouts are helping them reach their goals.
Client #1, a 65-year old woman, lost a total of 4 inches of fat, mostly around her belly button and 2 inches below her belly button!!!!  Woo-hoo!  She met with me consistently twice a week for 6 weeks.

Her body is not only tighter but she is also moving better.  Even though she is on her feet all day at work, she reports less pain and her customers are starting to comment on how much younger she looks and asking how much weight she's lost.

Client #2 is an 82-year old gentleman who was 'sedentary' for about a year and hates getting old!  He is a former athlete and has always been "on top of his game" however persons in their 80s lose muscle mass much quicker than younger peers.  Even though he only came to see me once a week, he lost 3% body fat and reports that he "sees muscle definition again" in his thighs (our fall prevention muscles).  He did 2 more chair stands in 30 seconds and gained 1 inch in lower body flexibility.   Way to go, Bob!!!

I hope that you truly understand that it's never too late to improve your fitness; strength, balance, flexibility and endurance, not to mention your posture!  The first, and most important, step is to learn what you need to do and then get active.

If you're in the Sacramento region, I invite you to attend one of my Fall Prevention 101 workshops or enroll in one of my FallProof™ balance and mobility training sessions.  I offer them monthly at FIT4U in Carmichael, CA.  Visit my website: www.thefallpreventionlady.com for schedules.
If you prefer 1:1 training, come see me at 24 Hour in Gold River.

If you're not close to me, be patient!  I am developing an internet-based program that you will be able to follow in the comforts of your home so you can stay at home!!!